Pinpointing a date on which the pandemic started is not a simple task, but for market watchers, March 9, 2020, is when it got real. All major indexes plunged. Coronavirus cases were spiking, especially in New York. And many investors couldn’t sell off fast enough.
Against all odds, market indexes rebounded in astonishing ways. But an index is just one measurement. Investments are made in individual companies—and these are some of the companies (in alphabetical order) that have seen the biggest jump in share prices since that scary market day.
Farfetch (FTCH)
The British-Portuguese online luxury retailer, which trades on the NYSE, hit profitability after 12 years during the pandemic, turning investors’ heads. Shares jumped 426%, from $10.48 to $55.19.
Fiverr International (FVRR)
More people have been freelancing in the past year as they’ve worked to make ends meet, increasing demand for Fiverr’s freelance services platform. That has sent shares up 703% from $27.87 to over $224.
GameStop (GME)
You probably saw this one coming. Individual investors and a surge of interest on Reddit has sent the retailer’s shares from $3.70 to $241.34 as of noon today. That’s a jaw dropping 6,422% increase—and it’s not even close to what the stock peaked at in that time.
Moderna (MRNA)
It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that one of the three companies that has a COVID-19 vaccine on the market in the U.S. saw a big jump. Moderna shares went from $24.29 a year ago to more than $128 in midday trading Monday—a 427% increase.
Nio (NIO)
The Chinese electric-vehicle manufacturer has raced from $3.10 to $40.68, a 1,212% increase.
Novavax (NVAX)
The vaccine developer has seen success with its COVID-19 vaccine in the U.K., giving its stock another boost. Shares have increased 1,552% from $10.02 to over $165.
Ovintiv (OVV)
The largest energy company and largest natural-gas producer in Canada is up 1,076% in the past year, climbing from $2.22 to over $26 per share.
Penn National Gaming (PENN)
Casinos were closed during the early part of the pandemic and haven’t bounced back yet, but online gambling has seen increases. Penn’s stock jumped from $20.43 a year ago to $114.55 today, a 461% increase.
QuantumScape (QS)
The maker of lithium metal batteries for electric cars counts Bill Gates among its investors and has seen increases of 434% in the past year. On March 9, 2020, it closed at $9.90. Today it’s worth nearly $53 per share.
Wayfair (W)
The online shopping service saw a big spike in interest from shoppers and traders in the past year. Share prices have gone from $49.82 to over $315, a 534% increase.
