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10 Most Successful Penny Stocks That Made It Big

In this piece, we will take a look at the ten most successful penny stocks that made it big. If you want to skip our primer on penny stocks and need to jump ahead to the top five stocks in this list, then take a look at 5 Most Successful Penny Stocks That Made It Big.

The world of investing is full of tricks and opportunities, and the massive success of a handful of firms on the stock market has made their founders and investors billionaires. The market is responsible for producing some of the richest individuals in history, such as the founder of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Mr. Bill Gates, and the electric vehicle billionaire Mr. Elon Musk. At the same time, it has also caused others painful losses.

These fantastic gains continue to draw large amounts of attention from retail investors in particular, and one segment that catches a lot of this interest is the penny stock sector. Defined as those stocks that trade at less than $5 per share by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), droves of investors flock to these stocks as the low share price presents an attractive entry point and even small gains can result in large profits.

When evaluating a penny stock, some metrics take precedence over others. Mostly these stocks either belong to firms will small market shares and revenues or those that are struggling. These factors require careful stock picking, and a look at the balance sheet and the cash flow statement can provide useful tools to sift out any potential problems. For example, through the Debt Ratio, which analyses a firm’s total debt with its total assets, an investor can determine if a company is overly leveraged and has taken on too much debt. Too much debt not only ends up burdening the income statement in the form of interest payments, but it also affects payouts to shareholders in case a firm ceases to be a going concern since debt holders get the first priority for payments.

Another ratio, which is especially useful for a penny stock, is the price to cash flow ratio. A firm’s cash flow is the amount that is left for investors after its expenses are deducted, and when the share price is divided by the cash flow per share, an estimate of the ‘market premium’ for the share price can be determined. The usefulness of this metric lies in the fact that if a company has sound fundamentals, then it might see its share price jump in the future if there is little premium to it at the time of investment.

Today’s piece focuses on some of the most successful penny stocks in history, and these firms have seen their share prices jump exponentially since they were first listed. Among these, the top performers are Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA).

Our Methodology

We took a look at the countless companies that have made it big on the stock market and then found out the share price at which they had started to trade or the lowest share price in their trading history, after accounting for stock splits. These companies once traded as penny stocks but have now grown to become major players in the market. The companies are then ranked through hedge fund holdings courtesy of Insider Monkey’s Q2 2022 survey of 895 hedge funds.

10 Most Successful Penny Stocks That Made It Big

10. GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 17

Share Price Gain To Date: 892%

GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) is an American video game retailer that sells consoles, accessories, pre owned systems, and games. The firm is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas.

GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) came to the center of the investing world in 2021 when the firm’s shares popped on the stock market through the combined efforts of retail investors that were looking to drive out hedge funds betting against the company. While the shares have dropped since then, they are still up by 892% since they first started trading on the stock market at a price of $2.49. Stronger changes might be afoot at the company too since the renowned activist investor Carl Icahn is rumored to be interested in its affairs.

Jefferies kept its $26 share price target for GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) in October 2022, as it balanced a weaker spending outlook with improving supply chains. By the end of this year’s second quarter, 17 out of the 895 hedge funds polled by Insider Monkey had invested in the company.

Out of these, Kenneth Mario Garschina’s Mason Capital Management is GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME)’s largest investor. It owns 518,445 shares that are worth $19 million.

Bireme Capital mentioned the company in its Q2 2022 investor letter. Here is what the fund said:

Amazingly, GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) is one of our only short positions to not fall in 2022. The stock trades at an $11.5b market cap, exceeding its pre-pandemic peak by billions of dollars. This is despite the fact that revenue is down 30% from the peak, gross margins are down 1500 bps, and the company has generated a negative free cash outflow of $700m in the last four quarters (we had to double check that number because it is so high).

GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) is a penny stock that made it big, joining others such as Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), and Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA).

9. Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 46

Share Price Gain To Date: 923%

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is one of the most renowned car companies in the world that is named after its founder, the legendary Henry Ford. Credited with having invented the modern day automobile, the company sells a wide variety of vehicles such as trucks, cars, and electric vehicles.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)’s shares started to trade at a mere $1.23 in 1982, and since then they have appreciated by a whopping 923%. The company’s sales in China grew by 11% sequentially in its third quarter even as the Asian giant continued to navigate the effects of a zero-covid policy. The firm’s electric vehicle sales also tripled in September.

