Bank of America isn't doing so hot in the eyes of the public and investors alike. BofA finished last among the big four banks in customer satisfaction in 2011, according to a report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, trailing Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and J.P. Morgan Chase. Its stock has taken serious body blows all year, hitting a two-year low in November.
BofA faced a public relations debacle at the end of September over a proposed $5-a-month customer service charge for debit card use; it withdrew the plan in early November. CEO Brian Moynihan also announced in September a streamlining company overhaul known as "Project New BAC." Under the first phase, the company will cut 30,000 jobs and reduce annual expenses by either $5 billion or 18% by 2014.
Barclays Capital warned investors in May not to expect net asset growth for Bank of America over the next five years. But a number of analysts believe the stock is a value play as it's marched so far down this year. Economic stabilization in the U.S. or Europe could restore investor confidence, sending shares back up. The hard part is guessing when they'll hit bottom.
It's been a hot and cold year for the stock market, but these Fortune 500 companies managed to float to the top with impressive gains. From Ross Stores to MasterCard, here are the biggest winners.
