The Worst Stock Ideas Of The Past Month

After a steep decline in the month of August in response to economic weakness in China, the S&P 500 has bounced back a bit in the month of September. So far this month, the index is up 1.5 percent, but not all of its members have enjoyed the month of September.

Here’s a list of the five worst-performing S&P 500 stocks over the past month.

5. CF Industries Holdings Inc CF

CF Industries’ stock has declined 16.8 percent over the past month, as the company continues to suffer from falling fertilizer prices. Now trading at around $46, the stock has put quite a bit of distance between its share price and the $71 target that Barclays set for the stock back in August.

4. Columbia Pipeline Group Inc CPGX

Columbia’s shares have fallen 17.2 percent over the past month and are now down 38.3 percent year-to-date. Disappointed investors can take comfort in the fact that the president of the company apparently sees the decline as a buying opportunity and recently purchased nearly 30,000 shares at a price of $24.31.

3. NRG Energy Inc NRG

NRG has had a rough year this year, declining 41.5 percent in 2015. Things haven’t gotten any better for shareholders in the last month, as the stock declined another 18.1 percent on news that Moody’s has placed NRG Yield Inc NRGY on review for a credit downgrade.

2. Wynn Resorts Ltd WYNN

Investors in Macau-exposed names endured another month of weak gaming revenue numbers, fears over the health of the Chinese economy and concerns over increasing government regulation. Wynn’s shares dropped 20.9 percent in the past month and have declined 59.0 percent year-to-date.

1. Joy Global Inc JOY

The honor of the worst September investment so far go to Joy Global. Slumping commodity prices and Chinese construction forecasts, as well as Caterpillar Inc CAT’s disappointing guidance drove Joy Global shares down 31.5 percent over the past month, the worst monthly drop of any stock in the S&P 500.

Joy global is now down 65.8 percent year-to-date, the second worst performance of any S&P 500 stock in 2015. CONSOL Energy Inc CNX shares have fallen 67.6 percent year-to-date.

Disclosure: the author holds no position in the stocks mentioned.