The stock market is full of surprises. Predicting which stocks will soar and which will collapse is impossible; volatility is inevitable. Historically, markets show more gains than losses, but when downturns occur—like in 2008 when the S&P 500 fell 37%—it can take years to recover. A stock’s value can be influenced by many factors: shifts in product demand, technological breakthroughs, corporate mergers and acquisitions, and broader economic trends.
Some of the most successful stocks of the 21st century are household names and members of the S&P 500, while others were smaller companies or have since been absorbed into larger firms. The list is dominated by technology and healthcare companies, with one company appearing twice for its standout performance.
Below are the top-performing stocks of the century by year, ranked by percentage gain, including brief summaries of each company’s role and notable developments during their breakout year.
2000: OSI Pharmaceuticals
Former symbol: OSIP (Nasdaq). Now part of Japan’s Astellas Pharma, traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
End of 2000 price per share: $80.13
Current market cap (Astellas): $30.5 billion
OSI Pharmaceuticals, based on Long Island, focused on cancer treatments. In 2000 the company secured rights from Pfizer to an anti-cancer compound with promise against multiple cancer types, driving investor optimism and a sharp run-up in its shares.
2001: Acclaim Entertainment
Former symbol: AKLM (Nasdaq)
End of 2001 price per share: $5.38
Acclaim Entertainment, a Glen Cove, New York-based video game developer and publisher, saw a rebound in 2001 thanks to new releases across multiple gaming platforms. Despite that resurgence, the company ultimately filed for bankruptcy in 2004.
2002: Firstwave Technologies
Former symbol: FSTW (Nasdaq)
End of 2002 price per share: $12.16
Atlanta-based Firstwave developed customer relationship management software. In early 2002, the company reported a profitable quarter that sent its stock price surging—doubling in a single day. Public information about Firstwave is limited afterward, with reports in 2007 indicating it was considering going private.
2003: Avaya
Symbol: AVYA (NYSE)
End of 2003 price per share: $13
Price on March 1, 2019: $15.67 (after a later public offering)
Current market cap: $1.62 billion
Avaya, a communications and software company originally spun off from Lucent, is based in Santa Clara, California. The firm has moved through private equity ownership and returned to the public markets, and its 2003 gains reflected investor interest in enterprise communications solutions.
2004: Autodesk
Symbol: ADSK (Nasdaq)
End of 2004 price per share: $37.95
Price on March 1, 2019: $159.77
Current market cap: $33.62 billion
Autodesk, based in San Rafael, California, creates software for architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment sectors. Its product portfolio and recurring revenue model helped drive substantial stock appreciation over time.
2005: Hansen Natural
Symbol: MNST (Nasdaq), formerly HANS
End of 2005 price per share: $3.28
Price on March 1, 2019: $64.74
Current market cap: $33.53 billion
Hansen Natural, the company behind Monster Energy, was based in Corona, California. In 2005 the company executed a 2-for-1 stock split and launched several new beverages, sparking dramatic investor interest and a huge increase in share price, particularly in November of that year.
2006: Force Protection
Former symbol: FRPT (Nasdaq). Acquired by General Dynamics (GD) in 2011.
End of 2006 price per share: $13
Current market cap (GD): $47.98 billion
Force Protection, based in South Carolina, manufactured blast-resistant military vehicles designed to withstand roadside explosives. The company’s specialized defense offerings attracted attention and culminated in its acquisition by General Dynamics.
2007: Mosaic
Symbol: MOS (NYSE)
End of 2007 price per share: $94.34
Price on March 1, 2019: $31
Current market cap: $11.27 billion
The Mosaic Company, headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota, is a major fertilizer producer with mining operations in North America and distribution networks across Brazil, Paraguay, India and China. Rising demand for corn and soybeans—driven in part by biofuel production—boosted fertilizer sales and Mosaic’s stock performance in 2007.
2008: Dollar Tree
Symbol: DLTR (Nasdaq)
End of 2008 price per share: $41.69
Price on March 1, 2019: $96.36
Current market cap: $28.88 billion
Dollar Tree, a discount retailer headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia, proved resilient during the financial crisis as consumers sought lower-cost shopping options. The company’s ability to maintain sales in a recession helped lift its stock.
