From Kiplinger:
The 30 companies that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average are household names. Their sheer size and dominance of their respective fields make them not only well known but also good bets in bad markets. All 30 pay dividends, too, and that steady income can beef up total returns during markets both good and bad. Any stock carries risk, of course, but it’s fair to say that as a group Dow stocks are among the more reliable names that investors can buy.