Year in review: Best-performing tech stocks of 2020

Written by:
January 8, 2021
Updated on January 9, 2021
DAMIEN MEYER/AFP // Getty Images

Year in review: Best-performing tech stocks of 2020

Tech stocks in 2020 saw significant overall gains despite it being a volatile year of record-breaking lows and highs. The year started and ended bullish, with long stretches of immense uncertainty.

Massive sell-offs beginning in February amid the coronavirus outbreak caused a stock market crash on March 9, representing the biggest point plunge in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) history. By the end of the year, however, the market saw record highs. These historic ups and downs of 2020 made for a volatile market, but proved out again the value in investors being more mindful of long-term performance rather than hourly (or monthly) changes.

Stacker compiled a list of the best performing tech stocks of 2020 using data from IEX Cloud. Information technology and communication services stocks in the S&P 500 were considered. Stocks are ranked by total return.

Overall, in a year that put the vast majority of the world into lockdown mode, businesses with tech elements saw stocks do extremely well—from gaming and social media to video software and e-commerce. The stocks represented here don’t necessarily represent the best stocks to invest in currently, just as not all investments work for all portfolios. Keep reading to see which tech stocks performed best in 2020.

1 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#50. Broadridge Financial Solutions

- Total return: 25.8%
- Price return: 24.0%
- Dividend return: 1.8%
- Ticker: BR

2 / 50
Felix Wong/South China Morning Post // Getty Images

#49. F5 Networks

- Total return: 26.0%
- Price return: 26.0%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: FFIV

3 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#48. Analog Devices Inc.

- Total return: 26.4%
- Price return: 24.3%
- Dividend return: 2.1%
- Ticker: ADI

4 / 50
Bryan Steffy // Getty Images

#47. Corning Inc.

- Total return: 26.7%
- Price return: 23.7%
- Dividend return: 3.0%
- Ticker: GLW

5 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#46. Skyworks Solutions

- Total return: 28.0%
- Price return: 26.5%
- Dividend return: 1.6%
- Ticker: SWKS

6 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#45. TE Connectivity Ltd.

- Total return: 28.3%
- Price return: 26.3%
- Dividend return: 2.0%
- Ticker: TEL

7 / 50
WILLIAM WEST/AFP // Getty Images

#44. News Corp. Class A

- Total return: 28.5%
- Price return: 27.1%
- Dividend return: 1.4%
- Ticker: NWSA

8 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#43. Keysight Technologies

- Total return: 28.7%
- Price return: 28.7%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: KEYS

9 / 50
rafapress // Shutterstock

#42. NortonLifeLock

- Total return: -16.6%
- Price return: -18.6%
- Dividend return: 2.0%
- Ticker: NLOK

10 / 50
Michael Vi // Shutterstock

#41. Texas Instruments

- Total return: 30.8%
- Price return: 27.9%
- Dividend return: 2.9%
- Ticker: TXN

11 / 50
rafapress // Shutterstock

#40. Alphabet Inc. (Class A)

- Total return: 30.9%
- Price return: 30.9%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: GOOGL

12 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#39. Facebook Inc.

- Total return: 33.1%
- Price return: 33.1%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: FB

13 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#38. Microchip Technology

- Total return: 33.3%
- Price return: 31.9%
- Dividend return: 1.4%
- Ticker: MCHP

14 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#37. Cognizant Technology Solutions

- Total return: 33.6%
- Price return: 32.1%
- Dividend return: 1.4%
- Ticker: CTSH

15 / 50
Aytac Unal/Anadolu Agency // Getty Images

#36. Electronic Arts

- Total return: 33.7%
- Price return: 33.6%
- Dividend return: 0.2%
- Ticker: EA

16 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#35. Charter Communications

- Total return: 36.4%
- Price return: 36.4%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: CHTR

17 / 50
Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#34. Salesforce.com

- Total return: 36.8%
- Price return: 36.8%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: CRM

18 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#33. Fortinet

- Total return: 39.1%
- Price return: 39.1%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: FTNT

19 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#32. Micron Technology

- Total return: 39.8%
- Price return: 39.8%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: MU

20 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#31. ANSYS

- Total return: 41.3%
- Price return: 41.3%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: ANSS

21 / 50
Eduardo MunozAlvarez/VIEWpress // Getty Images

#30. Microsoft Corp.

