Sharesight users' top 20 trades in ASX stocks for 2021

Each year, Sharesight looks back at the top 20 buy and sell trades made by Sharesight users throughout the year. Welcome to the 2021 edition of our ASX snapshot, where we explore the top trades users have made in stocks on the ASX this year, plus the market-moving news behind these stocks.

Sharesight users’ top 20 ASX stocks traded in 2021

This annual Sharesight trading snapshot sees a diverse list of stocks and ETFs. Buy trades were overwhelmingly led by ETFs, including Vanguard’s Australian Shares (ASX: VAS), Diversified High Growth (ASX: VDHG) and International Shares (ASX: VGS) ETFs. Sell trades were strongly led by Zip Co (ASX: Z1P), which experienced a dramatic spike in its share price in February, followed by a steep drop, which was largely maintained throughout the rest of 2021. Other top trades include Fortescue Metals (ASX: FMG), a2 Milk (ASX: A2M) and BHP (ASX: BHP). Overall, it was a varied year for trading on the ASX, with top trades concentrated in the BNPL, mining and technology sectors.

Let’s look at the news behind the key stocks in this year’s snapshot:

Zip Co (ASX: Z1P)

• January: Zip Co announces strong quarterly earnings; 88% revenue growth YoY

• February: Zip Co gains almost 70% following a strong earning report, reaching record highs

• April: Zip Co raises AU$400 million for US growth and further global expansion

• May: Share price down almost 25% in May

• July: Announces plan to launch crypto trading service

• August: Share price plummets 150% following FY21 results

• September: Zip Co announces plans to expand to India with AU$70 million investment in ZestMoney; share price jumps

• November: Completes AU$116 million buyout of European BNPL Twisto Payments

Fortescue Metals (ASX: FMG)

• January: Fortescue reports AU$1.2 billion December profit on back of high iron ore prices; raised dividend expectations

• February: Senior executive resigns over cost blowout of AU$2.6 billion Iron Bridge project

• March: Fortescue declares goal to go carbon neutral by 2030

• April: Fortescue share price drops 17% in March; iron ore price to blame

• July: Fortescue marks 2 billion tonne automated haulage milestone in Pilbara region

• September: Fortescue posts record AU$14 billion profit as iron ore price soars

• October: Fortescue purchases 60% stake in Dutch renewable energy firm

• November: Share price drops despite approval for green hydrogen plant

a2 Milk (ASX: A2M)

• January: a2 one step closer to acquiring majority of Mataura Valley Milk

• March: a2 supplier sees half year net profit plummet by 76% due to lack of demand

• April: Share price hits multi-year low after stock downgraded to ‘hold’ rating

• May: a2 forced to dump NZ$96 million of expired infant formula due to reduced Chinese demand

• July: Shares drop following Chinese birth policy reforms

• August: a2 reports 79% profit loss; warns of difficult year ahead

• October: a2 Milk sheds AU$630 million in value as shareholders fret over lagging Chinese market

• November: a2 hit with another lawsuit over investor losses

BHP (ASX: BHP)

• April: BHP reportedly on track to iron ore target as prices surge once again

• May: BHP scores AU$17 million Elliot copper project deal

• August: BHP faces S&P downgrade due to lack of diversification

• September: BHP in a bidding war over takeover of Canadian miner Noront

• October: Share price increases as iron ore share price rebounds; broker tips 20% upside

• December: BHP plans to abandon dual listing, unify corporate structure

Afterpay (ASX: APT)

• January: Afterpay share price hits all-time high following Zip earnings report

• March: Afterpay launches Clearpay in the European payments market

• April: Afterpay seeks Nasdaq listing; could delist from ASX

• May: CommBank CEO suggests tougher regulation for Afterpay

• August: Afterpay losses grow by almost 700% in latest financial results; Square buys Afterpay in US$29 billion deal

• December: Delays shareholder vote to approve buyout by Square

CSL (ASX: CSL)

• January: CSL to have first Australian COVID vaccine batch ready after March

• February: CSL certain it could produce vaccine to tackle COVID-19 variants

• March: CSL share price up following AstraZeneca vaccine approval

• April: Aegros to become second Australian plasma distributor; a "mini CSL"; slight share price drop

• July: CSL share price drops due to reports of mRNA vaccine delays

• September: CSL declares its new focus on influenza vaccine research

• October: Dismisses idea of developing homegrown mRNA COVID-19 vaccine

Appen (ASX: APX)

• February: Appen share price sinks 7% after full year results

• March: Appen hits March 2020 COVID-19 crash lows of $16 share price

• May: Appen share price jumps 10% following restructure announcement

• July: Appen reports share price down 50% in 2021

• September: Appen share price dips lower despite Quadrant acquisition announcement

• November: Share price plummets following broker downgrade

Westpac (ASX: WBC)

• February: Westpac share price climbs following Q1 earnings update

• May: Reports significantly lower cash earnings in Q3 report

• July: Sells NZ life insurance business for AU$373 million

• August: Sells Australian life insurance business for AU$900 million

• November: Share price sheds 15% in a month; investor confidence tainted by cost blowout and falling profit margins

• December: Westpac to pay AU$193 million in compensation and ASIC fines for charging dead customers

Kogan.Com (ASX: KGN)

• January: Kogan fined AU$310,800 as 42 million emails breach spam laws

• February: Kogan profit grows 164% to AU$23.6 million during first half of FY21

• April: Kogan share price plummets following disappointing Q3 earnings report; share price almost halved in 2021

• May: Kogan earnings drop by over 42% as consumer appetite dwindles

• August: Kogan share price falls 16% after an 87% drop in net profit is announced

• September Openpay group signs deal to provide OpyPro to Kogan.com

• December: Kogan shares hit new 52-week lows

Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA)

• March: CBA introduces buy-now-pay-later service to compete with Afterpay

• April: Queensland schools ditch CBA Dollarmites program after review of its usefulness

• July: CBA share price dips following worries of Apple Pay regulation

• August: Share price gains on opening of CBA vaccination centres

• October: Broker tips CBA share price to slide 24% YoY

• November: Share price drops as lower net interest margin revealed for September quarter

Woodside Petroleum (ASX: WPL)

• January: Woodside reports almost 35% drop in Q4 revenue YoY; cites weak oil and gas prices

• February: Woodside posts annual net loss of AU$5.2 billion

• May: Woodside faces AU$77 million hit to withdraw from from undeveloped Canadian LNG project

• June: Woodside’s AU$15 billion gas field plan faces backlash over emission footprint

• August: Rumoured job cuts due to Woodside’s new cost-cutting measures

• October: Woodside announces plan to develop AU$1 billion hydrogen and ammonia plant in Perth

• December: Plans to fight legal action against AU$16.5 billion Scarborough gas project

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