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Among S&P 500 stocks, Seagate Technology (STX) led the one-year performance list with a 254.62% gain as of October 9, 2026. Western Digital (WDC) and Bloom Energy (BE) followed. These are historical price-performance figures, not forecasts or buy recommendations.
Best-performing S&P 500 stocks over the past year
The table below reports the 15 entries visible in NerdWallet’s S&P 500 one-year list, which attributes its figures to Finviz. Returns were current through October 9, 2026. The reviewed page does not explain whether its calculation includes reinvested dividends, so these figures should not be treated as verified total returns.
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| Rank | Company | Ticker | One-year performance as of Oct. 9, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seagate Technology Holdings | STX | +254.62% |
| 2 | Western Digital | WDC | +231.09% |
| 3 | Bloom Energy | BE | +220.09% |
| 4 | Marvell Technology | MRVL | +201.29% |
| 5 | Illumina | ILMN | +185.86% |
| 6 | Intel | INTC | +179.37% |
| 7 | Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE | +177.45% |
| 8 | Teradyne | TER | +177.25% |
| 9 | CIENA | CIEN | +176.40% |
| 10 | Valero Energy | VLO | +173.85% |
| 11 | Advanced Micro Devices | AMD | +162.14% |
| 12 | Twilio | TWLO | +155.80% |
| 13 | Coherent | COHR | +152.99% |
| 14 | Marathon Petroleum | MPC | +146.19% |
| 15 | Applied Materials | AMAT | +130.64% |
The page view exposed 15 entries; it does not establish a complete 20-stock ranking. See NerdWallet’s best-performing stocks list for its current presentation.
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“Best-performing stocks in 2026” can mean different things. The answer changes with the stocks eligible for inclusion and the dates used to calculate returns.
#1 Best Overall
| Ranking | Universe and window | Top reported gainers through Oct. 9, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| NerdWallet S&P 500 one-year list | S&P 500 constituents; one-year performance. The reviewed table passage does not specify calculation details. | STX +254.62%; WDC +231.09%; BE +220.09% |
| StockTitan 52-week ranking | 3,883 eligible U.S.-listed companies on NYSE, Nasdaq and NYSE American, with market capitalization above $100 million; rolling 52-week window; split-adjusted closing prices. | MGRT +2,228.77%; AXTI +1,598.8%; SNDK +1,253.0% |
| StockTitan 2026 YTD ranking | Qualifying U.S.-listed companies; calendar year through the latest completed session. Recent listings or relistings can have partial-window returns. | MGRT +1,316.67%; TJGC +1,090.9%; ANL +1,031.9% |
The broader 52-week and YTD lists are not alternate versions of the S&P 500 list: they use different universes, and the YTD list measures a different period. StockTitan’s 52-week figures use split-adjusted closes, while the reviewed NerdWallet table passage does not explain its adjustment method. Details are available on StockTitan’s 52-week gainers board and 2026 YTD gainers board.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to interpret a one-year stock return
A trailing year is not calendar-year performance
A rolling one-year or 52-week return measures a period ending at the stated cutoff and beginning about a year earlier. A year-to-date return instead starts at the beginning of the calendar year. A stock can lead one list and not the other because the start dates differ.
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The eligible-company list matters
An S&P 500 ranking is limited to companies in that index. A broad U.S.-listed screen can include smaller companies outside it, so its leaders may not appear in the S&P 500 table. A full 52-week ranking also depends on having a close from a year earlier; a YTD ranking may include a company listed or relisted later and calculate its gain over a shorter history.
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A percentage ranking shows the size of a past move, not its cause, durability, or fit for a particular portfolio. Before drawing conclusions, examine company news and regulatory filings and consider trading volume. A strong past return alone does not establish that a stock will keep rising or suit an individual investor; NerdWallet also frames its list as informational, not individualized investment advice.
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