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The 25 Worst Stocks by Shareholder Wealth Losses (1926-2022)

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The 25 worst stocks shown as bubbles and sized by their shareholder wealth losses since they were first listed on a U.S. stock exchange. Worldcom is the worst with losses of $102 billion.

The 25 Worst Stocks by Shareholder Wealth Losses (1926-2022)

Among publicly-listed U.S. companies, the 25 worst stocks have lost shareholders a collective $1.2 trillion since 1926. Put another way, just 0.1% of all stocks have led to 14% of all cumulative losses in shareholder wealth.

In this graphic, we use data from Henrik Bessembinder of Arizona State University to show the worst stocks of the last century.

How Are Shareholder Wealth Losses Calculated?

Bessembinder took three steps to measure lifetime shareholder wealth losses:

  1. Considered U.S. stocks in the Center for Research in Security Prices database from 1926 (or when the stock was first listed) until 2022 (or when the stock was delisted).
  2. Measured share price changes as well as cash flows to/from shareholders including dividends, spinoffs, share buybacks, and new share issuances.
  3. Calculated the excess wealth generated compared to investing in one-month Treasury bills over the same time period.

If a company exited the database during the period, Bessembinder calculated its delisting return based on any proceeds from mergers or acquisitions as well as estimates of any remaining value after delistings for negative reasons.

The 25 Worst Stocks in Modern History

With this context in mind, here are the worst stocks since 1926.

RankCompany Lifetime Wealth LossesFirst MonthLast Month
1WORLDCOM-$102BDec‐80Jul‐02
2RIVIAN AUTOMOTIVE-$92BDec‐21Dec‐22
3VIAVI SOLUTIONS-$87BDec‐93Dec‐22
4LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES-$85BMay‐96Nov‐06
5WACHOVIA-$68BJan‐73Dec‐08
6DUPONT DE NEMOURS-$60BOct‐17Dec‐22
7DAIMLER-$60BDec‐98Jun‐10
8QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTL-$59BJul‐97Mar‐11
9COUPANG-$55BApr‐21Dec‐22
10NORTEL NETWORKS-$54BDec‐75Jan‐09
11DEUTSCHE BANK-$47BNov‐01Dec‐22
12COINBASE-$45BMay‐21Dec‐22
13SPRINT NEXTEL-$40BMay‐63Jul‐13
14BROADWING-$38BAug‐00Jan‐07
15TIME WARNER-$37BApr‐92Jun‐18
16KRAFT HEINZ-$35BAug‐15Dec‐22
17ARCELORMITTAL SA LUXEMBOURG-$35BSep‐97Dec‐22
18PALM-$34BApr‐00Jun‐10
19UBER-$34BJun‐19Dec‐22
20GLOBAL CROSSING-$33BSep‐98Oct‐11
21DOORDASH-$32BJan‐21Dec‐22
22PARAMOUNT-$30BJul‐87Dec‐22
23SNOWFLAKE-$30BOct‐20Dec‐22
24SYCAMORE NETWORKS-$29BNov‐99Mar‐13
25AIRBNB-$27BJan‐21Dec‐22

WorldCom, number one on the list, was a long-distance phone provider and handled internet data. In response to a surplus of telecommunications capacity that reduced pricing power, WorldCom began “cooking its books” to meet growth targets.

An SEC investigation of the accounting scandal found that executives improperly reduced costs by more than $7 billion and exaggerated revenue by at least $958 million. Once the fraud was discovered, WorldCom filed for the largest bankruptcy filing in American history as of July 2002.

Some of the worst stocks by lifetime wealth losses have gone public within the last few years. For instance, Doordash was one of the largest IPOs in 2020, with investor enthusiasm driving its share price 86% higher in the first day. The company has seen its revenue and U.S. market share increase, but it has yet to produce a 12-month profit.

Common Threads

Among the worst-performing stocks, there are some patterns. For instance, eight of the 25 stocks on this list belong to the telecommunications industry. Like WorldCom, many of these companies also engaged in accounting fraud to inflate their financial results.

Financial fraud can be hard to detect, but investors can look for potential red flags such as consistent sales growth while competitors are struggling. The SEC noted in its WorldCom investigation that “WorldCom claimed it was successfully managing industry trends that were hurting all of its competitors”.

Another commonality among some of the worst stocks was the hype around their IPOs. High valuations that are not supported by profitability may lead to large shareholder losses.

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Mining

An Investor’s Guide to Copper in 3 Charts

Explore three key insights into the future of the copper market, from soaring demand to potential supply constraints.

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An investor's guide to copper in 3 charts

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The following content is sponsored by iShares

An Investor’s Guide to Copper

Copper is the world’s third-most utilized industrial metal and the linchpin of many clean energy technologies. It forms the vital connections in our electricity networks, grid storage systems, and electric vehicles.

In this graphic, sponsored by iShares, we dig into the forces that are set to shape the future of the copper landscape.

How Much Copper Do We Need?

Copper is poised to experience a remarkable 54% surge in demand from 2022 to 2050.

Here’s a breakdown of the expected demand for copper across clean energy technologies.

Technology2022 (kt)2050P (kt)
Electricity networks43648862
Other low emissions power generation93.7142.2
Solar PV756.81879.8
Grid battery storage24.6665.2
Wind453.5 1303.3
Hydrogen technologies-0.22
Electric vehicles370 3582.9
Other uses19766 22382

Copper is vital in renewable energy systems such as wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicle batteries because of its high electrical conductivity and durability.

It ensures the effective transmission of electricity and heat, enhancing the overall performance and sustainability of these technologies.

The rising demand for copper in the clean energy sector underscores its critical role in the transition to a greener and more sustainable future.

When Will Copper Demand Exceed Supply?

The burgeoning demand for copper has set the stage for looming supply challenges with a 22% gap predicted by 2031.

Given this metal’s pivotal role in clean energy and technological advancements, innovative mining and processing technologies could hold the key to boosting copper production and meeting the needs of a net-zero future.

Investing in Copper for a Prosperous Future

Investors looking for copper exposure may want to consider an ETF that tracks an index that offers access to companies focused on the exploration and mining of copper.

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