2025 Dow Jones Underperformers: Analysis of UNH, CRM, PG, NKE, and HON

This analysis is based on a December 19, 2025 Yahoo Finance report identifying the top five underperforming stocks in the 2025 DJIA [1]. The DJIA itself has risen 12.83% YTD (January 2–December 19, 2025) [0], indicating that these five stocks are offsetting broader index gains.

• YTD Performance Breakdown (2025):

  Symbol	Performance	Sector
  UNH	-35.55%	Healthcare
  CRM	-22.72%	Technology
  NKE	-23.00%	Consumer Cyclical
  PG	-14.06%	Consumer Defensive
  HON	-12.31%	Industrials

Each stock faces company-specific or sectoral challenges:

• UNH:
  Operational disruptions from an independent business audit, shareholder resolutions on acquisitions, and layoffs in its Optum unit [2]. The company has unveiled a 23-point action plan to address audit findings [2].
• CRM:
  Mixed investor sentiment after walking back its agentic AI pitch, despite its AI-driven growth potential [3].
• NKE:
  A recent earnings beat is overshadowed by macroeconomic pressures (inflation, supply chain issues), though Apple CEO Tim Cook’s $3M investment signals insider confidence [4].
• PG:
  Limited public news on its 2025 performance, with attention focused on Coty’s appointment of a PG veteran as executive chair [5].
• HON:
  API rate limits prevented access to recent news, but underperformance is likely linked to industrial sector cyclicality [0].

1. Diverse Sector Drag:
   The underperformers span five distinct sectors, ruling out a single sector-specific crisis as the primary driver. This suggests broad-based company-specific headwinds rather than systemic sector trends.
2. Analyst-Consensus Disconnect:
   All five stocks carry an analyst consensus “BUY” rating with significant upside potential [0], contrasting their short-term underperformance. This indicates a potential market overreaction to temporary challenges.
3. Insider Confidence Signal:
   Tim Cook’s investment in NKE provides a notable counterpoint to macroeconomic concerns, highlighting potential long-term value that may be overlooked by current market sentiment [4].
4. Information Gaps for HON:
   The lack of recent news due to API limits creates uncertainty about the exact drivers of HON’s underperformance, requiring further monitoring.

• UNH:
  Regulatory scrutiny over acquisitions and healthcare costs, plus potential operational impacts from layoffs [2].
• CRM:
  AI strategy execution risk and intense competition in the SaaS market [3].
• NKE:
  Sustained macro pressures (inflation, supply chain volatility) and weakening consumer discretionary spending [4].
• PG:
  Currency fluctuations (50.7% of revenue from non-US markets) and competition in the consumer goods space [0].
• HON:
  Industrial sector cyclicality and uncertain demand for its products/services [0].

• UNH:
  The 23-point action plan could resolve audit-related issues and restore investor confidence [2].
• CRM:
  Revised AI strategies may unlock untapped growth potential [3].
• NKE:
  Earnings resilience and insider support position it to rebound as macro pressures ease [4].
• PG:
  Its global revenue base offers expansion opportunities in emerging markets [0].
• HON:
  A potential recovery in the industrial sector could drive performance improvement.

• UnitedHealth Group (UNH), Salesforce (CRM), Procter & Gamble (PG), Nike (NKE), and Honeywell (HON) are the 2025 DJIA underperformers [1].
• The DJIA remains up 12.83% YTD despite their drag [0].
• Each stock faces company/sector-specific challenges, with HON’s performance drivers currently unclear due to data access limits [0].
• Analyst consensus is “BUY” for all stocks, indicating potential long-term upside [0].
• Decision-makers should monitor UNH’s 23-point action plan, CRM’s revised AI strategy, NKE’s macroeconomic trends, and updates on HON’s performance drivers.