Xmas tips 2021 contest is wrapped up by small cap pick

Before we publish a new 2021/2022 edition of the Xmas tips feature (watch this space!), here’s a wrap-up of last year’s friendly competition.

If you’re new to it, this time last year we asked a variety of stock market professionals, investment writers and bloggers to suggest their top investment idea for 2021.

Looking back at the results, with 51 weeks gone, all investments generated a positive return and there were no embarrassing shockers, though maybe a pulled hamstring here or there.

Here is the final medal roster:

1st place: 

SkinBioTherapeutics PLC – Andrew Hore, editor of the AIM Journal

AIM:SBTX up 158% from 15.5p to 40p

Having raced to an early lead, much like unfancied Leicester City in the 2015/16 Premier League, young Kenyan runner Sammy Wanjiru in the Beijing 2008 marathon or a solo breakaway from cyclist Matej Mohorič in this year’s Tour de France, Andrew’s small cap pick held on to romp home in first place.

While the shares could not hold onto the 300%-plus advantage at the halfway stage, a double-and-a-half gain is a lot more than most investors would hope for in one year.

Let’s hear from our winning tipster, Andrew: “The SkinBioTherapeutics share price soared on the back of the AxisBiotix-Ps food supplement development as a treatment for psoriasis and the subsequent launch in October. The share price was hit when Cenkos reduced the forecast margin for the product…There is still significant potential for AxisBiotix-Ps and the other products in development.”

2nd place: 

Cameco Corporation – Vince Stanzione, financial trader and author of The Millionaire Dropout

TSX:CCO, NYSE:CCJ up 60% from US$13.56 to US$21.73

Let’s go track-side and hear from breathless runner-up Vince: “Very happy with last year’s uranium stocks which I continue to personally hold, Cameco and Energy Fuels, which both did well. My biggest personal uranium holdings are the North Shore Global Uranium Mining ETF (NYSEARCA:URNM), which gives me a spread of uranium companies, and the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust (TSE:U.UN) and like Homer Simpson I am looking for another good year uranium as it comes back into fashion as a credible and clean way [Ed – relatively!] to generate electricity.”

3rd place:

Berkshire Hathaway – Peter Sleep, senior investment manager at 7IM

NYSE:BRK.B up 33.7% from US$224.24 to US$300.17

The shares were pretty flat since May but Peter hung on to the top-three place he held at the halfway stage.

As he said in June, this is an investment that he would be happy to keep holding as it is “the sort of company that should be held for years rather than months”.

European places

Halma PLC – Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG

LSE:HLMA up 30.1% from 2,398p to 3,120p

At the half-way stage, Chris was close to last place even as Halma had quietly as ever continued its…