It certainly has been a year for stock picking rather than index investing.
Although the ASX 200 index is on course to record a 3% decline in 2022, some ASX shares have absolutely smashed the market with supercharged returns.
This means that if you had one or more of these ASX index beaters in your portfolio, there's a good chance that you'll have outperformed the benchmark this year.
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What are the ASX index beaters of 2022?
Five standout ASX index beaters are listed below. Here's how they have performed in 2022:
Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN)
The Mineral Resources share price is up 56% in 2022. This has been driven largely by the the company's exposure to lithium and the sky high prices the battery making ingredient is commanding right now.
Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR)
The Myer share price has been an ASX index beater this year with its gain of 61%. Investors have been buying the department store operator's shares following the release of an impressive full year result in September. Thanks to its successful focus on profitable sales, Myer reported a 103.8% increase in net profit to $60.2 million during FY 2022.
Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)
The Origin share price has been a strong performer in 2022 and is up 47%. The catalyst for this was the receipt of a takeover approach in November. The energy company received an indicative, conditional, and non-binding proposal from Brookfield Asset Management and MidOcean Energy to acquire it for $9.00 cash per share. This represents a premium of almost 55% to its share price at the time.
Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)
The Pilbara Minerals share price is another ASX index beater in 2022 with a gain of almost 34%. This has been driven by the lithium miner's strong performance and positive outlook. In fact, the company's outlook is so positive thanks to production growth plans and high prices, that management expects to be able to pay its maiden dividend this financial year.
Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)
The Sayona Mining share price is the best performer in the group. In 2022, this lithium developer's shares are up 66%. Sayona Mining, the third ASX lithium share in the list, is an index beater thanks to excitement around its North American Lithium (NAL) project. Management expects NAL to be producing lithium in the first quarter of 2023.
Time will tell if 2023 is just as successful for these shares.
