Wall Street's 2009 miracle cure had a biblical theme for stocks of Western Pennsylvania companies, as many of those who were first in 2008 were among the last in 2009, and last year's leaders were among the laggards of 2008.

The 2009 list of the region's Top 50 performing stocks is topped by Horsehead Holdings. Shares of the Monaca zinc producer jumped 171 percent last year after finishing 47th the prior year.

The theme holds true for No. 2 HFF, which climbed 155 percent last year. The Downtown real estate services firm placed 44th on the 2008 roster and last in 2007.

---

PDF

---

Top Stock Price

---

Wheeling, W.Va., banker WesBanco, which topped the 2008 list with a 32 percent advance, tumbled to 48th place last year as its stock price declined nearly 55 percent. S&T Financial and First Commonwealth Financial, the Indiana, Pa., banks that placed second and third in 2008, ended up in the 47th and 50th spots respectively on the 2009 list.

Rounding out the top five last year were Atlas Energy, Mylan and American Eagle Outfitters.

Bank stocks, which benefitted in 2008 from the government's "too big to fail" reassurances, took it on the chin last year: Eight of the 10 worst performing stocks were financial institutions. The only exceptions: Greensburg power generator Allegheny Energy, which could be making its final Top 50 appearance if its merger with First Energy goes through, and Wizzard Software, the Pittsburgh company which has about 160 apps for the iPhone but is still searching for one that can energize its shares. Allegheny Energy finished 44th while nearly everybody beat the Wizzard, which placed 49th.

Federated Investors turned in the best performance among the region's financial stocks, rising from 38th place in 2008 to 11th last year, when its shares rose 62 percent.

The market recovery that began in March rewarded shareholders of 34 companies in the Top 50. Shareholders of 15 other companies saw the value of their investments retreat last year while shares of Education Management tread water after the Downtown educator became a public company again in October.

Shares of another company that made its debut late in the year, teen apparel retailer Rue21, finished 15th, rising nearly 48 percent from their Nov. 13 offering price of $19 per share.

None of 2008's top 10 stocks turned in a repeat performance last year, including Calgon Carbon, the only regional stock to place in the top 10 the prior two years. Shares of the Robinson environmental services firm slid more than 9 percent last year, putting the company in 39th place vs. 7th in last year's rankings.

Wabtec, the only regional nonbank to advance during the market slide in 2008, finished 34th last year, rising nearly 3 percent.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.