It is no secret that investors have had great enthusiasm since the November election. What should be considered is that investors had found many other non-election reasons to buy stocks on pullbacks throughout the entire year. Despite a recession-risk at the start of 2016, despite Brexit and continued geopolitical risks, there have been many serious winners that blew past the markets this year.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was still shy of the elusive 20,000 mark on Tuesday morning, but the world’s most recognized stock index was up 14% so far in 2016, as of Friday’s close of 19,933.81. Many stocks have outperformed the market exponentially and some have doubled, tripled and quadrupled. But what about stocks that rise over 1,000% in a single year?
It seems almost too large to be true, but there were some stocks that rose more than tenfold in 2016. Before just taking any screen for granted, 24/7 Wall St. crossed the gains seen at FINVIZ and Yahoo! Finance with the registered performance represented by Thomson Reuters for more accurate data. Some companies were screened out due to their size and/or due to conflicting pricing data, and other stocks have enjoyed stellar performance as well this year.
Also, keep in mind that there are still three trading days left before the end of 2016 is final. Here are six stocks that have risen between 500% and 1500% so far in 2016. 24/7 Wall St. also has run a full list of the best and worst investments by class in 2016, which covers exchange traded funds, mutual funds, commodities and more.
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) in 2016 has regained much of its former lost ground from the past two decades. AMD is the chief rival to Intel for personal computer and server processors, but the real drive here is around graphics processors and the hope for massive growth in virtual reality, gaming, machine learning and artificial intelligence markets. AMD shares screen as being up “only” 300% year to date, but they have been measured up over 500% from the 52-week low of $17.75. The growth of AMD has been well followed in 2016, but what is amazing is that even at a multiyear high of $11.75, many analysts see AMD shares surging even higher in 2017.
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: CLF) is a mining and natural resources player and a supplier of iron ore pellets to the North American steel industry. While the Trump infrastructure hope is one driving force, the reality is that Cliffs Natural Resources had been recovering all of 2016 after years of sliding. This was a $1.60 stock at the start of 2016, and the $8.90 share price is up 460% so far this year. That price is up over 600% from the $1.20 low of 2016, and its year high is $10.90. It is hard to know if this has run too much, with a consensus analyst price target of $7.00. After all, even with a $2 billion value now, this was a $100 stock in 2011 and in 2008.
Magellan Petroleum Corp. (NASDAQ: MPET) was last seen up over 1,500% so far in 2016, and it was a penny stock earlier this year. This oil and gas exploration and production company focuses on the development of liquefied natural gas projects along the United States Gulf Coast. This is actually the new amalgamation under Charif Souki, the deposed founder of Cheniere Energy, with recent funding creating even more excitement.
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NYSEMKT: NAK) is a mineral exploration company that holds interest in mining claims on lands in southwest Alaska that are part of the Pebble Copper-Gold-Molybdenum Project. Much of the gain is about hope that Trump will allow it to proceed with its application for a copper and gold mine in Alaska that has been stalled almost three years by environmental regulators who are aiming to protect the world’s biggest sockeye salmon fishery. The market value is now $560 million, and its shares were last seen up almost 600% year to date. Shares were at $2.10, in a 52-week trading range of $0.20 to $2.13.
Resolute Energy Corp. (NYSE: REN) may have been as low as $2.25 earlier in 2016, but its price of $40.80 has shares up over 800% so far this year. With a $710 million market cap, the main excitement here is that the company is counted among the Permian Basin oil winners in Texas. If this move sounds too good to be true, Resolute Energy was briefly a $90 stock in 2011. Its 52-week range is $2.25 to $42.34, and it has a consensus price target of $47.14.
Wins Finance Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: WINS) was last seen up some 1,400% so far in 2016. Its shares were indicated lower on Tuesday after having been featured by Barron’s as a little financial firm with a $3.8 billion market value but that earned just $12 million from charging fees to guarantee small business borrowings in China. Barron’s even called its stock valuation “a puzzle” and pointed to odd-lot volume and other tiny trading days still driving the stock. It was even noted that the company was baffled about the rise in its shares. At $168.79, Wins Finance has a 52-week range of $7.36 to $205.00.
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