The month of November brought record highs to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, along with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which marched above 30,000 for the first time ever. Election outcomes and positive COVID-19 vaccine news from three manufacturers helped push the markets along, but spurts of volatility remain as COVID-19 numbers continue to increase across the U.S. 

All 18 of the Iowa-based companies on the Business Record’s Iowa Index posted stock price gains for the month of November. Ten of those companies saw double-digit percentage gains. 

Meredith Corp. had the largest gain of the month with a 85.00% increase. Lee Enterprises Inc. had the second-biggest gain with a 35.90% increase. Workiva Inc. was third with a 35.58% increase. Renewable Energy Group Inc. has the largest year-to-date increase with 118.45%.

The Iowa Index, an unweighted average price of 18 Iowa-based public companies, increased 13.26% in November — compared with an 11.80% increase in the Nasdaq stock index and an 11.84% increase in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 

The Iowa-based companies that make up the Iowa Index are in bold in this list of companies with sizable operations in the state.

See the full Iowa Index