Top-performing shares in the S&P 500
This year’s top-performing shares in the S&P 500 were Occidental Petroleum, EQT, Hess, Marathon Oil, and Exxon Mobil.
2022 was brutal for equity and bond markets, and holding US dollars was one of the only places to hide to escape the pain.
However, a few investors saw opportunities in the market and made handsome returns by picking the right stocks.
While 75% of companies in the S&P 500 experienced a share price decline, 50 companies provided a return of over 20% this year.
Energy companies dominate the list as the war in Ukraine and lagging damage to supply from the Covid lockdowns have sent energy prices skyrocketing.
Topping the list is Occidental Petroleum, which has grown more than 130% after Warren Buffett bought a significant stake in the company.
Warren Buffett’s firm, Berkshire Hathaway, is also on the list, with a growth of 47% this year.
The only company in the top 10 not involved in oil & gas is Enphase Energy. While it is classified as a technology company, its primary industry is energy-related.
Enphase Energy develops and manufactures solar micro-inverters, battery energy storage, and electric vehicle charging stations.
Given the war in Ukraine and governments subsequently focusing on investing in improving their armed forces, defence companies also showed a strong performance.
Top-performing defence companies include Northrop Grumman, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics.
While the healthcare sector did not perform particularly well, a few companies provided a good return.
The best picks in the healthcare sector include McKesson Corp, Cardinal Health, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Cigna Corp, Eli Lilly, and Merck.
Top-performing shares in the S&P 500
The table below shows companies in the S&P 500 that achieved a return of over 20% this year.
| Share Name | Sector | Return |
| Occidental Petroleum Corp | Energy | 133.7% |
| EQT Corp | Energy | 91.8% |
| Hess Corp | Energy | 83.7% |
| Marathon Oil Corp | Energy | 80.5% |
| Exxon Mobil Corp | Energy | 74.4% |
| Marathon Petroleum Corp | Energy | 73.0% |
| Conoco Phillips | Energy | 70.9% |
| Devon Energy Corp | Energy | 69.7% |
| Enphase Energy Inc | Information Technology | 66.4% |
| Schlumberger NV | Energy | 64.0% |
| Valero Energy Corp | Energy | 62.8% |
| APA Corp | Energy | 62.0% |
| Coterra Energy Inc | Energy | 59.1% |
| McKesson Corp | Health Care | 56.9% |
| Halliburton | Energy | 51.8% |
| Chevron Corp | Energy | 51.7% |
| CF Industries Holdings Inc | Materials | 50.5% |
| EOG Resources Inc | Energy | 49.8% |
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class B | Financials | 46.9% |
| Cardinal Health Inc | Health Care | 45.9% |
| Archer Daniels Midland | Consumer Staples | 42.8% |
| Northrop Grumman Corp | Industrials | 42.4% |
| Diamondback Energy Inc | Energy | 40.5% |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc | Health Care | 40.2% |
| Corteva Inc | Materials | 39.3% |
| Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc | Industrials | 38.2% |
| Cigna Corp | Health Care | 37.9% |
| Phillips 66 | Energy | 37.7% |
| Lockheed Martin Corp | Industrials | 37.3% |
| WR Berkley Corp | Financials | 37.3% |
| Pioneer Natural Resource | Energy | 37.2% |
| Lamb Weston Holdings Inc | Consumer Staples | 34.9% |
| Mosaic | Materials | 33.7% |
| Eli Lilly | Health Care | 33.3% |
| T Mobile Us Inc | Communication | 32.4% |
| Merck & Co Inc | Health Care | 31.7% |
| Arch Capital Group Ltd | Financials | 29.1% |
| Genuine Parts | Consumer Discretionary | 28.9% |
| Targa Resources Corp | Energy | 28.4% |
| Quanta Services Inc | Industrials | 26.5% |
| Progressive Corp | Financials | 25.9% |
| Rollins Inc | Industrials | 25.2% |
| Bristol Myers Squibb | Health Care | 25.2% |
| Autozone Inc | Consumer Discretionary | 23.9% |
| Hershey Foods | Consumer Staples | 23.6% |
| Williams Inc | Energy | 23.5% |
| PG&E Corp | Utilities | 22.3% |
| Globe Life Inc | Financials | 21.7% |
| General Mills Inc | Consumer Staples | 21.3% |
| Campbell Soup | Consumer Staples | 21.0% |
| General Dynamics Corp | Industrials | 20.4% |
| Principal Financial Group Inc | Financials | 20.4% |
| Oreilly Automotive Inc | Consumer Discretionary | 20.3% |
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