By the end of this year’s second quarter, 46 out of the 895 hedge funds polled by Insider Monkey had invested in Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F).

D.E. Shaw’s D E Shaw is Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)’s largest investor. It owns 23 million shares that are worth $257 million.

8. Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 46

Share Price Gain To Date: 69,000%

Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST) is an energy drink company that is headquartered in Corona, California, the United States. In addition to energy drinks, the firm also sells iced teas, lemonades, cocktails, and coffee drinks.

Ever since Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST) listed its shares for 13 cents in 1985, they have been on an upward trajectory. The latest reading for the share price sits at $90, indicating that it has appreciated by a staggering 69,000%. Insider Monkey’s June quarter of 2022 survey covering 895 hedge fund portfolios revealed that 46 had bought a stake in the company.

Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST)’s second quarter fiscal results revealed that the firm had posted 13.2% growth, which marked more than thirty quarters of consecutive revenue growth. No wonder the company is Morgan Stanley’s favorite stock for this earnings season, with a price target of $109.

Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST)’s largest investor is Jim Simons’ Renaissance Technologies which owns 5.6 million shares that are worth $524 million.

Carillon Tower Advisors commented on the firm’s recent performance in its Q2 2022 letter, outlining that:

Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST) develops and sells energy drinks and concentrates. The company’s shares outperformed, driven by an impressive earnings report highlighted by better than expected organic growth. Management also gave guidance that indicated a potential bottom in gross margins, as well as upcoming price increases that helped give investors confidence in its growth outlook.”

7. Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 69

Share Price Gain To Date: 3,800%

Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is one of the oldest semiconductor firms in the world that is responsible for designing and selling memory and storage devices. These include DRAM, NAND, and NOR products. The company is headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the United States.

Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is one of the strongest spenders in the memory industry, with the firm targeting future growth in the form of heavy capital expenditure. The firm’s average capital expenditure of its revenue stood at 37% over the past three years, and by the end of this year, it will have grown to 39%. Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is also investing in leading edge extreme ultraviolet lithography systems to manufacture the latest memory products.

Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU)’s shares started trading in 1984 at a mere price tag of $1.41. Since then they have appreciated by a remarkable 3,800%. As part of their second quarter of 2022 investments, 69 out of the 895 hedge funds polled by Insider Monkey had invested in the company.

Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU)’s largest investor in our database is David Goel and Paul Ferri’s Matrix Capital Management which owns four million shares that are worth $221 million.

Claret Asset Management mentioned the company in its Q3 2022 investor letter. Here is what the fund said:

“Inflation is still higher than interest rates… not an incentive to save for most people. Either inflation must come down or interest rates have to go up further. Or both. And probably both. Now that they are taking the punch bowl away and the party is over, what happens next? For whatever reason, the stock market seems to always precede the economic reality: Micron reached a high of $98.45 on January 5th, 2022 and is trading at $50.00 today.”

6. QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 71

Share Price Gain To Date: 21,000%

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world. The firm designs and sells semiconductors for smartphones, virtual reality headsets, Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets, and cars. It is headquartered in San Diego, California, the United States.

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)’s shares are up by a massive 21,000% since they started trading in 1991. As if this weren’t enough, HSBC still believes that the stock has a long way to go, as it set a $180 share price target for the company in October 2022. The bank stressed that the company is a leader in the modem and connectivity space.

Insider Monkey’s Q2 2022 survey that covered 895 hedge funds outlined that 71 had bought QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)’s shares.

Out of these, Panayotis Takis Sparaggis’s Alkeon Capital Management is QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)’s largest investor. It owns 4.2 million shares that are worth $541 million.

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) are met by QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) in our list of penny stocks that made it big.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Most Successful Penny Stocks That Made It Big.

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Disclosure: None. 10 Most Successful Penny Stocks That Made It Big is originally published on Insider Monkey.

AI, Tariffs, Nuclear Power: One Undervalued Stock Connects ALL the Dots (Before It Explodes!)

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

AI is eating the world—and the machines behind it are ravenous.

Each ChatGPT query, each model update, each robotic breakthrough consumes massive amounts of energy. In fact, AI is already pushing global power grids to the brink.

Wall Street is pouring hundreds of billions into artificial intelligence—training smarter chatbots, automating industries, and building the digital future. But there’s one urgent question few are asking:

Where will all of that energy come from?

