SUMMARY
The main aim of this article is to verify whether the companies operating in Polish healthcare industry could be included into the group of so called defensive companies. The value of such companies during recession does not decline or the declines are significantly lower compared to the major stock indexes. The analysis carried out in the article is conducted amongst companies from healthcare sector listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE). In the article an analysis is presented comparing risk ratios of defensive stocks and whole stock market such as beta coefficient (ß). The analysis is based on daily data intervals from the period 2012–2014. The article is based on the assumption that Polish healthcare industry companies may be portrayed as defensive and the results of the study suggest to support this point of view. Therefore, the stocks of such companies can be considered by investors as interesting assets for building diversified portfolios and working on investment strategies.