Title: Unanticipated Gainers in the Stock Market's Rollercoaster Year
In 2024, the limelight of the German stock market was stolen by some unexpected heavyweights. Despite the focus on tech giants and defense contractors in the wake of the AI boom and geopolitical shifts, lesser-known companies emerged as the real winners. Let's delve into the 15 top-performing stocks in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange that year.
Siemens Energy
After splitting from Siemens in 2020, Siemens Energy proved its mettle in 2024. Following a billion-dollar loss in the previous year, the company surpriseed investors by reporting positive results and boosting optimism with improved medium-term targets. The company's ability to leave its past troubles behind, especially at its Spanish wind turbine subsidiary Gamesa, propelled its stock price to soar a staggering 318.9%.
Auto1
Auto1's shareholders experienced a rollercoaster year. Although the company struggled in previous years, its stock price skyrocketed by 140% in 2024. The used car platform reported record revenues and profits and expanded strongly with new locations, providing a breath of fresh air for its shareholders.
Alzchem Group
Amidst industry giants complaining about economic weakness and high energy prices, Alzchem Group, the small Bavarian chemical producer, remained unperturbed. In 2024, Alzchem shareholders received a 117.1% return on their investment with the stock price increasing nearly 120%.
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall's stock price saw an impressive rise of 114.8% in 2024, despite reaching record highs in previous years. With global defense investments continuing to rise following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Düsseldorf-based company received additional billion-dollar orders, further boosting its value.
Alstria Office
Alstria Office, a REIT specializing in office properties, saw an impressive growth of 110% on the stock exchange in 2024. This was largely due to a takeover offer from Canadian investment company Brookfield, which sent the Alstria share price soaring.
Vulcan Energy Resources
Vulcan Energy Resources, a startup aiming to extract lithium from Germany while generating sustainable energy, made significant strides in 2024. With progress in financing and projects, investor confidence flourished, leading to an 86.9% rise in its stock price.
A lesser-known player in the semiconductor industry, Süss Microtec from Munich, saw an overall increase of 75.7% in 2024. As political efforts were made to attract major chip manufacturers, Süss Microtec, an indispensable supplier to the semiconductor industry, experienced a significant decline before bouncing back.
Friedrich Vorwerk
Based in rural Lower Saxony, Friedrich Vorwerk saw its stock price soar by 73.5% in 2024. The company, which builds and operates various types of energy infrastructure, benefitted from high demand for its services.
SAP
SAP consolidated its position as Germany's most valuable corporation in 2024, with a market capitalization reaching around 240 billion euros and a resulting share price increase of nearly 69.9%.
MTU Aero Engines
Traditional engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines was able to leave the red zone in 2024, posting a profit increase. Analysts recommended the stock, leading to a 64.8% increase in its share price.
Since the political endeavors to draw major chip manufacturers like Intel or TSMC to Europe and Germany, Verve Group, a Scale-segment company specialized in advertising software, has seen significant growth. The stock's performance more than tripled, despite recent price setbacks.
Formycon AG, another Scale-segment player in the biosimilar development sector, was included in the TecDAX index in January 2025, just three weeks after joining the SDAX. The company's success is attributed to its strong capital market strategy and team performance.
2G Energy AG, a leading heat pump and combined heat and power plant manufacturer, had the most traded Scale share in 2024 with a turnover of EUR 114 million. The company's high turnover was influenced by its position as a green investment and positive analyst recommendations.
Deutsche Rohstoff AG
Deutsche Rohstoff AG experienced significant fluctuations in 2024, largely influenced by the volatility in the oil market. The company's performance was impacted by analyst opinions varying between buy recommendations with price targets of 48 and 50.40 euros and suggestions to reduce investments with a price target of 30 euros.
These stocks demonstrate a combination of resilience and growth, contributing to their success in 2024. Factors included strong market demand, strategic alignment with capital markets, and positive analyst recommendations.
In the context of the German Stock Exchange's Prime Standard, Deutsche Rohstoff AG's stock saw considerable fluctuations in 2024 due to oil market volatility, with analyst opinions ranging from buy recommendations with price targets to suggestions to reduce investments.
Despite the focus on tech giants and defense contractors, 2G Energy AG, a leading manufacturer of heat pumps and combined heat and power plants, had the most traded Scale share in 2024, reflecting its popularity as a green investment and positive analyst recommendations.
