Energy stocks dominate the best performers of 2022 so far, which probably won’t surprise anyone who has recently filled their car’s petrol tank.
Among FTSE 350 stocks, Harbour Energy (LSE:HBR) PLC is top of the tree, with a 48% rise, closely followed by Energean PLC (LSE:ENOG), up 45%.
Oil giant Shell PLC (LSE:SHEL, NYSE:SHEL), up 35%, clocks in at number seven while Tullow Oil PLC (LSE:TLW) scraped in at number 10.
It's been a good year for the oil sector; the price of a barrel of Brent crude has risen this year to around US$108 from US$85, largely as a result of sanctions against Russia in reaction to that country’s invasion of Ukraine; Russia is one of the world’s largest oil & gas producers.
On the subject of soaring prices, it is probably not too much of a shock to see power producer Drax Group (LSE:DRX) Ltd sneaking into the top 10 at number nine with a 33% increase.
The rest of the top 10 is made up of mining stocks and fellow travellers, with the exception of BAE Systems PLC (LSE:BA.) and Brewin Dolphin Holdings Plc (LSE:BRW), both of which are up around 39%.
The former, as a defence stock, is benefiting from a perceived need for governments to increase military spending in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
Brewin Dolphin, the wealth management company, has done well because it has agreed to be taken over by the Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY).
Down in the FTSE 350 cellar, it is less easy to find a sector that has done poorly, although two of the three worst performers are from the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Cannabis Producers sector.
That being said, there is little that connects Oxford Biomedica PLC and Genus PLC (LSE:GNS), both of which are down 47% year-to-date.
Oxford Biomedica, which more or less doubled in price in 2021 on the back of its Covid-19 vaccine, has seen interest in its shares fade this year.
Genus, which is doomed to be forever referred to as the “bull and pig semen company”, tumbled after it issued a profit warning due to volatility in the Chinese porcine market.
The worst performer this year and recipient of most one-star reviews from unhappy investors is Trustpilot Group PLC (LSE:TRST), which is down 58%.
Last month, the customer reviews company posted wider losses for 2021 after administrative expenses went through the roof. The company warned the level of spending on admin would likely remain high this year.
Trustpilot only listed in March 2021 and has been a serious disappointment for those who backed the flotation. Investors have also not been slow to put the boot into Dr Martens PLC (LSE:DOCS), a company that floated around about the same time as Trustpilot.
The footwear maker’s shares have been down on their uppers, slumping 45% this year, making the January sale of a slug of shares by private equity group Permira a wise move.
Permira reduced its stake from around 42% to 36.4%.
The shares have also been hit by slowing revenue growth at the bovver boots company.
Finally, while the war in Ukraine might have done wonders for the revenues of oil companies, it has been singularly bad news for fizzy drinks bottler Coca Cola HBC, which has shed 39% this year.
The bottling arm of the soft drink giant shipped 373.3mln units to Russia last year, an 18% rise on 2020 and representative of the company’s second-biggest market behind Nigeria.
The company elected to suspend its business in Russia in early March.
Top FTSE 350 performers in 2022
Rank · Ticker · Company · Change · Sector
1. · HBR · Harbour Energy · 47.1% · Oil, Gas and Coal
2. · ENOG · Energean · 45.1% · Oil, Gas and Coal
3. · GLEN · Glencore · 40.6% · Industrial Metals & Mining
4. · BA. · BAE Systems · 39.4% · Aerospace and Defence
5. · AAL · Anglo American · 38.6% · Industrial Metals & Mining
6. · BRW · Brewin Dolphin · 38.2% · Investment Banking & Brokerage Services
Oil, Gas and Coal
7. · SHEL · Shell · 35.3%
8. · BRWM · BlackRock World Mining Trust · 34.6% · Closed End Investments
9. · DRX · Drax · 32.6% · Electricity
Oil, Gas and Coal
10. · TLW · Tullow Oil · 27.8%
Worst FTSE 350 performers of 2022
Rank · Ticker · Company · Change · Sector
1. · TRST · Trustpilot Group · -57.8% · Software and Computer Services
2. · OXB · Oxford BioMedica · -47.4% · Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Cannabis Producers
3. · GNS · Genus · -46.5% · Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Cannabis Producers
4. · DOCS · Dr Martens · -45.5% · Personal Goods
5. · CSP · Countryside Properties · -44.7% · Household Goods and Home COnstruction
6. · LIO · Liopntrust Asset Management · -43.3% · Investment Banking and Brokerage Services
7. · MOON · Moonpig Group · -41.2% · Retailers
8. · AML · Aston Martin Lagonda · -38.8% · Automobiles and Parts
9. · BCG · Baltic Classifieds Group · -38.9% · Software and Computer Services
10. · CCH · Coca Cola HBC · -38.4% · Beverages