Dow Jones stocks have tumbled in late 2018, slipping by as much as 12% for the year before rallying the day after Christmas. However a few star names have managed to outperform, including Merck (MRK), Microsoft (MSFT), Nike (NKE), Pfizer (PFE) and Visa (V). Merck stock is by far the top Dow Jones stock of 2018. All five Dow stocks also helped lift the S&P 500 index this year.
Merck Is The Top Dow Jones Stock
Merck stock has increased a muscular 34% in 2018, nearly twice as strong as the next-best top Dow Jones stock of 2018. Shares rose 1.9% to 75.38 on the stock market today, reclaiming their 50-day line as the Dow Jones led a powerful rebound. Merck stock is just 6% off its Dec. 4 peak of 80.19 and up modestly for the fourth quarter.
The Dow Jones stock has seen its relative strength line soar to a near 4-year high, continuing a powerful uptrend since early March. The RS line compares a stock’s price performance to the S&P 500 index.
In October the Dow Jones drug giant projected earnings for the year to come in above analyst estimates. Merck also hiked its quarterly dividend by 15% to 55 cents a share. This month Merck agreed to buy Antelliq, which sells digital animal identification, traceability and monitoring solutions, for $2.4 billion.
Pfizer Stock Stands Tall
Pfizer stock has jumped 18.3% so far this year. Shares got off to a slow start, but picked up steam after clearing a 26-week consolidation in late July, MarketSmith analysis shows. Pfizer stock hit 46.47, the best price since early 2001, after breaking out of a 7-week flat base on Nov. 30. That failed amid the broader sell-off. Pfizer stock is now 7% off its high. Like fellow Dow Jones drug giant Merck stock, Pfizer stock is just below a fast-rising 50-day moving average.
Pfizer issued cautious 2018 guidance back in October despite topping Q3 earnings views after sales lagged.
The company makes top drugs such as Viagra, cholesterol fighter Lipitor, painkiller Lyrica and antibiotic Zithromax. Earlier this month the Dow Jones stock announced a deal with British pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to combine their consumer health divisions.
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