What is the Dow Jones Industrial Average?

Kevin Voigt Updated on August 12, 2025

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), often just called "the Dow," is one of the most well-known stock market indexes in the world. It serves as a benchmark for the performance of 30 large, publicly traded companies based in the United States. Although it only includes a fraction of the thousands of companies on U.S. exchanges, the Dow is often used as a snapshot of the broader economy's health.

Why the Dow Jones Industrial Average is Important

The Dow is widely followed by investors, analysts and the media because it tracks some of the biggest and most influential U.S. companies across various industries. Changes in the Dow are often seen as indicators of general market trends. When the Dow rises or falls significantly, it can affect investor sentiment and even influence economic policy discussions.

What Are the Dow Jones Futures?

Dow Jones futures are contracts that allow investors to speculate on or hedge against the future movement of the DJIA. These futures trade almost 24/7 and offer insight into how markets might open the next day. They are particularly useful for gauging investor sentiment during non-market hours and can be a tool for managing risk.

What is the Average Return of the Dow Jones?

Historically, the DJIA has delivered average annual returns of around +7% to +10%, depending on the time frame and whether dividends are reinvested. Over the long term, this performance reflects the overall growth of the U.S. economy and the strength of its major corporations.

What is the DJIA Forecast?

While no one can predict market movements with certainty, analysts use tools like historical performance, economic indicators and earnings forecasts to estimate future trends. As of now, many forecasters anticipate modest gains for the DJIA, driven by innovation, consumer spending and corporate earnings—though short-term volatility is always a factor.

What Companies Are in the Dow Jones Industrial Average

The DJIA includes 30 prominent companies across sectors like finance, healthcare, technology and consumer goods. These companies are considered leaders in their fields and help provide a broad view of the U.S. market.

Company	Symbol	Industry	Date added	Index weighting
Goldman Sachs	GS	Financial services	2013	8.84%
UnitedHealth Group	UNH	Managed health care	2012	7.47%
Microsoft	MSFT	Information technology	1999	5.68%
Home Depot	HD	Home Improvement	1999	5.67%
Caterpillar	CAT	Construction and mining	1991	5.13%
Sherwin-Williams	SHW	Specialty chemicals	2024	5.00%
Salesforce	CRM	Information technology	2020	4.70%
Visa	V	Financial services	2013	4.70%
American Express	AXP	Financial services	1982	4.37%
McDonald's	MCD	Food industry	1985	3.97%
Amgen	AMGN	Biopharmaceutical	2020	3.89%
JPMorgan Chase	JPM	Financial services	1991	3.67%
IBM	IBM	Information technology	1979	3.54%
Travelers	TRV	Insurance	2009	3.41%
Apple	AAPL	Information technology	2015	3.25%
Amazon	AMZN	Retailing	2024	3.21%
Honeywell	HON	Conglomerate	2020	3.07%
Boeing	BA	Aerospace and defense	1987	2.46%
Procter & Gamble	PG	Fast-moving consumer goods	1932	2.29%
Chevron	CVX	Petroleum industry	2008	2.14%
3M	MMM	Conglomerate	1976	2.11%
Johnson & Johnson	JNJ	Pharmaceutical industry	1997	2.09%
Nvidia	NVDA	Information technology	2024	1.71%
Disney	DIS	Broadcasting and entertainment	1991	1.55%
Merck	MRK	Pharmaceutical industry	1979	1.35%
Walmart	WMT	Retailing	1997	1.35%
Nike	NKE	Clothing industry	2013	1.07%
Coca-Cola	KO	Drink industry	1987	0.88%
Cisco	CSCO	Information technology	2009	0.83%
Verizon	VZ	Telecommunications industry	2004	0.54%

Who Decides What Companies Are in the DJIA?

The composition of the DJIA is not determined by a mathematical formula, but rather by a committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices, a division of S&P Global. This committee selects companies based on their reputation, market capitalization, and how well they represent the U.S. economy. Firms may be added or removed to ensure the index stays relevant as the business landscape evolves.

Three new companies were added to the DJIA in 2024, the latest year the index has been updated: Amazon, NVIDIA and Sherman Williams. They replaced Walgreens, Intel and Dow Chemicals, respectively, on the Dow 30.

Dow Jones vs S&P 500

While both the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 are used to assess market performance, they differ significantly:

Dow Jones: Tracks 30 major U.S. companies; price-weighted (stocks with higher prices have more influence).
S&P 500: Tracks 500 companies; market cap-weighted (larger companies have greater influence).

The S&P 500 is often viewed as more comprehensive due to its broader scope, while the Dow is considered a more focused indicator of established blue-chip firms.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

The DJIA was first introduced in 1896 by Charles Dow and Edward Jones. Initially containing just 12 industrial companies, it has evolved over the decades into a key indicator of market strength and economic health. Despite its limited number of components, the index remains deeply influential in global finance and media.

Common Questions About DJIA

Can You Buy Shares in the Dow Jones Industrial Average?

You can’t directly buy the Dow itself, but investors can gain exposure through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) such as the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (ticker: DIA). These funds are designed to mirror the performance of the DJIA by holding the same 30 stocks in the same proportions.

What is Dow Theory

Dow Theory is a market analysis framework based on the writings of Charles Dow. It posits that market trends move in three phases (accumulation, public participation and distribution), and that the direction of the industrial and transportation indexes must confirm one another to validate a trend. Though developed over a century ago, it still influences technical analysis today.

Note: This story is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Always consult a financial advisor or conduct your own research before making investment decisions. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.

The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index.