Spreadex | Dec 23, 2018 09:31
For all the years doom and gloom, some stocks have still – just about – found a way to shine. But what exactly were the FTSE 350’s best performers in 2018?h2 10. Auto Trader Group Plc (LON:AUTOA)/h2
Auto Trader’s big moment came in early June, as a 10% rise in full year pre-tax profits to £210 million countered its warnings about the UK new and used car markets.
h2 9. EI Group PLC (LON:EIGE)/h2The UK’s largest pub company capped off a strong 2018 with November’s full year results, which saw the firm announce it was putting its commercial property estate up for sale.
h2 8. Pearson (LON:PSON) PLC/h2The former FT-owner saw most of its growth in the first half of the year, as it reassured investors its turnaround was on track.
h2 7. Qinetiq Group (LON:QQ) Plc (OTC:QNTQY)/h2The turning point for QinetiQ’s 2018 came in late-May, with a 3% rise in annual organic revenue to £833 million, its consecutive year of growth.
h2 6. Syncona Ltd (LON:SYNCS)/h2Life science investment trust Syncona really built up a head of steam over the summer, in large part thanks to the successful IPO of Autolus Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AUTL), of which the firm is a major shareholder.
h2 5. Drax Group (LON:DRX) /h2An already strong year was made all the better for Drax in October, as it confirmed the acquisition of Scottish Power’s portfolio of pumped storage, hydro and gas-fired generation from Iberdrola (MC:IBE).
h2 4. Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group (LON:JLT) /h2There is no way Jardine would have been on this list if it weren’t for September’s announcement it had accepted a takeover bid, worth £4.9 billion, from Marsh & McLennan (NYSE:MMC).
h2 3. Evraz PLC/h2Though there were plenty of mining wobbles in 2018, as the sector tracked China’s economic slowdown, Evraz managed to beat its peers with a near 40% climb.
h2 2. Hikma Pharmaceuticals (LON:HIK) PLC/h2While Hikma’s 2018 rise has to be put in the context of 2017’s slide, a comeback is a comeback, one fuelled here by ‘improved profitability’ in its Generics and Injectables divisions.
h2 1. Ocado (LON:OCDO) /h2Ocado’s spot at No. 1 is all the more remarkable because, at under £8, it is well off July’s £11.50 all-time highs. Still, that’s nearly double where it began 2018, the stock transformed by the announcement of a deal with American grocery giant Kroger (NYSE:KR).
Disclaimer: Spreadex provides an execution only service and the comments above do not constitute (or should not be construed as constituting) investment advice or recommendations, or a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. Any person placing trades based on their interpretations of the above comments does so entirely at their own risk. Spreadex Ltd is a financial and sports spread betting and sports fixed odds betting firm, which specialises in the personal service and credit area. Founded in 1999, Spreadex is recognised as one of the longest established spread betting firms in the industry with a strong reputation for its high level of customer service and account management.
In relation to spread betting, Spreadex Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Spread betting carries a high level of risk to your capital and can result in losses larger than your initial stake/deposit. It may not be suitable for everyone, so please ensure you fully understand the risks involved.
Original post
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.