Here are my top 13 stocks in 2013

Netflix (NFLX) +312.14%
Tesla Motors (TSLA) +300.00% (bought in Jan 29)
3D Systems (DDD) +172.91%
Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) +104.60%
BIDU 89.03% (bought May 10)
Middleby (MIDD) +91.06%
Priceline (PCLN) +90.09%
Under Armour (UA) +84.09%
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) +83.37%
Boston Beer Co (SAM) +81.81%
Sina (SINA) +74.23%
Amazon (AMZN) +62.40%
Ambarella (AMBA) +57.74% (bought Oct 25)

Yowzers – you can certainly see why my investment performance crushed the market this year. First off we have Netflix which is my most successful investment ever having originally bought in at $19.72 for a 1766% return 18 bagger for me. It’s been a volatile stock if you look at it in short term bursts and just two years ago it had fallen from $300 a share to $55, but if you look at the long term chart it’s been pretty rewarding for those investors that ignored the short-term noise. It also goes to show you that just because a stock is up 50%,100%,1000%+ from when you purchased it, it still may be the best spot for new money.

Next up Tesla Motors – I have only owned this stock since the end of January and I have bought it a number of times throughout the year. My first purchase is up 300% in less than 1 year of owning it.

3D systems returns to the list for the second straight year – last year it was my 2nd best stock – this year my 3rd. Hopefully it is back again next year and I get to take advantage of the compound interest.

I won’t go into each stock – but it was certainly an amazing year and one I will likely not see again. You’ll notice three of the stocks on the list I had purchased during the year and they still made the list. I feel very good about the stocks on this list, not because they went up so much this year, but because they are all great companies who are changing the world we live in and are very likely to be here 10 years from now. Despite the big run-up in many of these stocks and the crazy heights the overall stock market has reached – many of these stocks will be on my short list for future investment funds.

And now for the losers….ummmm……losers please step forward – there you two are….boooo…boooo!

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) -8.40%
BJ’s Restaurant (BJRI) -6.25%

Only two of my stocks this year lost money. BJ’s is a repeat on the loser list from last year and ISRG is a stock I bought this July for the first time after a large fall in stock price due to concerns over the safety and effectiveness of their machines in certain types of surgeries. My current feelings are that robotic surgery is in its infancy and is likely to disrupt how many medical procedures are done in the future due to the precision and reduced recovery time. ISRG is clearly the market leader and I have missed the boat on the early part of this story even though I was well aware of this stock. I think this will be a temporary setback for the stock and am glad to get in on its future at a reduced price.

Regarding BJ’s again this is a small restaurant stock – very highly concentrated in California and is going through a learning process on how best to expand in the future. This will take some time and I am willing to wait and give them a chance to produce.