Yorkshire chemicals firm is one of the stars of the FTSE 100 in 2021

The Snaith-based firm has seen its shares shoot up 48 per cent this year, boosted by the need for vaccinations and boosters. Croda supplies lipids for Pfizer’s Covid-19 jabs.

Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said that Croda has also been helped by an increase in demand for chemicals following the end of lockdown.

At the other end of the scale, Leeds-based Sky Bet owner, Flutter Entertainment, was the worst FTSE 100 performer with its shares falling 27 per cent due to unfavourable sports results and concerns about tougher gambling rules.

Ms Streeter said: “2021 has seen a surge of success for global speciality chemicals company Croda.

“It reported some cracking record results for the first half in the summer and said annual profit would be well ahead of expectations.

“Broker upgrades on the stock also sent the share price soaring. The extent to which Croda is benefiting from the ongoing vaccine boom has become clear over recent months and it’s down to its investment in new innovative technologies.

“It supplies lipid nanoparticles for Pfizer’s mRNA technology and given the demand for booster jabs, that area of life sciences is bounding ahead.”

She said that although revenues from Pfizer may wane, it’s likely there will be growing customer demand for broader use of its products in medical treatments like oncology.

“Recovery in consumer markets has also helped Croda’s personal care sector which focuses on ingredients for skin, hair, and cosmetic products,” she added.

The news came as Croda announced an agreement to sell most of its bio-based industrial business to an American firm for over $1bn (£778m).

Croda, which is selling the business to Cargill Inc, launched a strategic review of the division earlier this year.

Croda’s shares dipped on the news, but Ms Streeter said this may be due to the price tag.

She said: “Croda’s share price has dipped on the news that it’s selling its bio-based industrial business.

“Given the review of this part of the business, a sale had been on the cards, so rather than the strategic direction of the Yorkshire based company, it may have been the price tag which disappointed some investors, with expectations that it could have clinched an even higher price tag.

“The 1.2 per cent fall in early trading is a minor dent in a spectacular performance for Croda over 2021. It’s one of the FTSE 100 biggest risers.”

In contrast, Sky Bet owner, Flutter Entertainment, was the worst FTSE 100 performer.

Ms Streeter said: “Flutter Entertainment, one of the big winners of 2020, as lockdown boredom boosted betting, has descended in a flurry of disappointment.

“Concerns about tougher rules around gambling in the UK appear to have weighed on the stock, alongside some disappointing guidance for the third quarter down to some unfavourable sports results in October.

“But the company is still expanding, posting revenue growth of 12 per cent for the third quarter and its performance in the US is particularly strong. That bodes well for a recovery in 2022 in the share price. However, if strict affordability checks to protect problem gamblers are brought in across the board, they could considerably disrupt earnings given that the UK market represents a sizeable chunk of income.”

Hargreaves Lansdown has identified the best and worst performers in the FTSE 100 in 2021:

Christmas Crackers

Ashtead up 72%

Meggitt up 57%

Glencore up 56%

Royal Mail up 55%

Croda International up 48%

Christmas Turkeys

Flutter Entertainment down 27%

Ocado down 26%

London Stock Exchange Group down 25%

PolyMetal International down 24%

Fresnillo down 22%

Ms Streeter said: “There has been a cracker of a performance this year from companies which have shared on the spoils of reopening after the pandemic.

"As demand bounced back for commodities and industrial components, chemicals and services, companies like Ashtead, Glencore and Meggitt and Croda International have been pushed to the top of the FTSE 100 leader board this year.

"Royal Mail has delivered a box of delights in 2021 as it capitalised on the shift to e-commerce by ramping up parcels deliveries and modernising its infrastructure.

"But investors would have found the performance of some of the pandemic winners hard to swallow this year as some have turned into turkeys in 2021.

"E-grocer Ocado has delivered a disappointing performance, following a string of setbacks. Bets made on Flutter Entertainment would also have disappointed given its share slide and high hopes of a great travel rebound also evaporated, which has led to British Airways owner, IAG putting in a dismal showing in the share rankings for 2021.