Most U.S. financial indexes started 2018 on a positive note, led by the SNL U.S. Financial Technology Index and the SNL U.S. Bank and Thrift Index, which gained 7.7% and 6.4% in January, compared to the S&P 500's 5.9% rise. Meanwhile, the SNL U.S. Securities & Investments Index and the SNL U.S. Insurance Index trailed the broader market with returns of 5.1% and 5.0%.
The SNL U.S. Specialty Lender Index eked out a 0.6% return for the month. Only the SNL U.S. Investment Company Index lost ground during the month, sinking 4.2%.

Performant Financial Corp., a financial technology company specializing in payment recovery, led major exchange-traded U.S. financial institutions in January, posting a 54.5% return for the month. Performant's stock skyrocketed after it announced a new debt collection contract with the U.S. Department of Education on Jan. 12.
Specialty lender World Acceptance Corp. posted the second-highest return of the month at 46.2%. The company's shares surged 20.1% on Jan. 26 after it reported a 26.8% increase in quarterly net income year over year, not including the effects of a write-down on deferred tax assets caused by corporate tax reform.
Square Inc., a financial technology payments company, had the third-highest return last month at 35.3%.

Siebert Financial Corp., a broker/dealer and December's largest gainer, saw its stock lose 32.1% in January, the largest drop among the financial stocks analyzed. Meanwhile, GAIN Capital Holdings Inc. and specialty lender On Deck Capital Inc. posted the second- and third-largest losses of the month at 27% and 21.6%, respectively.

Click here to view a template on historical total returns. Click here to view a template that provides pricing trends and profitability ratios for financial institutions. |

