10 Worst Dow Stocks To Buy According to Analysts

8. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 83

Short Interest: 0.95%

Average Upside Potential: 5%

Volume, not price, drove the surprise at Procter & Gamble. Organic sales rose 4% in the fiscal first quarter, and organic volume alone added 2.4 points, so shoppers were buying more product rather than simply paying more for it. Pricing contributed very little to the gain, and management said the quarter reflected sharper execution across the business.

Cost savings helped cushion higher commodity costs. Core operating margin included gross productivity savings of 250 basis points, and core earnings per share came in at $2.00, ahead of the year-earlier figure. Management kept its full-year organic sales, earnings and cash return guidance in place, and the company still expects to turn most of its adjusted profit into free cash flow.

Chief Executive Shailesh Jejurikar said the results reflect sharper execution of the company’s strategy of delighting consumers with superior products at a superior value. The company has also completed its purchase of Thorne, a premium wellness brand, and widened its full-year sales growth forecast to reflect the deal, which adds a health and supplements business to a portfolio built around everyday household and beauty brands.

Here is our analysis on Procter & Gamble: Procter & Gamble (PG) Expects 1% to 3% Organic Growth, Is That Enough?

7. Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 90

Short Interest: 1.16%

Average Upside Potential: 3%

Coca-Cola is selling more drinks, not just charging more for them. Global unit case volume grew 5% in the third quarter, while pricing and mix played a small role in the 7% increase in organic revenue. The company also gained value share in nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverages, a sign that shoppers are choosing its brands over rivals.

Profit followed the volume. Comparable earnings per share grew 11%, and the operating margin widened to 33.4% from 32.0% a year earlier. Growth came across brands, with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar volume up 16% and the flagship Trademark Coca-Cola brand also growing, led by India, China, Mexico and Brazil. Unit case volume also rose in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and in Latin America, where it grew faster than the company average.

Management responded by raising its full-year guidance. Chief Executive Henrique Braun said the quarter shows the system’s sustained momentum, giving the company confidence in its updated outlook. Year-to-date free cash flow reached $11.4 billion, which funds both marketing investment and shareholder payouts. Music partnerships, including festival activations across Europe, also helped drive volume growth in that region.

Check out our analysis on Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) here: Can Coca-Cola (KO) Stock Support 28 Times Earnings?

6. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 117

Short Interest: 0.70%

Average Upside Potential: 3%

Management at Johnson & Johnson now sees a clearer path to double-digit growth by the end of the decade, and the third quarter gave it a reason to say so. Sales rose 5.9%, and the company raised its 2026 outlook to reported sales of about $101.2 billion and adjusted earnings of $11.10 per share at the midpoint.

The pipeline is supplying the momentum. Positive Phase 3 results in multiple myeloma arrived during the quarter, approval came for Imaavy in warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and Rybrevant Faspro won priority review. Each adds a possible growth leg beyond the medicines that already sell, and the company said its focused portfolio is gathering momentum. It also added to the pipeline through the acquisition of Firefly Bio and a collaboration with Sail Biomedicines.

Medical devices have their own catalyst. Ottava, billed as the world’s first soft-tissue surgical robot built into the operating table, received market authorization. Chief Executive Joaquin Duato described it as one of the company’s most transformative medtech innovations, and he said the quarter showed sequential growth picking up from the previous one.

You can read our analysis on Johnson & Johnson here: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Drugs Lift Guidance, but Is 23 Times Earnings Fair?

5. Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 111

Short Interest: 1.70%

Average Upside Potential: 2%

Advertising and online sales are changing what a Walmart dollar earns. Global eCommerce sales rose 23% in the fiscal second quarter, and global advertising grew 38%, with the US Walmart Connect ad business up 43% excluding Vizio.

Operating income rose 28.8%, boosted by tariff refunds that the retailer said it would put back into lower prices. Management raised its sales and operating income growth guidance for the year, and said it will keep prioritizing investment in price during the second half. Operating cash flow reached $19.7 billion for the first half of the year, which helps fund those price cuts.

Walmart US also posted strong growth across digital. Walmart International also grew, with Sam’s Club China reaching record membership counts and Flipkart’s advertising business expanding. Sam’s Club US showed steady membership growth and more transactions, and nearly half of Walmart’s marketplace business now flows through its fulfillment services, which gives outside sellers a reason to stay on the platform. Walmart reports its next quarter later this month, when investors will see how the price investments and the digital businesses are working together.

Our analysis on Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) can be found here: Walmart (WMT): Can Suppliers Keep Funding Its Inventory Growth?