Top 10 “Most Improved” Stocks for 2014

These Stocks Are Making a Come Back

So far, 2014 signaled a positive year for the markets, with stocks and indices generally on the rise and the global economy seemingly stabilizing despite political and military unrest in multiple regions.

As the 2nd quarter of 2014 has come to a close, we thought we’d take a look at the 10 companies that made the best use of this time to improve their standing in the eyes of investors.

Keep in mind that this is simply a data survey, comparing stock prices from the beginning of the year to those recorded during the past week. What you do with this information is up to you. A rapid rise in stock price may signal a great future for the company’s shares, or it may also indicate that the price has peaked and has nowhere to go but down. Make sure to do the necessary research before you make your decisions.

And now, without further ado, and in no particular order, here are our Top 10 “Most Improved” Stocks for 2014:

1. Adobe

After enduring a major security breach that saw its stock plummet to just $44 last year, Adobe has made incredible headway, thanks mostly to the growing popularity of its Creative Cloud services, to climb back up to the $72 region around which its currently trading.

2. EA

EA may be called the “most hated” or “worst” company in America, but its stock price in 2014 is telling a different story. Going from $22.5 at the beginning of 2014, to around $37 in July, EA is proving that it plans to stick around despite the haters. Of course, there is a possibility that its recent hike up the price mountain has been prompted by the correlation of its FIFA 2014 game with the World Cup, and that it is now destined to descend back down to previous levels.

3. Micron

You may not have heard of this semiconductor device manufacturer from Boise, Idaho, but Micron is making big waves in the technology industry. Having been named one of the top 100 global innovators by Reuters in 2012 and 2013, Micron has also claimed the Memory Product of the Year award for its Hybrid Memory Cube in April this year and announced 1st quarter earnings that beat its 2013 equivalent by over 40%. It is no wonder that Micron is now trading at around $34 as opposed to the $21 levels it was at in January.

4. Alcoa

Having survived a bribing scandal in 2013, Alcoa’s shares have resurged this year as the global leader in aluminum products reported better than expected earnings in Q2 and signed a $1.1 billion jet engine deal with Pratt & Whitney.

5. Rangold

Gold mining businesses were hit hard by last year’s interminable gold slump. But the crisis allowed companies like Randgold Resources to restructure and optimize their operations and be prepared to climb back up higher than ever before on the back of gold recovery, which for Randgold stock has meant an amazing rise from 3800 to 5100 point levels so far this year.

6. Tesla

There is no doubt that Tesla is a company not at all interested in staying put. Innovation is the name of the game, and Tesla excels at it. With such projects as the Gigafactory, the expansion of Tesla operations in China, and the announcement of a new Tesla BlueStar affordable vehicle line, the outlook for the future is optimistic. And even though the stock has experienced a slump in the past month, its growth from $150 to $220, as well as its current prospects are enough to land it on our list.

7. Shire

This UK based pharmaceutical giant may not be as well known as some of its competitors, such as Pfizer and Merck, but Shire has been making very smart moves in 2014, almost doubling its Q2 earnings in just one year. Probably the biggest leaper on our list, Shire’s stock has gone from 2850 to 4950 points since the beginning of the year However, its remarkable performance has attracted suitors, and just a few days ago the company announced that it will accept a $54 billion dollar merger deal from AbbVie Inc.

8. Avis Budget

Fearing competition from peer to peer and other social car rental services, the Avis Budget Group has dedicated the first 6 months of 2014 to expanding its technological offering and building social media presence. The company has launched a new mobile wi-fi rental service and expanded its local dealership networks, which drove its stock price from around $39 to $59. Oh, and the Uber lawsuits didn’t hurt either.

9. Netflix

There are so many things that attract investors to Netflix, not least of them the company’s potential to grow. As Netflix unveiled new seasons of critic and fan favorites, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, and announced plans for at least 20 new original series in 2015-16, both viewers and investors have reason to be excited and to drive Netflix stock prices from around $330 in January to around $440 in July.

10. Baidu

The Chinese alternative to Google, this year has set its sights on the international stage, launching its new localized search engine notably in Brazil. The company has also expanded mobile sales and cut back on spending, to earn the thumbs up from Morgan Stanley as a stock to watch. Indeed the stock has already gone up this year from around $165 levels to $190, but how high will it go?

Article Written By: Abby Tsype