The Dow Jones' "low-beta" stocks are built to weather downturns, and Home Depot fits that defensive mold. It trails highfliers like Nvidia or Apple on the upside but steadies the index when markets wobble. As Kiplinger notes, Dow names " lag in up markets " but " hold up better when everything is selling off ." Home Depot adds that buffer with a fortress balance sheet and about 50 percent payout ratio — though not without legal battles and settlements along the way.