It has been amazing to watch U.S. stocks turn around this year, following a miserable fourth quarter, in line with to the Federal Reserve‘s change from monetary tightening back to the dovish tone and policy investors have grown so used to since 2008. But the highest (and lowest) fliers in the market have their own narratives driving superlative performance.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.45% has returned 16.1% this year (with dividends reinvested) through July 11, following an 11.8% decline during the fourth quarter, according to data provided by FactSet. The S&P 1500 Composite Index (made up of the S&P 500 SPX, +0.11% the S&P 400 Mid Cap Index MID, +0.63% and the S&P Small Cap 600 Index SML, +0.58% has returned 20.5% this year, following a 14% slide during the fourth quarter, also including reinvested dividends.
With such a large decline preceding this year’s euphoria, the 12-month figures may be more interesting: The Dow has returned 12.3% over the past year, while the S&P 1500 Composite Index has returned 9.0%.
These big winners in 2019
Six stocks among the S&P 1500 that have returned at least 100% over the past 12 months, including dividends, through July 11. Here’s a list of all 27 index components that are up at least 75% over the past year:
| Company | Ticker | Industry | Total return - 12 months | Total return - 3 Years | Total return - 5 Years | Total return - 10 Years |
| eHealth Inc. | EHTH, -1.92% | Life/Health Insurance | 289% | 567% | 164% | 473% |
| Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. | IIPR, -10.86% | Real Estate Investment Trusts | 281% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Avon Products Inc. | AVP, +0.00% | Household/Personal Care | 170% | -1% | -71% | -81% |
| Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc. | COKE, +0.08% | Beverages: Non-Alcoholic | 127% | 113% | 335% | 534% |
| Universal Display Corp. | OLED, +1.34% | Electronic Components | 110% | 181% | 519% | 2,035% |
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc. | AMD, -0.76% | Semiconductors | 104% | 560% | 657% | 847% |
| Wingstop Inc. | WING, +0.94% | Restaurants | 89% | 321% | N/A | N/A |
| Ball Corp. | BLL, -2.01% | Containers/Packaging | 89% | 104% | 135% | 581% |
| LendingTree Inc. | TREE, -1.47% | Finance/Rental/Leasing | 88% | 350% | 1,480% | 4,663% |
| Rent-A-Center Inc. | RCII, +0.04% | Finance/Rental/Leasing | 87% | 117% | 17% | 85% |
| Lantheus Holdings Inc. | LNTH, -1.12% | Medical Specialties | 85% | 471% | N/A | N/A |
| Starbucks Corp. | SBUX, +0.06% | Restaurants | 79% | 68% | 147% | 1,440% |
| Repligen Corp. | RGEN, +0.41% | Biotechnology | 79% | 204% | 253% | 1,451% |
| MarketAxess Holdings Inc. | MKTX, +0.64% | Investment Banks/Brokers | 75% | 141% | 678% | 4,509% |
| Source: FactSet | ||||||
You can click the tickers for much more about each company.
Here’s a summary of Wall Street analysts’ opinions about these companies:
| Company | Ticker | Share 'buy' ratings | Share neutral ratings | Share 'sell' ratings | Closing price - July 11 | Consensus price target | Implied 12-month upside potential |
| eHealth Inc. | EHTH, -1.92% | 78% | 22% | 0% | $93.47 | $93.25 | 0% |
| Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. | IIPR, -10.86% | 67% | 33% | 0% | $137.62 | $154.00 | 12% |
| Avon Products Inc. | AVP, +0.00% | 0% | 100% | 0% | $3.93 | $3.09 | -21% |
| Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc. | COKE, +0.08% | 0% | 100% | 0% | $305.85 | N/A | N/A |
| Universal Display Corp. | OLED, +1.34% | 55% | 45% | 0% | $195.15 | $196.50 | 1% |
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc. | AMD, -0.76% | 44% | 44% | 12% | $33.06 | $30.14 | -9% |
| Wingstop Inc. | WING, +0.94% | 50% | 44% | 6% | $95.10 | $82.93 | -13% |
| Ball Corp. | BLL, -2.01% | 57% | 29% | 14% | $71.15 | $68.25 | -4% |
| LendingTree Inc. | TREE, -1.47% | 38% | 54% | 8% | $433.34 | $386.45 | -11% |
