The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a stock market index that tracks the performance of the largest companies on the market. Most of these companies are listed on the NASDAQ and NYSE stock exchanges.
Here’s a brief list of these companies:
- Apple (AAPL)
- Microsoft (MSFT)
- Visa (V)
- JPMorgan Chase (JPM)
- United Technologies
- Goldman Sachs Group (GS)
- Procter & Gamble (PG)
- Nike (NKE)
- Walt Disney (DIS)
- American Express (AXP)
- Home Depot (HD)
- Walmart (WMT)
- Intel (INTC)
- Merck (MRK)
- International Business Machines (BA)
- UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
- Caterpillar (CAT)
- Coca-Cola (KO)
- Travelers (TRV)
- Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
- McDonald’s (MCD)
- Chevron (CVX)
- Cisco Systems (CSCO)
- Verizon Communications (VZ)
- Boeing (BA)
- Exxon Mobil (XOM)
- 3M (MMM)
- Pfizer (PFE): Pfizer Stock’s Dismal 2019 Could Be a Prelude to a Comeback
- Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA)
- Dow ( DOW ): Dow, Inc. Stock Is on the Move—and Should Have a Better 2020
A brief overview of the Dow
The start of the year, as we remember, was not a smooth one. The reason was the fact that the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 12% during the last three months of 2018.
Besides, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 15% so far in 2019. However, this is a massive contrast from the results of the last year. 2018 was a terrible and rough year for stock investors. Even though there were some dips along the way, and it has not been an easy year for investors with the ongoing China/US trade war. Overall, 2019 has so far been a good year for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Procter & Gamble (PG), Apple (AAPL), Home Depot (HD), Microsoft (MSFT), and Visa (V) are the top five Dow Jones stocks year to date.
The Dow was able to gain 22% at the beginning of the year, for now, it is trading at 17.7 times, and is no longer a “bargain. However, during the last three months of 2018, and had a valuation of 13.5 times 12-month forward earnings. Besides, Wall Street closed near the flatline in a shortened session on Tuesday, ahead of the Christmas holiday. The Dow Jones lost 36 points or 0.1% to 28515, and the S&P 500 closed nearly flat at 3223.
Let’s hope that 2020 will maximize averaged index value for every single month, throughout the year!