Dow Jones Industrials 2025: These Three Unexpected Stocks Top Nvidia

• Caterpillar's power generation division expects 5-7% annual growth through 2030 due to massive data center demand for generators, up from 4% average between 2019-2024
• Johnson & Johnson posted $23.99 billion in quarterly revenue with $2.80 EPS and completed a $3.05 billion acquisition of cancer therapy developer Halda Therapeutics
• Goldman Sachs capitalized on market volatility following Trump's universal tariff announcement, generating huge trading fees with earnings growth averaging 49% over four quarters

Dow Jones Industrial Average Top Performers 2025

The Dow Jones Industrial Average's top five performers for 2025 all exceeded 35% returns, led by unexpected winners alongside AI beneficiaries. Caterpillar dominated with a 59% gain, followed by Goldman Sachs (54%), Johnson & Johnson (44%), Nvidia (40%), and IBM (37%).

Key Drivers:

Caterpillar - The heavy equipment manufacturer's surge stemmed from booming power generator sales, driven by data center construction for AI companies. CEO Joe Creed cited "robust demand" from cloud computing and generative AI needs. The company projects its power and energy division to grow 5-7% annually through 2030, up from 4% average growth during 2019-2024.

Johnson & Johnson - The pharmaceutical giant posted $23.99 billion in quarterly revenue with $2.80 earnings per share. Success came from newer therapeutics including cancer drugs DARZALEX and CARVYKTI, plus anti-inflammatory TREMFYA, which received expanded FDA approvals. J&J strengthened its pipeline by acquiring biotech Halda Therapeutics for $3.05 billion to develop oral cancer therapies. The company also announced plans to spin off its orthopedics unit.

AI Beneficiaries - IBM shed its legacy reputation, hitting all-time highs through enterprise AI product advantages. Nvidia continued benefiting from the AI boom with 40% gains.

Goldman Sachs - The investment bank capitalized on market volatility following President Trump's universal tariff announcements, which initially caused equity, bond, and currency market turbulence. Goldman's clients rushed to rebalance portfolios, generating substantial trading fees. The bank averaged 49% earnings growth over four quarters despite revenue rising only 2%.