Ten best-performing stocks of S&P 500 for 2010

Here are the ten best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 Index for 2010*:

Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX), which officially joined the S&P 500 index just a few weeks ago, was far and away the highest performing stock in the index for the year. The online entertainment services company was no one-year fluke either -- since the market lows of early March 2009, shares of Netflix have skyrocketed more than 360 percent.

Moreover, an analyst at Gleacher & Co., Brian Marshall, wrote that he believes Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) should acquire Netflix.

Interestingly, the top ten includes a number of financials, headed by AIG. This sector has otherwise lagged the broader market in 2011. However, since the bear market lows of March 2009, AIG shares have mushroomed a surreal 722 percent.

1. NetFlix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) 226.38%
2. F5 Networks (Nasdaq: FFIV) 149.97%
3. Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) 140.21%
4. American Intl Group Inc. (NYSE: AIG) 91.89%
5. Zions Bancorp (Nasdaq: ZION) 89.17%
6. Huntington Bancshares (Nasdaq: HBAN) 88.77%
7. Akamai Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: AKAM) 88.16%
8. Priceline.com Inc. (Nasdaq: PCLN) 85.10%
9. Whole Foods Market Inc. (Nasdaq: WFMI) 84.30%

10. Qwest Communications Intl Inc (NYSE: Q) 81.47%

*Data from S&P (through yesterday's close).