As 2013 draws to a close it’s important to cast a nod to the past year and review some of the major hits and misses in the stock market(s). Naturally, the most obvious place to start is with the best performing shares (of 2013) in terms of overall performance. Every investor needs to remain connected to what’s hot and what’s not, if for no other reason to maintain one’s knowledge base. At the same time, taking a moment to see who did well this past year might provide newcomers with an increased understanding of how global markets are shifting. It’s like the old saying goes, “you can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been”, right? Here are some of the more notable stock / company successes to reflect upon…
Boeing (NYSE: BA)
For all intents and purposes, the big performer of 2013 was Boeing, one of the more prominent multinational companies that specialize in aircraft design and manufacture. Currently, Boeing stock is up 81% for the year (to date), making it the most impressive showing this year. Perhaps their biggest success was the unveiling of the 787 Dreamliner, which boasts the ability to haul more passengers at reduced weights and fuel costs (something which airlines are most definitely interested in). Moreover, they’ve also been hyping upcoming products like the fabled “777X”, which some have claimed will be the most fuel-efficient passenger airplane ever created. The point is, Boeing sold a lot of planes in 2013 to a very excited consumer base, much to the delight of nearly everyone, apparently.
Netflix (NYSE: NFLX)
Netflix is one of those breakaway companies that just seemed to emerge out of nowhere to take most of the world by storm with its incredibly convenient streaming service which allows subscribers to pick and choose their programs at their leisure. In short, this is the type of company that a lot of people are big fans of, given the quality of the service they provide when compared with its affordability. Perhaps the most significant item of concern is NFLX’s first quarter price doubling, which was (and is) seen as something of a revelation to company insiders as well as investors. The stock started off at the very beginning of the year at a share price of $95, now it’s closing the year at around $370…a very nice development indeed. Of course they’re showing no signs of slowing down either. Netflix currently have plans to aggressively expand into international markets in a major way in 2014, making them one of the companies to keep your eye on.
Marathon Petroleum (NYSE: MPC)
Yet another stock that has doubled within a relatively short period of time, Marathon Petroleum had a great 2013. As many have already noted, the stock is up 36%, which is pretty stellar for a modern petroleum company, especially one that just split from Marathon Oil (in 2011).