Special Report
The Best- and Worst-Performing DJIA Stocks in 2014
September 29, 2014 4:05 pm
Last Updated: March 19, 2020 10:45 am
The bull market may be five and a half years old, but stocks have been fighting each week to hit newer highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was up only 3.4% on the year as of Tuesday’s mid-day trading, but then it was also up 11% from the lows seen at the start of February.
Ten of the 30 members of the DJIA are up more than 10% this year through September 23. Technology companies are well-represented in this group, with Intel, Microsoft and Cisco all among the top performers. Health has also been a major theme among the top Dow performers as well. Health insurance provider UnitedHealth, pharmaceutical giant Merck, and Johnson & Johnson — which derives most of its revenue from its pharmaceuticals and medical devices segments — are all among the 10 best-performing DJIA members.
But not all Dow stocks are participating in this year’s bull market. In fact, eight of the 30 DJIA stocks have negative total returns in 2014. Total return figures include both share price change and dividends paid.
So far this year, financials and conglomerates have put in a poor showing. Two of the eight worst-performing companies are credit card providers Visa and American Express. General Electric and United Technologies, both conglomerates, were also among the poorest performers so far this year.
Sales trends have also been a problem for several of the DJIA’s worst performers. This is especially the case for McDonald’s and Walmart, both of which have had distressing sales trends in recent years. In its most recent monthly report, for instance, McDonald’s noted U.S. comparable sales were down 2.8% year-over-year, while sales for its Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa unit dropped 14.5% amidst concerns over supplier practices.
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Based on market information through Tuesday, September 23, 24/7 Wall St. identified the best- and worst-performing companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. We also reviewed consensus analyst price targets, 52-week trading ranges, and dividend yields for each company. For many companies, we have provided additionally analysis on positive and negative catalysts that may have contributed to share price changes. We have also highlighted potential catalysts investors may want to follow for certain stocks. Share prices are as of Tuesday’s closing bell.
These are the best- and worst-performing DJIA stocks so far in 2014.
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