Super Micro Computer has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the artificial-intelligence boom, and the stock ended February as the top performer in the S&P 500.

Shares of the server maker, which counts Nvidia, Intel, and Advanced Micro Devices among its clients, have climbed more than 45% this month, according to Dow Jones Market Data. Super Micro stock rallied earlier in February after the company issued a fiscal second-quarter business update in which its longer-term sales guidance handily topped analysts' forecasts.

But one question remained on whether Super Micro would file its delinquent financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission in time to avoid delisting from the Nasdaq stock exchange. The company was removed from the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite once before, in August 2018, and subsequently listed again in January 2020. In a note to investors at the start of the month, Super Micro tentatively promised it wouldn't make the same mistake this time around.

Hours before the SEC's deadline this past Tuesday, Super Micro submitted its audited 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, as well as two delayed quarterly earnings reports. While it received a temporary boost when it narrowly avoided being delisted, the stock has fallen over the past two days as investors try to discern where the AI trade is headed. Shares were down 3.5% to $41.46 on Friday.

The next-best performer of the month was Intel, which has gained 22%. Intel is another stock that has benefited from the enthusiasm for AI, getting a lift earlier this month after the Trump administration threw its support behind the technology.

The stock has fluctuated following reports that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and Broadcom were weighing acquiring stakes in Intel's business segments, with TSMC potentially snapping up the struggling foundry business and Broadcom setting sights on Intel's products division.

With gains of more than 18% this month, Philip Morris International notched the third-place spot. The tobacco products company provided strong full-year guidance, showing that management remains optimistic despite dwindling demand for cigarettes. The company noted growth in its smoke-free offerings over the quarter, driven by the popularity of Zyn nicotine pouches.

Yum! Brands, with gains of nearly 18%, and Tapestry, with gains of nearly 16%, rounded out the top five best performers this month. Yum! Brands, the owner of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, took off on solid fourth-quarter earnings driven by strength in the Mexican-inspired fast food chain.

Tapestry is the fashion retailer behind brands like Coach and Kate Spade. Shares rose sharply at the start of the month on the back of better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter earnings and a strong fiscal-year outlook.

As for the worst performers this month, West Pharmaceutical Services slumped almost 35% in February. The maker of delivery systems for injectable medicines offered a weak full-year outlook, citing currency headwinds, research and development spending, operating expenses, and the end of a partnership with two large glucose monitoring clients.

The pharma company was closely followed by FMC and Tesla, which have fallen 32% and 27% in the period, respectively. FMC, an agricultural sciences company, plummeted 34% on a disappointing outlook for 2025. Tesla's month was capped off with the news that European sales had fallen 45% in January while the broader EV market grew 37%, possibly due to negative perceptions of CEO Elon Musk, who has become increasingly embedded in the Trump administration.

In fourth and fifth place were Celanese and Skyworks Solutions, which fell nearly 29% and 28% in February, respectively. Celanese, a global chemical company, has struggled with supply-chain disruptions, weak demand, and macro pressures, while Skyworks stock cratered after the company said it expected a drop in sales as competition intensified.