economy
December 31, 2025
The five biggest stock winners of the year and what drove their big gains
What a year it has been, especially for the five best-performing S&P 500 stocks.
TL;DR
- Western Digital, Micron Technology, and Seagate Technology saw massive gains driven by high demand and rising prices for memory chips due to the AI boom.
- Memory prices are projected to rise another 40% through Q2 2026, increasing Bill of Materials costs.
- Robinhood experienced significant growth fueled by retail traders and an expansion of product offerings, including prediction markets.
- Warner Bros. Discovery's stock soared following news of potential acquisition offers, including a $72 billion sale of film and streaming assets to Netflix.
- The S&P 500 index itself gained 17.3% during the year.
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