10 Valley-Area Stocks Among Top Performers

Ten of the 75 California stocks that posted the biggest percentage gains last year--including top-ranked American Cytogenetics--were shares of companies based in the San Fernando Valley area, according to a report in the March issue of California Business magazine.

The stock of American Cytogenetics, a North Hollywood-based company that operates medical test laboratories, was up 725% in 1985. It rose to $4.125 a share at year-end from 50 cents at the close of 1984. The advance easily outpaced that of California’s second-biggest gainer, San Francisco-based Aca Joe, with shares that rose 605.6% to finish the year at $7.50.

American Ecology, an Agoura Hills-based waste disposal firm, was the second-biggest gainer among companies in the Valley area and the sixth-biggest in the state. Its stock was up 289% to $27.25.

Other Leaders

Other leading stocks from the Valley area, listed by statewide ranking, were:

10th, Fairmont Financial, a Burbank-based insurance company, with stock up 220% to $20.

16th, Verit Industries of Sun Valley, a maker of stereo speakers, up 200% to $8.25.

21st, Amgen, a Newbury Park biotechnology firm, up 170% to $13.50.

27th, United Education & Software, an Encino-based firm that operates career schools and sells computer equipment and software, up 153% to $4.

39th, Valley Federal Savings & Loan of Van Nuys, up 130% to $20.125

59th, Perceptronics, a Woodland Hills company that makes training equipment and performs research in artificial intelligence, up 99% to $9.625.

66th, Compact Video, a Burbank video services company, up 97% to $7.125.

75th, Walt Disney, the giant Burbank-based film and amusement park company, up 88.5% to $112.875.