The FTSE 100 has fallen since the start of the year. Despite this, the share index is still 12% higher than it was a year ago.
But how have individual FTSE 100 members performed over the past 12 months? Let’s take a look.
[top_pitch]
Which FTSE 100 stocks have risen the most over the past 12 months?
According to Hargreaves Lansdown, these are the 10 FTSE 100 stocks that have enjoyed the biggest gains over the past 12 months:
| Company | Sector | Rise over 12 months |
| Airtel Africa plc | Telecommunications | 91.98% |
| Glencore plc | Commodities trading | 79.87% |
| Meggitt plc | Aerospace | 61.12% |
| BAE systems | Aerospace | 49.79% |
| Shell plc | Oil & gas | 42.22% |
| Anglo American | Mining | 41.61% |
| Segro plc | Property | 39.06% |
| AstraZeneca plc | Pharmaceutical | 37.95% |
| National Grid | Utilities | 29.88% |
| BP plc | Oil & gas | 29.07% |
Let’s take a closer look at the performances of the top three.
1. Airtel Africa plc
Airtel Africa is the biggest FTSE 100 riser over the past 12 months. The multinational telecommunications company has seen its share price jump 91% compared to a year ago.
It’s worth knowing that Airtel’s share price also rose roughly 100% between March 2020 and March 2021. However, since the turn of the current year, the company’s price is down by 0.72%.
2. Glencore plc
The second biggest riser of the past 12 months is commodity trading company Glencore. Its share price is now 79% higher than it was a year ago.
Glencore’s strong performance has clearly been boosted by higher commodity prices over the past year thanks to a surge in global demand.
3. Meggitt plc
Meggitt is the third-highest riser. The Coventry-based aerospace company has seen its share price surge by 61% over the past 12 months, partly because of a takeover bid by US rival, Parker Hannifin towards the end of the last year.
However the planned £6.3 billion acquisition hasn’t yet gone ahead. That’s because the Competition and Markets Authority is currently assessing potential ‘national security concerns’ that may result from any merger.
[middle_pitch]
Which FTSE 100 stocks have fallen the most?
The past 12 months haven’t been plain sailing for all members of the FTSE 100. Here is a list of the top ten stocks that have fallen the most since March 2021:
| Company | Sector | Fall over 12 months |
| Ocado Group plc | Grocery retail | -46.33% |
| Flutter Entertainment | Gambling | -46.15% |
| ITV plc | Media | -34.84% |
| Hargreaves Lansdown plc | Financial services | -31.97% |
| Barratt Developments plc | Property | -31.26% |
| Prudential plc | Insurance | -30.35% |
| International Consolidated Airlines Group SA | Airline | -30.33% |
| Coca-Cola HBC AG | Food & drink | -29.99% |
| Abrdn plc |
Financial services |
-29.30% |
| Royal Mail plc | Postal service | -28.64% |
What can we learn from this data?
It can be interesting to see how individual FTSE 100 stocks have performed over the past 12 months, especially compared to the index’s collective performance.
It can also be interesting to see which sectors have done well over the past year and which have struggled.
For example, from studying the data, we can see the aerospace and energy industries have performed strongly since March 2021. In contrast, the financial services sector hasn’t performed well.
Despite these trends, it’s important to take into account that the past performance of a particular stock doesn’t give a reliable indicator as to its future returns. Any experienced trader will tell you this is the number one rule of investing.
In other words, it’s important not to base your investment choices solely on past rises and falls. Instead, it’s best to do your own research if you want to invest in individual stocks.
If you’d rather not invest in individual FTSE 100 stocks, you can easily gain exposure to the collective performance of the FTSE 100 by buying an appropriate index tracker fund. Take a look at the Motley Fool’s top-rated share dealing accounts if this is something you’re keen on.
Investing caution: As with any type of investing, remember the value of your portfolio can fall as well as rise. If you’re a newbie, take the time to read our investing basics guide before diving in.
