Are all 30 Dow stocks in the S&P 500?
All of the stocks in The Dow are typically included in the S&P 500, where they generally make up between 25% and 30% of its market value.
Because the S&P 500 contains hundreds of large companies and represents the lion's share of total stock market value, it is considered a much better gauge of how the market is performing, even though it excludes thousands of smaller and midsize companies.
Investing in an S&P 500 fund can instantly diversify your portfolio and is generally considered less risky. S&P 500 index funds or ETFs will track the performance of the S&P 500, which means when the S&P 500 does well, your investment will, too. (The opposite is also true, of course.)
The average yearly return of the S&P 500 is 10.22% over the last 30 years, as of the end of February 2024. This assumes dividends are reinvested. Adjusted for inflation, the 30-year average stock market return (including dividends) is 7.5%.
The S&P 500 consists of 500 companies that have issued a total of 503 stocks.
- 10 Smallest Companies in the S&P500 Index. Business & Books. · ...
- 495. Comerica Inc. ($CMA) ...
- 496. Mohawk Industries Inc. ($MHK) ...
- 497. Organon & Co ($OGN) Sector: Healthcare. ...
- 498. Ralph Lauren Corp ($RL) Sector: Consumer Cyclical. ...
- 499. Zions Bancorp ($ZION) ...
- 500. Fox Corp Class B ($FOX) ...
- 501. Lincoln National Corp ($LNC)
So, if you are looking to own a more diversified basket of stocks, the S&P 500 will be the right fit for you. However, those who are comfortable with the slightly higher risk for the extra returns that investing in Nasdaq 100 based fund might generate will be better off with Nasdaq 100.
Focusing on growth businesses
In the trailing five-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year periods, the Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG -0.24%) has outperformed the S&P 500. That is a remarkable track record.
However, its bankruptcy following the financial crisis led to its removal. Since then, the Dow has gone more than a decade without representation from the auto industry. Many investors note that Tesla's potential goes well beyond its vehicle manufacturing. For now, though, Tesla is squarely focused on cars and trucks.
According to our calculations, a $1000 investment made in February 2014 would be worth $5,971.20, or a gain of 497.12%, as of February 5, 2024, and this return excludes dividends but includes price increases. Compare this to the S&P 500's rally of 178.17% and gold's return of 55.50% over the same time frame.
How much would $1000 invested in the S&P 500 in 1980 be worth today?
In 1980, had you invested a mere $1,000 in what went on to become the top-performing stock of S&P 500, then you would be sitting on a cool $1.2 million today.
The S&P 500 has historically provided average annual returns of around 10%, which means that $100 invested each month could grow to a significant amount over time.
The consensus 12-month analyst price target for the S&P 500 is 5,614, representing about 6.8% upside from current levels.
| Stock | Trailing annual dividend yield* |
|---|---|
| Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) | 5.9% |
| Pfizer Inc. (PFE) | 5.9% |
| Boston Properties Inc. (BXP) | 6.2% |
| Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) | 6.2% |
U.S. stock returns: 2023 optimism carries forward
This heightened optimism is on par with the positive outlook in December 2021, when investors anticipated a 6% stock market return for 2022. Investor expectations for stock returns over the long run (defined as the next 10 years) rose slightly to 7.2%.
Key Takeaways. The DJIA tracks the stock prices of 30 of the biggest American companies. The S&P 500 tracks 500 large-cap American stocks. Both offer a big-picture view of the state of the stock markets in general.
The S&P 500 is a stock market index that measures the performance of about 500 companies in the U.S. It includes companies across 11 sectors to offer a picture of the health of the U.S. stock market and the broader economy. After a downturn in 2022, the S&P 500 roared back in 2023, and on Jan.
The actual rate of return is largely dependent on the types of investments you select. The Standard & Poor's 500® (S&P 500®) for the 10 years ending December 31st 2023, had an annual compounded rate of return of 15.2%, including reinvestment of dividends.
| symbol | founded | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | BK | 1784 |
| 1 | STT | 1792 |
| 2 | CL | 1806 |
| 3 | HIG | 1810 |
The group is made up of mega-cap stocks Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon.com (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META), Tesla (TSLA) and Nvidia (NVDA). In 2023, the Magnificent 7 stocks logged an impressive average return of 111%, compared to a 24% return for the broader S&P 500.
Who owns most of the S&P 500?
According to the latest figures, BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street collectively own a significant percentage of the S&P 500. As of the end of 2021, BlackRock owned approximately 11% of the index, Vanguard owned approximately 10%, and State Street owned approximately 7%.
The Dow tracks 30 large U.S. companies but has limited representation. The Nasdaq indexes, associated with the Nasdaq exchange, focus more heavily on tech and other stocks. The S&P 500, with 500 large U.S. companies, offers a more comprehensive market view, weighted by market capitalization.
Key Takeaways. Each of the so-called Magnificent Seven stocks—Nvidia, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Apple and Tesla—gained at least 49% in 2023 and powered the broader market higher.
| Fund | 2023 performance (%) | 5yr performance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Sands Capital US Select Growth Fund | 51.3 | 76.97 |
| Natixis Loomis Sayles US Growth Equity | 49.56 | 111.67 |
| T. Rowe Price US Blue Chip Equity | 49.54 | 81.57 |
| MS INVF US Growth | 49.29 | 62.08 |
The one time it's okay to choose a single investment
That's because your investment gives you access to the broad stock market. Meanwhile, if you only invest in S&P 500 ETFs, you won't beat the broad market. Rather, you can expect your portfolio's performance to be in line with that of the broad market.
