Superstars & Tankers: 4 Stocks That Did Really Well, and 4 That Didn't

Stocks are a funny thing - some are generally steady growers, some flail around, and, for the unlucky few - they dip or plunge on the regular.

As we’re nearing the end of Q3, let’s have a look at the stocks that made their owners very happy, and those that made their owners monumentally unhappy.

To get this data, we used the “Performance” tab in the U.S. stocks screener, then sorted them according to percent of change in the year-to-date (YTD).

Here are the 4 stocks that had the most growth since the beginning of 2018, and 4 that took the worst hits.

Let’s start with our Superstars - anyone who invested in these stocks is probably looking at their portfolio with satisfaction:

NII Holdings Inc (NIHD)

If you invested in NII Holdings Inc (previously Nextel Communications) on January 2nd, you’d have had a whopping x13 return on your investment, seemingly thanks to the Brazilian government lifting restrictions on cellular network spectrum caps in late February. Stock value has gone up by over 1280%.

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc (ARWR)

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is a California-based pharmaceutical company that focuses on genetic interference to treat intractable diseases, such as hepatitis and cystic fibrosis, through genetic manipulation. To date, their stock more than quintupled in value, in major part thanks to the company’s announcement that 3 of their potential cures have progressed into phase 1 of clinical testing, giving hope to patients and investors alike. Stock value has gone up by 420%.

ArQule Inc (ARQL)

ArQule is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on treating various forms of cancer and rare diseases, through “small molecule drugs”. Company stock got its main boosts thanks to exclusive licensing agreements and investments that injected millions of dollars into the company. Stock value has gone up by over 240%.

CAS Medical Systems Inc (CASM)

CAS Medical is a world-leader in non-invasive cerebral oximetry monitoring equipment. The company saw very good results in Q4 of 2017 as well as Q1 of 2018, and stock value steadily increased. Interestingly, the Q2 earnings report recently came out with mixed results, so you may want to keep an eye on their stock. Stock value has gone up by over 196%.

Let’s take a leap from the top of the pile all the way down to the bottom. If you were invested in any of these stocks, you may have been having a bad YTD - these are 2018’s worst tankers so far:

LiNiu Technology Group (LINUF)

LiNiu is a China-based company that operates 3 casinos (1 in Macau, and 2 in Australia), owns a trading platform based on Chinese agriculture, and offers farmers insurance in China. While the stock was maintaining its value in the beginning of the year, a May decision by The Nasdaq Stock Market that the stock is not in compliance sent it on a downwards spiral. Stock value has gone down by 97% (YTD).

Anthera Pharmaceuticals Inc (ANTH)

Anthera is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products to treat serious diseases. The company’s stock tanked in March ‘18 after it reported that it is suspending development of Sollpura - one of the company’s prominent drugs, and then again in late June when the company announced it will withdraw its hearing to appeal the delisting of the company on NASDAQ. Stock value has gone down by 95% (YTD).

Riot Blockchain Inc (RIOT)

The bizarre story of Riot Blockchain Inc. began during the cryptocurrency crazy of the end of 2017. The company’s original name was Bioptix, and the name was changed as late as October 2017. The company was originally known for a patent in the veterinary field and was rumored to be researching ways to test for diseases. The company claims it has pivoted into the blockchain field, but an SEC inquiry into the company’s actions, alongside cancellation of shareholder meetings in Dec. ‘17 and Feb. ‘18 seem to have pushed the stock’s value down from $28.7 to $3.65 by the end of Sept. ‘18 - a drop of 87% (YTD).

Yingli Green Energy Holding Co Ltd (YGEHY)

Yingli Green Energy is a Chinese-based solar-panel manufacturer. Yingli has been experiencing YOY losses since 2015. As a result, On June 28th, the NYSE announced its plan to delist the company, causing stock value to crash. Stock value has gone down by 83% (YTD).

A common thread for all major tankers was being delisted from major stock exchanges, leading to a loss of confidence from investors. This is a stark reminder for anyone investing in stocks to stay vigilant and know what is going on for the company you decided to put your money in. As Peter Lynch said: “If you don’t study any companies, you have the same success buying stocks as you do in a poker game if you bet without looking at your cards.”