2009: Diedrich Coffee
Former symbol: DDRX (Nasdaq). Later integrated into Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP).
End of 2009 price per share: $34.85
Current market cap (KDP): $37.28 billion
Irvine, California-based Diedrich Coffee shifted from running company-owned stores to focusing on wholesale coffee sales and producing K-Cups for Keurig machines. In late 2009 Green Mountain Coffee Roasters acquired Diedrich after a competitive bidding process; the brand later became part of the Keurig Dr Pepper group.
2010: Netflix
Symbol: NFLX (Nasdaq)
End of 2010 price per share: $175.70
Price on March 1, 2019: $357.32
Current market cap: $157.01 billion
Netflix, based in Los Gatos, California, transformed from a DVD-by-mail rental service that helped topple Blockbuster into a streaming leader. By investing in streaming technology and original programming, the company built a subscriber-driven business that delivered rapid value growth.
2011: Pharmasset
Former symbol: VRUS (Nasdaq). Acquired by Gilead Sciences (GILD) in 2011.
End of 2011 price per share: $137
Current market cap (GILD): $80.26 billion
Princeton-based Pharmasset focused on antiviral drugs. In 2011 it advanced a promising hepatitis C treatment that could reduce or eliminate the need for interferon, significantly boosting investor interest. Gilead acquired Pharmasset later that year.
2012: Pharmacyclics
Former symbol: PCYC (Nasdaq). Acquired by AbbVie (ABBV) in 2015.
End of 2012 price per share: $57.78
Current market cap (ABBV): $115.19 billion
Pharmacyclics, based in Sunnyvale, California, developed oncology therapies. In 2012 positive clinical results for a lymphoma treatment drove its stock higher, culminating in AbbVie’s purchase of the company a few years later.
2013: Tesla
Symbol: TSLA (Nasdaq)
End of 2013 price per share: $37.51
Price on March 1, 2019: $294.79
Current market cap: $47.71 billion
Tesla, the Palo Alto-based electric vehicle maker, faced rapidly rising demand in 2013 and scaled up production to meet orders. Improved margins from reduced costs and strong consumer interest in electric vehicles helped push the stock substantially higher that year.
2014: Avanir Pharmaceuticals
Former symbol: AVNR (Nasdaq). Acquired by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and now part of its operations.
End of 2014 price per share: $16.95
Current market cap (Otsuka): $23.7 billion
Aliso Viejo-based Avanir developed treatments for central nervous system disorders. In December 2014 Otsuka announced plans to acquire Avanir for $3.5 billion, with Avanir operating as an independent subsidiary thereafter.
2015: Netflix
Symbol: NFLX (Nasdaq)
End of 2015 price per share: $114.38
Price on March 1, 2019: $357.32
Current market cap: $157.01 billion
Netflix returned to the list in 2015 as its investment in original content, competitive pricing relative to cable bundles, and the shift toward cord-cutting by consumers continued to fuel subscriber growth and revenue expansion.
2016: Resolute Energy
Symbol: REN (NYSE)
End of 2016 price per share: $41.19
Price on Feb. 28, 2019: $30.91
Current market cap: $721.11 million
Denver-based Resolute Energy produces oil and gas primarily from the Aneth Field in Utah and holdings in the Permian Basin. After a weak first half of the year, a strong second-quarter earnings report and announcements of property acquisitions and a secondary offering drove the stock higher.
2017: NRG Energy
Symbol: NRG (NYSE)
End of 2017 price per share: $28.40
Price on March 1, 2019: $42.20
Current market cap: $11.63 billion
NRG, an energy company with operations in Houston and West Windsor, New Jersey, announced plans in 2017 to streamline its portfolio by selling conventional and renewable assets. The restructuring aimed to improve efficiency and helped boost investor confidence.
2018: Twilio
Symbol: TWLO (NYSE)
End of 2018 price per share: $89.30
Price on March 1, 2019: $123.53
Current market cap: $14.17 billion
Twilio, a cloud communications platform based in San Francisco, reported a 68% year-over-year revenue increase in the third quarter of 2018, driven by new customers and greater spending from existing ones. The company’s growth prospects and a large addressable market supported its strong stock performance.