These Are The 10 Worst Performing S&P 500 Stocks So Far This Year

TOPLINE

Even as the S&P 500 wraps up its best quarter since 1998—rising over 18% since the market sell-off at the end of March (the index is still down 5% this year), the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the economy, with many cruise lines, energy companies and retailers among the worst-performing stocks in 2020.

Virus Outbreak Colorado — At the halfway point of 2020, just 25% of stocks in the S&P 500 have posted gains.

David Zalubowski/ASSOCIATED PRESS

KEY FACTS

Norwegian Cruise Line is the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 so far this year, down over 72%. Major cruise operators are facing record losses amid the pandemic, recently extending their suspension of sailing until mid-September.

Oil and gas company TechnipFMC is next on the list, down over 68% in 2020. The coronavirus outbreak has wreaked havoc on the energy sector, leading to supply-and-demand shocks that saw oil prices plunge in mid-April.

Another major cruise operator—the world’s largest, Carnival, has also seen its stock plunge more than 67% in the first half of this year. Earlier this month, the company reported a record loss of $4.4 billion in the second quarter, with revenue down 85% from last year.

Similarly, Royal Caribbean Cruises has seen its stock fall more than 63% in 2020, as it too faces heavy losses and extended its voluntary suspension of sailing until September.

Two other oil and gas companies are among the top ten worst-performing stocks: Noble Energy, down over 65%, and OneOK, which has lost nearly 58%.

Like the cruise industry, airlines have also been among the hardest-hit from a standstill in global travel during the coronavirus. United Airlines is the biggest decliner, with its stock falling 61%.

Several retailers also make the list of worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500: Beauty and wellness company Coty and department store retail chain Kohl’s have both seen their stocks plunge 60%.

Rounding out the list is printer and tech company Xerox, which is down more than 58% in 2020. The company walked away from its $35 billion bid for rival printing company HP earlier in the second quarter, saying that it instead needs to focus on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its business.

Tangent

The best-performing stock in the index, up 80% year to date, is medical device manufacturer Dexcom, which focuses on helping diabetes patients. Second on the list is biotech company Regeneron, which has been at the forefront of efforts to develop a vaccine for coronavirus: Its stock is up 64% this year. Computer game company and graphics chipmaker Nvidia, up 60% in 2020, has also outperformed—especially on the back of strong first quarter earnings. With the coronavirus accelerating a shift to e-commerce, PayPal stock is also up nearly 60% this year, as a surge in online shopping during the pandemic helped boost its digital payments platform. Other notable stocks among the top performers so far this year include e-commerce giants like Amazon, up 47% and eBay, which has gained nearly 45%. Clorox, maker of disinfectant wipes, continues to be a hot stock as well, with the company’s products remaining in high demand amid coronavirus fears: The stock has risen 42% this year.

Surprising fact

Just over 25% of stocks in the S&P 500 are positive so far in 2020. The vast majority have taken a hit amid the coronavirus pandemic, roiled by widespread business shutdowns that have lasted longer than expected. Some 374 stocks are in the negative for the year, while just 128 are positive, according to Bloomberg data.

Key background

Despite a volatile month of trading in June, the stock market is on pace for its best quarterly gain in decades. Both the Dow and S&P 500 have surged more than 16% since the second quarter started in April, their best performance since 1998. The Nasdaq Composite, on the other hand, was up nearly 30% over the same period, its biggest quarterly gain since 2001.