Data Insights

37 ASX stocks defying choppy market conditions and rallying to 52-week highs

Wed 31 May 23, 9:38am (AEST)
Lithium mining
Source: Shutterstock

Key Points

  • Lithium, construction, travel and gambling stocks are defying choppy market conditions
  • 37 stocks above $500m market cap hit 52-week highs in the past two weeks

52 weeks is a special timeframe in the worlds of technical analysis and momentum investing. Companies that hit such a high, it is suggested, are more likely to trade higher into the future. 

For investors who follow a 52-week high strategy, the aim is not to buy low, sell high. Rather, it’s to buy high and sell higher.

Based on data from the Market Index, which you can find here, 37 companies (above $500m market cap) hit 52-week highs in the fortnight to May 26.


Stocks making 52-week highs

Ticker

Company Name

Close Price

Sector

Market Cap

52w High

ALL

Aristocrat Leisure

$38.39

Consumer Cyclicals

$25.2bn

$39.74

WTC

Wisetech Global

$74.9

Technology

$24.2bn

$75.01

QBE

QBE Insurance Group

$14.71

Financials

$21.9bn

$15.64

JHX

James Hardie

$37.85

Basic Materials

$16.6bn

$38.39

XRO

Xero

$110.67

Technology

$16.4bn

$111.94

MEZ

Meridian Energy

$4.95

Utilities

$13.2bn

$5.24

IAG

Insurance Australia Group

$5.2

Financials

$12.8bn

$5.25

SOL

Washington H Soul Pattinson

$33.05

Energy

$12.0bn

$33.94

SGP

Stockland

$4.34

Real Estate

$10.47bn

$4.59

WOR

Worley

$16.02

Energy

$8.6bn

$16.78

MCY

Mercury NZ

$5.82

Utilities

$8.3bn

$6.22

IFT

Infratil

$9.295

Utilities

$6.6bn

$9.47

NXT

Nextdc

$12.61

Technology

$6.46bn

$12.675

AGL

AGL Energy

$9.15

Utilities

$6.0bn

$9.24

LTR

Liontown Resources

$2.7

Basic Materials

$6.0bn

$3.02

TNE

Technology One

$16.76

Technology

$5.16bn

$16.81

VEA

Viva Energy Group

$3.22

Energy

$5.0bn

$3.28

FLT

Flight Centre Travel

$20.84

Consumer Cyclicals

$4.5bn

$22.1

NHF

NIB Holdings

$8.22

Financials

$3.96bn

$8.33

TLX

Telix Pharmaceuticals

$11.83

Healthcare

$3.6bn

$12.05

WEB

Webjet

$7.6

Consumer Cyclicals

$2.9bn

$7.75

MGF

Magellan Global Fund

$1.585

Financials

$2.78bn

$1.61

TAH

Tabcorp

$1.125

Consumer Cyclicals

$2.55bn

$1.155

CSR

CSR

$5.08

Basic Materials

$2.5bn

$5.55

PMT

Patriot Battery Metals

$1.865

Unassigned or n/a

$2.4bn

$2.02

GOR

Gold Road Resources

$1.75

Basic Materials

$2.0bn

$1.985

IVC

Invocare

$12.41

Consumer non-Cyclicals

$1.8bn

$12.55

NEU

Neuren Pharmaceuticals

$13.66

Healthcare

$1.7bn

$15.15

MFF

MFF Capital Investments

$2.71

Financials

$1.6bn

$2.73

EMR

Emerald Resources

$1.98

Basic Materials

$1.1bn

$2.02

HLI

Helia Group

$3.29

Financials

$1.1bn

$3.5

MAD

Mader Group

$5.02

Industrials

$986m

$5.15

A4N

Alpha HPA

$1.04

Basic Materials

$853.5m

$1.175

LLL

LEO Lithium

$0.725

Basic Materials

$784.3m

$0.815

WGX

Westgold Resources

$1.55

Basic Materials

$748.3m

$1.74

CTT

Cettire

$1.88

Consumer Cyclicals

$747.2m

$2.36

PPC

Peet Limited

$1.16

Real Estate

$560.9m

$1.27


Interesting Observations

Materials buoyed by lithium and gold names

Ticker

Company Name

Close Price

Sector

Market Cap

52w High

JHX

James Hardie

$37.85

Basic Materials

$16.6bn

$38.39

LLL

LEO Lithium

$0.725

Basic Materials

$784m

$0.815

EMR

Emerald Resources

$1.98

Basic Materials

$1.1bn

$2.02

LTR

Liontown Resources

$2.7

Basic Materials

$6.0bn

$3.02

A4N

Alpha HPA

$1.04

Basic Materials

$853m

$1.175

WGX

Westgold Resources

$1.55

Basic Materials

$748m

$1.74

CSR

CSR

$5.08

Basic Materials

$2.5bn

$5.55

GOR

Gold Road Resources

$1.75

Basic Materials

$2.0bn

$1.985


The materials sector has weighed down the ASX over the past year, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials (XMJ) index down -2.23%. The index has bounced back since its July lows, however, and now sits in the green (just) at 0.22%.

That recovery’s been helped along by the eight companies in this list.

Digging down further, we can see that gold and lithium names continue to lead the way.

Liontown (ASX: LTR) continues to be the standout performer this year, returning 109.85% year to date, thanks in large part to takeover attempts from US giant Albemarle. 

Leo Lithium (ASX: LLL) has seen its share price more than double since March, and this week secured a $106.1 million investment from China’s largest lithium producer, Ganfeng.

Consumer cyclicals braving an impending consumer slowdown

Ticker

Company Name

Close Price

Sector

Market Cap

52w High

WEB

Webjet

$7.6

Consumer Cyclicals

$2.9bn

$7.75

TAH

Tabcorp

$1.125

Consumer Cyclicals

$2.55bn

$1.155

CTT

Cettire

$1.88

Consumer Cyclicals

$747m

$2.36

ALL

Aristocrat Leisure

$38.39

Consumer Cyclicals

$25.2bn

$39.74

FLT

Flight Centre Travel

$20.84

Consumer Cyclicals

$4.5bn

$22.1


When rates rise and economic growth slows, consumer spending is one of the first things to suffer. According to the latest Deloitte Business Outlook report, a “consumer recession” is on the way.

"That downgrade is centred on our households, and a ‘consumer recession’ is now forecast in 2023, with household spending expected to finish the year below where it started," said Deloitte Access Economics partner and report lead author, Stephen Smith.

The impending wave hasn’t yet hit the shores of these five companies however. 

Online retailer Cettire (ASX: CTT) has returned almost 50% this year, with Flight Centre (ASX: FLT) not far behind at 44%.

Aristocrat Leisure (ASX: ALL) and Webjet (ASX: WEB), meanwhile, are up 24% and almost 20% this calendar year respectively.

Written By

David Thornton

Content Editor

David is a Content Editor at Livewire Markets and Market Index. He currently hosts The Rules of Investing, a half hour podcast where he sits down with leading experts across equities, fixed income and macro.

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