Seven S&P 500 stocks with highest YTD returns

Highlights

• Moderna surged 278.04% year-to-date and 508.72% in one year.  
• Nucor stock generated a 131.73% year-to-date return. Its P/E ratio is 11.95.
• Bath & Body Works stock climbed 127.41% year-to-date. Its P/E ratio is 10.43, and its current dividend yield is 0.89%.

The S&P 500 Index has the largest weightage of technology companies, nearly 40%, followed by consumer cyclicals and healthcare with 14% and 12%, respectively. The other segments are financial, consumer non-cyclical, industrial, real estate, energy, basic material, and utilities.

Here we discuss seven companies with the highest year-to-date return in the S&P 500 index.

Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA)

Moderna surged 278.04% YTD and 508.72% in one year. 

The biotechnology company has made the highest YTD gain in the index. It has a US$159 billion market capitalization, with a P/E ratio of 49.15. Its forward P/E ratio for one year is 13.60.

The revenue for the June quarter was US$4,354 million against US$67 million in the June quarter of 2020. The net income was US$2,780 million compared to a net loss of US$117 million in the same period a year ago.

The stock closed at US$394.94 on Aug 24.

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Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE)

The stock generated 131.73% year-to-date return and 167.82% in one year.

The steel & steel products manufacturer has a market capitalization of US$35.33 billion. The P/E ratio for the company is 11.95, and the forward P/E for one year is 6.38. Nucore’s current dividend yield is 1.35%, and its annualized dividend is US$1.62.

For the quarter ended July 3, 2021, the net sales and net income were US$8.8 billion and US$1,571 million, respectively. In the corresponding quarter of 2020, the net sales were US$4.3 billion, and net income was US$133 million.

The stock closed at US$123.25 on Aug 24, 2021.

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Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE:BBWI)

BBWI stock climbed 127.41% year-to-date and 185.43% in the last year.

The specialty fragrance retailer has a market capitalization of US$17.97 billion and a P/E ratio of 10.43. The forward P/E for one year is 17.85. Its current dividend yield and annualized dividend are 0.89% and US$0.60, respectively.

The company recorded sales of US$3.3 billion for the second quarter ended July 31, 2021, compared to US$2.3 billion in the July quarter the previous year. The net income was US$374 million against a net loss of US$49.6 million in the same quarter of 2020. The company had 2,692 self-operated stores and 767 partner-operated stores as of July 31, 2021.

The stock closed at US$68.35 on Aug 24.                 

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Fortinet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT)

Fortinet stock gained 101.87% YTD and 125.34% in one year.

The cybersecurity solution provider has a market capitalization of US$49.9 billion. Its P/E ratio is 98.63, and forward P/E for one year is 105.58. It does not pay dividends.

Its June quarter 2021 revenue was US$801.1 million compared to US$617.6 million in the previous year comparative quarter. The net income was US$137.5 million against US$113.8 million in the June quarter of the previous year.

The stock closed at US$299.84 on Aug 24, 2021.

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Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT)

The stock of Gartner rose 87.88% YTD and 128.61% in one year.

Gartner Inc. has a market capitalization of US$25.7 billion. Its P/E ratio is 47.37, and the forward P/E for one year is 38.44. The company does not pay dividends.

The June quarter revenue of the information technology company was US$1,167 million compared to US$973 million in the same quarter a year ago. The net income was US$271 million compared to US$55 million in the period in 2020. 

The stock closed at US$300.97 on Aug 24.

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Generac Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GNRC)

Generac Holdings gave 84.2% return YTD and 122.67% return in one year.

The energy technology solution provider has a market capitalization of US$26.85 billion. Its P/E ratio is 52.33, and forward P/E for one year is 41.48. GNRC does not pay dividends.

The net sales for the June quarter of 2021 were US$920 million compared to US$547 million in the previous year’s corresponding quarter. The net income was US$127 million against US$66 million in the June quarter of 2020.

The stock closed at US$418.9 on Aug 24, 2021.

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Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN)

Devon stock rose by 83.29% YTD and 168.82% in one year.

The oil and gas explorer has a market capitalization of US$19.80 billion, with a P/E ratio of 162.44 and a forward P/E for one year of 10.37. Its dividend yield is 1.61%, and the annualized dividend is US$0.44.

The revenue was US$2,417 million for the June quarter of 2021 compared to US$393 million in the same quarter the previous year. The net income was US$261 million against a net loss of US$668 million in the June quarter of 2020.

The stock closed at US$28.53 on Aug 24, 2021.

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Bottomline

S&P 500 index gave a 19.76% return year-to-date, and the index P/E ratio is 26.72. The index performance shows that consumer and pharma stocks saw major gains this year besides its highest allocated technology stocks.