The worst performing stock in the ASX 200

If you had to guess, what would you say was the worst performing company — in terms of share price …

Catherine Baab-Muguira

Catherine Baab-Muguira is a Fool.com.au analyst/writer. A Fool since 2010, she comes at investing by way of being a compulsive reader and has a keen eye for detail from years of working as a freelance journalist. In 2012, she joined the Motley Fool's Analyst Development Program to pursue her love of investing full time, and worked as an analyst on one of The Motley Fool’s US services before heading down to Australia. A graduate of the University of South Carolina and the University of Auckland, she has lived and worked all over the world, including year-long stints in Singapore and New Zealand. Hence her great love for nyonya laksa and the All Blacks. We’ll forgive her that last one!

Published May 1, 2013 12:25 pm AEST

If you had to guess, what would you say was the worst performing company — in terms of share price — in the S&P/ASX 200 index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) in the last 12 months?

Among my colleagues, guesses included Maverick Drilling & Exploration (ASX: MAD), the Texas-based oil exploration and production company, and Silver Lake Resources (ASX: SLR), the gold miner.

Both were good guesses. Maverick, a promising high flier hitting share-market turbulence, and Silver Lake, affected by concerns around the falling price of gold, are some of the last 12 month's worst performers, as shown in the chart below.

But the worst performer of all has been Billabong (ASX: BBG). The tumult in the takeover bidding process for this surfwear company have seen the share price dive over 80%, as several would-be bidders have withdrawn after reviewing the company's accounts.

Billabong is currently in a 10-day review period with U.S. private equity firm Sycamore Partners. Yet, as The Australian Financial Review has reported, "The surfwear and board sports company, which owns brands such as RVCA, Nixon and DaKine, warned there is no guarantee that the transaction will proceed. It added that both parties had been working 'constructively and with the utmost cooperation' to progress the quality of earnings report and the potential transaction."

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Motley Fool contributor Catherine Baab-Muguira has no financial interest in any of the companies mentioned in this article.The Motley Fool's purpose is to help the world invest, better. Take Stock is The Motley Fool's free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Click here now to request your free subscription. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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