AI is the most electricity-hungry technology ever invented. Each data center powering large language models like ChatGPT consumes as much energy as a small city. And it’s about to get worse.

Even Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, issued a stark warning:

“The future of AI depends on an energy breakthrough.”

Elon Musk was even more blunt:

“AI will run out of electricity by next year.”

As the world chases faster, smarter machines, a hidden crisis is emerging behind the scenes. Power grids are strained. Electricity prices are rising. Utilities are scrambling to expand capacity.

And that’s where the real opportunity lies…

One little-known company—almost entirely overlooked by most AI investors—could be the ultimate backdoor play. It’s not a chipmaker. It’s not a cloud platform. But it might be the most important AI stock in the US owns critical energy infrastructure assets positioned to feed the coming AI energy spike.

As demand from AI data centers explodes, this company is gearing up to profit from the most valuable commodity in the digital age: electricity.

The “Toll Booth” Operator of the AI Energy Boom

  • It owns critical nuclear energy infrastructure assets, positioning it at the heart of America’s next-generation power strategy.
  • It’s one of the only global companies capable of executing large-scale, complex EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) projects across oil, gas, renewable fuels, and industrial infrastructure.
  • It plays a pivotal role in U.S. LNG exportation—a sector about to explode under President Trump’s renewed “America First” energy doctrine.

Trump has made it clear: Europe and U.S. allies must buy American LNG.

And our company sits in the toll booth—collecting fees on every drop exported.

But that’s not all…

As Trump’s proposed tariffs push American manufacturers to bring their operations back home, this company will be first in line to rebuild, retrofit, and reengineer those facilities.

AI. Energy. Tariffs. Onshoring. This One Company Ties It All Together.

While the world is distracted by flashy AI tickers, a few smart investors are quietly scooping up shares of the one company powering it all from behind the scenes.

AI needs energy. Energy needs infrastructure.

And infrastructure needs a builder with experience, scale, and execution.

This company has its finger in every pie—and Wall Street is just starting to notice.

Wall Street is noticing this company also because it is quietly riding all of these tailwinds—without the sky-high valuation.

While most energy and utility firms are buried under mountains of debt and coughing up hefty interest payments just to appease bondholders…

This company is completely debt-free.

In fact, it’s sitting on a war chest of cash—equal to nearly one-third of its entire market cap.

It also owns a huge equity stake in another red-hot AI play, giving investors indirect exposure to multiple AI growth engines without paying a premium.

And here’s what the smart money has started whispering…

The Hedge Fund Secret That’s Starting to Leak Out

This stock is so off-the-radar, so absurdly undervalued, that some of the most secretive hedge fund managers in the world have begun pitching it at closed-door investment summits.

They’re sharing it quietly, away from the cameras, to rooms full of ultra-wealthy clients.

Why? Because excluding cash and investments, this company is trading at less than 7 times earnings.

And that’s for a business tied to:

  • The AI infrastructure supercycle
  • The onshoring boom driven by Trump-era tariffs
  • A surge in U.S. LNG exports
  • And a unique footprint in nuclear energy—the future of clean, reliable power

You simply won’t find another AI and energy stock this cheap… with this much upside.

This isn’t a hype stock. It’s not riding on hope.

It’s delivering real cash flows, owns critical infrastructure, and holds stakes in other major growth stories.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

Don’t be a spectator in this technological revolution.

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A New Dawn is Coming to U.S. Stocks

I work for one of the largest independent financial publishers in the world – representing over 1 million people in 148 countries.

We’re independently funding today’s broadcast to address something on the mind of every investor in America right now…

Should I put my money in Artificial Intelligence?

Here to answer that for us… and give away his No. 1 free AI recommendation… is 50-year Wall Street titan, Marc Chaikin.

Marc’s been a trader, stockbroker, and analyst. He was the head of the options department at a major brokerage firm and is a sought-after expert for CNBC, Fox Business, Barron’s, and Yahoo! Finance…

But what Marc’s most known for is his award-winning stock-rating system. Which determines whether a stock could shoot sky-high in the next three to six months… or come crashing down.

That’s why Marc’s work appears in every Bloomberg and Reuters terminal on the planet…

And is still used by hundreds of banks, hedge funds, and brokerages to track the billions of dollars flowing in and out of stocks each day.

He’s used this system to survive nine bear markets… create three new indices for the Nasdaq… and even predict the brutal bear market of 2022, 90 days in advance.

Click to continue reading…