The overall growth in video game interest amid the pandemic has added momentum to snowballing excitement among investors.
While logic suggests apprehension around companies with a cult following, two of the year's most popular meme stocks have seen growth that is truly staggering.
A breakdown by Barron's found that video game company GameStop (GME) has seen its shares rise by 831% in the last year. It has raised equity twice, once in April and once in June, in what totals 8.5 million new shares or $1.6 billion.
The company now has over $1.7 billion in cash, nearly double what it had last year, according to a video breakdownby Barron's reporter Carleton English.
The Grapevine, Texas-based company's success can be attributed both to the overall growth in video game interest amid the pandemic and snowballing excitement among investors.
Overall success notwithstanding, GameStop shares were down 0.9% at $216,46 on Thursday afternoon.
AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC), Leawood, Kansas, is another company that has been seeing skyrocketing growth. According to Barron's calculations, AMC shares grew by more than 1,500% as it raised over $1.2 billion since investors dubbed it a meme in mid-2020.
With theaters opening, AMC's monumental growth has a lot to do with its popularity among large players like Wells Fargo, Fidelity and BlackRock — all in all, it's growth is staggering even if, at least check, shares were down 2.82% at $39.68.
"All told, Meme Mania has allowed these companies to raise more than a combined $3 billion, not to mention the growth in their stock prices," English says in the video. "Some may scoff at meme trading, but there's real money at play."