In this article, we will discuss: 10 Best Performing Dow Stocks So Far in 2026.
On April 15, Hamish Preston, head of US equities at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said in an interview that the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 50,000 on February 6, 2026. It was the first time in nearly 130 years that the index reached that level.
He pointed out that the milestone underlines the index’s role as a long-term indicator of U.S. equity markets. The gauge had crossed 40,000 less than two years earlier. That pace shows how quickly these milestones are now being reached. Since its creation in 1896 by Charles Dow, the index has gone through 136 constituent changes. It started with 12 stocks and expanded to 30 by 1928. As of January 2026, the average tenure of a company in the index stands at around 25 years.
S&P Dow Jones Indices also said the index supports about $115 billion in indexed assets and more than $8 trillion in equivalent trading volume in 2024. Preston added that new additions drove more than half of the move from 40,000 to 50,000. In his view, that reflects how sector exposure continues to evolve. He also said the index represents most industries, even though it still leans more toward financials and industrials.
With that said, here are the 10 Best Performing Dow Stocks So Far in 2026.
Methodology:
We began with a pool of 30 stocks from the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and identified stocks that have delivered positive returns in 2026 so far. We then picked the top 10 stocks with the highest Year-to-Date return as of April 16. We have limited our final selection to companies that have recently reported noteworthy developments likely to impact investor sentiment. These stocks are also popular among analysts and elite hedge funds. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their year-to-date performance.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
10. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK)
Year-to-date return as of April 16: 8.46%
On March 31, 2026, Reuters announced that Infinimmune has signed an agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to research and develop several antibody candidates, with potential milestone payments totaling $838 million. The deal includes an undisclosed upfront payment to Infinimmune. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) retains exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the ensuing medicines.
Infinimmune announced that it will use its exclusive technology to screen vast volumes of human immune cells. It is discovering naturally existing antibodies and improving them with artificial intelligence methods. CEO of Infinimmune Wyatt McDonnell told Reuters that the technology promotes antibodies that have already been sculpted by human biology rather than creating them from scratch.
The firms will investigate various secret targets chosen by Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK). McDonnell stressed that the relationship is not limited to a specific disease area. Infinimmune is also exploring internal early-stage treatments for moderate-to-severe eczema and other immune-related disorders.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is a healthcare firm that provides health solutions through prescription medications, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. It operates in three segments: pharmaceutical, animal health, and other.
9. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)
Year-to-date return as of April 16: 8.77%
On April 1, 2026, Reuters reported that The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) and its approved bottlers want to invest 17.6 billion rand ($1.05 billion) in South Africa by 2030. It referenced comments made by Africa operating unit president Luis Felipe Avellar at an investment conference in Johannesburg. The corporation stated that the investment will increase production capacity, boost distribution, and expedite innovation across its value chain.
Separately, on March 23, 2026, Reuters reported that The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)’s largest Indian bottler, SLMG Beverages, has warned of potential price increases due to rising packaging costs associated with the Middle East war. Deputy CEO at SLMG, Rahul Kumar, stated that rising prices for plastic, caps, labels, and cardboard may necessitate selected price increases based on competition and consumer response.
SLMG accounts for around 22% of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)’s India volumes. The firm aims to invest between 10 billion rupees ($106.58 million) and 12 billion rupees in each of the four additional factories it plans to build over the next five years. In fiscal year 2025, the bottler’s sales increased by 49% to 67.73 billion rupees, while net profit rose 76% to 2.06 billion rupees, according to the company database Tofler.
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) manufactures and markets non-alcoholic beverages. It operates in the following regions: Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific, Global Ventures, and Bottling Investments.
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