| Rent-A-Center Inc. | RCII, +0.04% | 13% | 87% | 0% | $27.53 | $27.17 | -1% |
| Lantheus Holdings Inc. | LNTH, -1.12% | 50% | 50% | 0% | $27.66 | $27.75 | 0% |
| Starbucks Corp. | SBUX, +0.06% | 37% | 63% | 0% | $89.07 | $81.91 | -8% |
| Repligen Corp. | RGEN, +0.41% | 83% | 17% | 0% | $85.00 | $77.60 | -9% |
| MarketAxess Holdings Inc. | MKTX, +0.64% | 0% | 82% | 18% | $354.53 | $293.44 | -17% |
| Source: FactSet | |||||||
Biggest losers
Over the past 12 months, 91 stocks among the S&P 1500 have dropped at least 50% (again, including reinvested dividends). Here are the 15 that have plunged at least 75%:
| Company | Ticker | Industry | Total return - 12 months | Total return - 3 Years | Total return - 5 Years | Total return - 10 Years |
| Dean Foods Co. | DF, -0.50% | Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy | -90% | -94% | -94% | -94% |
| Superior Energy Services Inc. | SPN, +2.14% | Oilfield Services/Equipment | -88% | -93% | -97% | -92% |
| Nautilus Inc. | NLS, -0.86% | Recreational Products | -87% | -91% | -83% | 56% |
| Ascena Retail Group Inc. | ASNA, -1.87% | Apparel/Footwear Retail | -84% | -91% | -96% | -90% |
| Kirkland's Inc. | KIRK, -1.04% | Specialty Stores | -83% | -88% | -90% | -82% |
| Stamps.com Inc. | STMP, +1.83% | Internet Software/Services | -82% | -41% | 38% | 537% |
| Owens & Minor Inc. | OMI, +0.16% | Medical Distributors | -81% | -91% | -89% | -85% |
| Superior Industries International Inc. | SUP, +2.38% | Auto Parts: OEM | -81% | -89% | -83% | -70% |
| United Natural Foods Inc. | UNFI, +1.65% | Food Distributors | -78% | -81% | -85% | -62% |
| Diplomat Pharmacy Inc. | DPLO, -2.31% | Hospital/Nursing Management | -78% | -84% | N/A | N/A |
| Applied Optoelectronics Inc. | AAOI, -0.10% | Telecommunications Equipment | -77% | -11% | -58% | N/A |
| Weight Watchers International Inc. | WW, +1.18% | Other Consumer Services | -77% | 97% | 18% | 5% |
| Acorda Therapeutics Inc. | ACOR, -1.57% | Biotechnology | -76% | -73% | -78% | -70% |
| Ring Energy Inc. | REI, +0.76% | Oil & Gas Production | -76% | -61% | -82% | 13% |
| Denbury Resources Inc. | DNR, +2.36% | Oil & Gas Production | -76% | -59% | -92% | -90% |
| Source: FactSet | ||||||
Here’s how the analysts feel about the worst performers among the S&P 1500 over the past year:
| Company | Ticker | Share 'buy' ratings | Share neutral ratings | Share 'sell' ratings | Closing price - July 11 | Consensus price target | Implied 12-month upside potential |
| Dean Foods Co. | DF, -0.50% | 0% | 75% | 25% | $1.01 | $2.36 | 133% |
| Superior Energy Services Inc. | SPN, +2.14% | 27% | 61% | 12% | $1.17 | $3.72 | 218% |
| Nautilus Inc. | NLS, -0.86% | 0% | 100% | 0% | $1.75 | $4.92 | 181% |
| Ascena Retail Group Inc. | ASNA, -1.87% | 0% | 100% | 0% | $0.65 | $1.00 | 53% |
| Kirkland's Inc. | KIRK, -1.04% | 33% | 67% | 0% | $1.85 | $4.63 | 150% |
| Stamps.com Inc. | STMP, +1.83% | 20% | 60% | 20% | $47.03 | $53.92 | 15% |
| Owens & Minor Inc. | OMI, +0.16% | 0% | 56% | 44% | $3.19 | $4.00 | 25% |
| Superior Industries International Inc. | SUP, +2.38% | 60% | 40% | 0% | $2.94 | $10.00 | 240% |
| United Natural Foods Inc. | UNFI, +1.65% | 15% | 62% | 23% | $9.39 | $10.75 | 14% |
| Diplomat Pharmacy Inc. | DPLO, -2.31% | 17% | 75% | 8% | $6.07 | $6.45 | 6% |
| Applied Optoelectronics Inc. | AAOI, -0.10% | 11% | 67% | 22% | $9.90 | $10.21 | 3% |
| Weight Watchers International Inc. | WW, +1.18% | 7% | 79% | 14% | $23.67 | $24.50 | 4% |
| Acorda Therapeutics Inc. | ACOR, -1.57% | 22% | 67% | 11% | $7.00 | $17.56 | 151% |
| Ring Energy Inc. | REI, +0.76% | 89% | 11% | 0% | $3.27 | $8.65 | 164% |
| Denbury Resources Inc. | DNR, +2.36% | 0% | 91% | 9% | $1.27 | $2.32 | 83% |
| Source: FactSet | |||||||
Don’t miss: Banks should shine among S&P 500 stocks this earnings season
Create an email alert for Philip van Doorn’s Deep Dive columns here.