Dow 18,772! 6 stocks expected to do it

18,000 is here again for the Dow. But investors want more — and if analysts are correct — they'll get it.

The much-watched Dow Jones industrial average could be at 18,772 in 18 months — or 4% higher than its Tuesday close of 18,054 - if analysts' forecasts for the 30 stocks contained in the market measure are correct, according to a USA TODAY analysis of data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The biggest expected gains are concentrated in six Dow stocks, including bank Goldman Sachs (GS), gadget maker Apple (AAPL) and health insurer UnitedHealth (UNH), which are expected to add 50 points or more apiece to the Dow over the next 18 months.

"There’s more room for things to go right than to go wrong," says Karl Mills, president of investment firm Jurika, Mills & Keifer. "I don't think the analysts are far off."

S&P 500 over 2100 for first time since December

The six Dow stocks analysts are most bullish on are expected to contribute more than 90% of the 718 Dow points analysts think the market measure will rise. Part of these stocks' big contribution is due to the fact analysts are actually negative on a third of the Dow stocks. Ten of the Dow 30 stocks are expected to fall from their current prices over the next 18 months and another four are seen either being flat or contributing fewer than 10 Dow points apiece.

Goldman Sachs is one stock analysts have big hopes for - in terms of sheer Dow points expected. Analysts think the stock, which closed Tuesday up more than 2% to $162.65, could be worth $188.45 in 18 months, which not only would be a 16% increase but add 177 Dow points. Financials are compelling values now, which sets them up for a solid rise, Mills says. Shares of Goldman are down 9.8% this year as investors correctly anticipated the company Tuesday reporting 55% lower adjusted quarterly profit.

Apple is another stock that analysts continue to love, even though it has been an underperformer this year. The stock is up 1.5% this year to $106.91 - trailing the roughly 3% rise by the Dow itself. But analysts think the stock will be worth $133.90 in 18 months, which would add 25% to the stock and 185 points to the Dow. Analysts are optimistic on the stock ahead of the expected fall release of an updated version of its smartphone, says Abhey Lamba, analyst at Mizuho, who has a lower-than-the-street $120 price target. "Analysts are most intensely bullish on Apple in a two-year cycle, which ... no coincidence, tracks the two-year iPhone cycle," says Jim Kelleher, research analyst at Argus Research. Analysts and investors, though, could be disappointed and the stock "slammed" if the new phone doesn't deliver on longer battery life, base model with more storage and wireless charging, he says.

There's a chance analysts are being overly optimistic with any of these stocks. Take United Health, which analysts think will be worth $144.36 in 18 months, which is 11% more than Tuesday's price of $130.50 and enough to add 95 Dow points. The company's membership growth is gaining momentum and profitability could increase in the future, says David Windley, analyst at Jefferies. But all that's priced in, says Vishnu Lekraj, analyst at Morningstar, who thinks the stock's value is actually lower, $116. "Over the near term" the stock might rise, Lekraj says. "But over the longer term, it will come back down to Earth."

Follow Matt Krantz @mattkrantz