No. 1: Capital One
Q3 Return: +4%
YTD Return: +35%
Investor: Philip van Doorn
TheStreet.com contributor Philip van Doorn is probably getting pretty comfortable in the top spot, having been there for half the year.
Heading into Q4, Capital One (NYSE:COF) is ahead by double digits with impressive 35% returns — more than triple the Dow’s and more than double the S&P 500′s.
The company should be set to move up even more as well. It was busy with acquisitions in the second quarter — buying ING Group‘s (NYSE:ING) ING Direct for roughly $9 billion and HSBC‘s (NYSE:HBC) roughly $30 billion U.S. credit card portfolio. Both deals should give earnings a nice boost.
It looks like van Doorn was right on the money when he said not only that financials weren’t looking all that bad, but that smaller banks like Capital One were ready to soar.
He just has to be right for one more quarter — then he’s home free with the imaginary trophy.
Plenty of other stocks are hoping for a Q4 rally to steal the title — but there can be only one champion. Stay tuned to see how the final lap unfolds.
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