10 Top Stock Picks From Morgan Stanley

(Adds performance of new picks in second paragraph.)

BOSTON (TheStreet) -- The 10 stocks that Morgan Stanley (MS) added to its model portfolio in the past 45 days show a defensive bent, as they pay hefty dividends in industries that have a history of weathering tough times.

Morgan Stanley's Most Strategic Portfolio had a return of 2.1% from the beginning of the year through Nov. 4, compared with a 1% gain for the S&P 500 Index. Since their inclusion date in the bank's portfolio, the 10 stocks have risen an average of 6.4%. One stock, Axis Capital Holdings (AXS), has gained 22.9% since it was added to the model portfolio Sept. 23. Two stocks have been losers, with one dropping 5%.

The Wall Street firm said in a Nov. 6 research note that its model portfolio of 48 stocks is overweight in utilities, health care and consumer staples, and is underweight in consumer discretionary and industrials, both of which have underperformed this year.

Here are the 10 latest additions to Morgan Stanley's model portfolio, all made since Sept. 16:

Colgate-Palmolive (CL), one of the world's largest consumer-product companies, was added to the portfolio Sept. 23 and gets a 2% weighting recommendation. It makes and sells its namesake toothpaste and detergents, as well as shampoos, deodorants and shaving products.

Colgate's shares are up 12.4% this year, which is also its three-year average annual return. Colgate has a market value of $43 billion and a projected dividend yield of 2.63%.

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