The stock prices of publicly traded Iowa companies were mostly higher in February after a general downtown the month before.

Of the 35 public companies tracked by the Business Record that are based in Iowa or have operations in the state, all but seven posted gains over January.

Overall, our Iowa Index – an unweighted average price of all 21 Iowa-based public companies – was up $1.45, or 4.2 percent, in February. By comparison, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 967.75, or 5.6 percent, to 17,164.95. NASDAQ was up 328.29, or 7 percent, to 4,635.24.

Eight of the companies based in Iowa or operating here posted double-digit increases, led by NewLink Genetics Corp., which gained 17.7 percent to finish at $43.08, and Winnebago Industries Inc., which rose to $23.21, up 16.7 percent. 

The others were Gannett Co. Inc., up 14.2 percent at $35.40; Great Western Bancorp Inc., up 13.9 percent to $23; Voya Financial Inc., which gained 13.3 percent, finishing at $44.19;  American Equity Investment Life Holding Co., up 11.7 percent to $28.49; Heartland Financial USA Inc., up 11.2 percent to finish at $30.71 and FBL Financial Group Inc., up 10.8 percent to $57.84.

All but one of the eight had lost ground in January, some in double digits. Heartland Financial, which posted a 1.2 percent gain in January, was the only one of those eight that has posted consecutive monthly gains.

The companies with the greatest percentage declines were Art’s Way Manufacturing Co., down 5.2 percent; Fidelity & Guaranty Life, down 4.3 percent; and Casey’s General Stores Inc., down 3.9 percent. Casey’s led all companies in January with a 1.4 percent increase.