- Total return: 42.4%
- Price return: 41.0%
- Dividend return: 1.3%
- Ticker: MSFT

22 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#29. Broadcom Inc.

- Total return: 42.8%
- Price return: 38.6%
- Dividend return: 4.2%
- Ticker: AVGO

23 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#28. Applied Materials Inc.

- Total return: 42.8%
- Price return: 41.4%
- Dividend return: 1.4%
- Ticker: AMAT

24 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#27. Arista Networks

- Total return: 42.9%
- Price return: 42.9%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: ANET

25 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#26. Qorvo

- Total return: 43.1%
- Price return: 43.1%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: QRVO

26 / 50
Casimiro PT // Shutterstock

#25. Tyler Technologies

- Total return: 45.5%
- Price return: 45.5%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: TYL

27 / 50
jejim // Shutterstock

#24. Intuit Inc.

- Total return: 45.9%
- Price return: 45.0%
- Dividend return: 0.8%
- Ticker: INTU

28 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#23. Maxim Integrated Products Inc

- Total return: 46.5%
- Price return: 44.1%
- Dividend return: 2.3%
- Ticker: MXIM

29 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#22. Xilinx

- Total return: 46.5%
- Price return: 45.0%
- Dividend return: 1.5%
- Ticker: XLNX

30 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#21. KLA Corporation

- Total return: 47.3%
- Price return: 45.3%
- Dividend return: 2.0%
- Ticker: KLAC

31 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#20. Zebra Technologies

- Total return: 50.5%
- Price return: 50.5%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: ZBRA

32 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#19. Adobe Inc.

- Total return: 51.6%
- Price return: 51.6%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: ADBE

33 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#18. IPG Photonics Corp.

- Total return: 54.4%
- Price return: 54.4%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: IPGP

34 / 50
Zhou You/VCG // Getty Images

#17. Activision Blizzard

- Total return: 57.0%
- Price return: 56.3%
- Dividend return: 0.7%
- Ticker: ATVI

35 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#16. Lam Research

- Total return: 63.2%
- Price return: 61.5%
- Dividend return: 1.7%
- Ticker: LRCX

36 / 50
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#15. Autodesk Inc.

- Total return: 66.4%
- Price return: 66.4%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: ADSK

37 / 50
Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#14. Netflix Inc.

- Total return: 67.1%
- Price return: 67.1%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: NFLX

38 / 50
Valera Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#13. Twitter Inc.

- Total return: 69.0%
- Price return: 69.0%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: TWTR

39 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#12. Take-Two Interactive

- Total return: 69.7%
- Price return: 69.7%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: TTWO

40 / 50
rafapress // Shutterstock

#11. Paycom

- Total return: 70.8%
- Price return: 70.8%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: PAYC

41 / 50
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock

#10. T-Mobile US

- Total return: 74.2%
- Price return: 74.2%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: TMUS

42 / 50
Xia Chenxi/VCG // Getty Images

#9. QUALCOMM Inc.

- Total return: 75.6%
- Price return: 72.7%
- Dividend return: 2.9%
- Ticker: QCOM

43 / 50
Michael Vi // Shutterstock

#8. Teradyne

- Total return: 76.4%
- Price return: 75.8%
- Dividend return: 0.6%
- Ticker: TER

44 / 50
Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#7. Apple Inc.

- Total return: 81.8%
- Price return: 80.7%
- Dividend return: 1.1%
- Ticker: AAPL

45 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#6. Synopsys Inc.

- Total return: 86.2%
- Price return: 86.2%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: SNPS

46 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#5. ServiceNow

- Total return: 95.0%
- Price return: 95.0%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: NOW

47 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#4. Cadence Design Systems

- Total return: 96.7%
- Price return: 96.7%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: CDNS

48 / 50
Zhu Difeng/VCG // Getty Images

#3. Advanced Micro Devices Inc

- Total return: 100.0%
- Price return: 100.0%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: AMD

49 / 50
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#2. PayPal

- Total return: 116.5%
- Price return: 116.5%
- Dividend return: 0.0%
- Ticker: PYPL

50 / 50
Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

#1. Nvidia Corporation

- Total return: 122.2%
- Price return: 121.9%
- Dividend return: 0.3%
- Ticker: NVDA

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