The ASX's winners and losers for 2013 Slater & Gordon topped the year's ASX gainers with a shareprice increase of 128 per cent. In a year when big department store chiefs, including Myer's Bernie Brookes and Gerry Harvey of Harvey Norman, bemoaned the onslaught of competition from offshore online retailers, a cluster of smaller, nimbler, retailers outperformed. Consumer discretionary stocks were the best-performing sector in 2013, up 36.3 per cent, while the sub-sector of specialty retail soared. The top 10 list of the best S&P/ASX 200 stocks in 2013 was dominated by consumer goods and services companies such as Slater and Gordon, REA Group, Kathmandu Holdings, JB Hi-Fi, and Village Roadshow. Most of the pain, meanwhile came in the resources and mining services sector The best Slater and Gordon was the best-performing stock in the benchmark index in 2013, climbing 128.3 per cent to $4.84. The "no win no fee" litigator gained steadily over the year, but got an extra boost in December after winning an $89 million class action for plaintiffs with birth defects that came about as a result of their mothers taking Thalidomide during pregnancy in the 1950s and 1960s. According to Bloomberg, the consensus analyst 12 month price target for Slater and Gordon is $4.71. REA Group rose 109.8 per cent to $$37.76. The online property advertiser, which is more than 60 per cent owned by News Corp, has impressed with its continued success in growing market share through premium products and offshore expansion. Some investors expressed concerned about a lack of succession planning after chief executive Greg Ellis resigned in December, just three weeks after chief financial officer Jenny Macdonald exited. According to Bloomberg, the consensus analyst 12 month price target is $40.62. JB Hi-Fi gained 107.7 per cent to $21.50. The discount electronics retailer has managed to thrive and open new stores despite increased online competition. Analysts have been impressed by improved cost and inventory controls. On October 31 chief exec­utive Terry Smart said he expects total sales to climb by 6 per cent to 8 per cent in fiscal 2014. According to Bloomberg, the consensus analyst 12 month price target is $19.89. Magellan Financial Group is up per cent 105.5 per cent over 2013 to $10.77. The boutique asset manager benefited in a year when retail investors rotated capital from bank deposits and bonds into stocks. Funds under management swelled to $17.1 billion as at September 30, compared to $4 billion at June 30, 2012. According to Bloomberg, the consensus analyst 12 month price target is $12.81. TPG Telecom rose 105.4 per cent at $5.32. The junior telco acquired rival AAPT for $450 million in what it hopes will prove a vital stepping stone in an ambitious plan to become a major force in the sector through the rollout of fibre to the basement of apartment buildings in major cities. According to Bloomberg, the consensus analyst 12 month price target is $4.68. Kathmandu Holdings added 104.4 per cent to $3.23. The outdoor apparel and adventure gear retailer grew net profit by more than 25 per cent in 2013 through a combination of a 55 per cent rise in online sales and the addition of 16 new stores, bringing the chain to 136 outlets. A positive ­trading update on November 20 showed sales on track to meet management targets for financial year 2013-2014. According to Bloomberg, the consensus analyst 12 month price target is $3.39. Rounding out the top 10 performing stocks in the benchmark index in 2013 was asset manager Henderson Group up 104.4 per cent to $4.19, cinema operator Village Roadshow up 94.7 per cent to $7.56, childcare network G8 Education up 93.87 per cent to $3.16, and miner and steel producer Arrium up 92.3 per cent to $1.75. Arrium's rise was particularly noteworthy given that metals and mining was the worst-performing sector in 2013, down 3.7 per cent, while the sub-sector of gold miners crashed as the precious metal's spot price suffered its biggest loss since 1981. The worst The worst S&P/ASX 200 stocks in 2013 were dominated by junior miners and the companies that rely on contracts from them following a number of dramatic downgrades in the mining services sector from stocks such as Forge Group, Ausdrill and Transfield Services. The worst-performing stock in 2013 was junior goldminer Silver Lake Resources, which finished the year down 83.9 per cent to 53.5¢. It was followed by goldminer Resolute Mining (down 66.2 per cent to 55.5¢), the country's biggest goldminer Newcrest Mining (down 64.8 per cent to $7.80), mining services contractor Forge Group (down 64.7 per cent to $1.74), and gold and silver miner Evolution Mining, which ended 2013 down 64 per cent to 61.5¢. Among the other 10 worst-performing stocks were mining services company Ausdrill (down 63.6 per cent to $1.03), goldminer Medusa Mining (down 62.4 per cent to $2.04), uranium miner Paladin Energy (down 54.9 per cent to 46.5¢), mining services company Transfield Services (down 54.1 per cent to 89.5¢), and gold and copper miner Oz Minerals, which ended the year down 53 per cent at $3.15.