Top 10 best performing stocks at BSE year-to-date

Of all the 70 companies traded at the Bucharest Stock Exchange, 47 recorded price growth year to date. Wall-Street compiled a list of ten stocks by their year-to-date performance. Only stocks with a trading liquidity higher than 10 million lei are included in the list.

10. 15.33% growth

Rompetrol Rafinare (RRC) came in at No 10, with a 15.33% price percentage change year-to-date.

After being removed from the trading arena for much of the period under review, the stocks attracted a record trading liquidity, 275.5 million lei. RRC has grabbed investors’ interest mainly after the acquisition of 15.7% of the company’s capital by Rompetrol Group for 248.4 million lei.

Rompetrol Rafinare posted $180 million loss in 2009, 29% smaller than a year earlier, according to preliminary results.

9. 16.44% growth

FIC Muntenia (BSE:SIF) has risen 16.44% since the beginning of the year, and attracted 44.6 million lei liquidity, the least of all its peers (BSE:SIF).

The shares of the five financial investment companies made substantial gains year-to-date, after legislative talks on the removal of the equity holding cap.

FIC4 (BSE:SIF4) has been the only company in its category to close 2009 with 8.5% profit decline to 82.02 million lei.

8. 17.56% growth

The shares issued by the sole brokerage firm listed at the Bucharest trading, Broker Cluj (BSE:BRK), have risen 17.56% since the beginning of the year, attracting 10.3 million lei liquidity.

The stock performance can be attributed to the firm’s 2009 rebound from loss, and positive signals on dividend distribution.

The boardroom of Broker Cluj said recently that it would consider listing the company at the Warsaw stock exchange.

7. 20.14% growth

FIC Transilvania (BSE:SIF3) jumped 20.14% year-to-date, and attracted around 67.8 million lei.

The investment company posted a preliminary net profit of 124.5 million lei, up 32% from a year earlier.

6. 20.64% growth

FIC Moldova (BSE:SIF2) took up the sixth spot in Wall-Street’s list, with +20.64% stock price change since the beginning of the year. FIC Moldova was the third best performing stock in FIC category.

The shares attracted an aggregate liquidity of 131.7 million lei in the first two months of 2010.

The company recorded a net profit of 97.3 million lei in 2009, up 3.6% from a year earlier.

5. 22.31% growth

FIC Oltenia (BSE:SIF5) came in at No 5, with a year-to-date price change of 22.31%. SIF5 has been the most actively traded stocks in January and December, with an aggregate liquidity of 225.5 million lei.

SIF5 ranked first among its counterparts in terms of profit, with 187.3 million lei in 2009, 113% above year-ago levels.

4. 22.41% growth

The biggest year-to-date price growth of all financial investment companies was recorded by FIC Banat-Crisana (BSE:SIF1). Stocks have risen 22.41% since the beginning of the year, and attracted 55.4 million lei.

The company posted preliminary net profit of 112.1 million lei, up 18% from 2008.

3. 30.19% growth

The 189.3 mln lei profit in 2009 coupled with the invitation to participate in the South Stream project and Nabucco pipeline project have pushed Transgaz Medias (BSE:TGN) stocks up 30.19% in 2010.

TGN attracted 20.7 million lei year-to-date.

2. 32.31% growth

The shares of the power company Transelectrica (BSE:TEL) soared 32.31% this year, and attracted 14.9 million lei liquidity.

Notwithstanding the seven-fold profit decline in 2009, the state-run power supplier earmarked €160 million for investments this year.

1. 37.25% growth

The best performing stock at the Bucharest Stock Exchange in 2010 has been Dafora Medias (BSE:DAFR), with 37.25% increase in price since the beginning of the year.

The company undershot profit target set in April 2009 and posted a preliminary net profit of 1.4 million lei, two times lower than a year earlier.

However investors didn’t take into consideration the company’s profit when buying the stocks, but the contracts it earned since the beginning of the year.