This column is still on the lookout for firms whose financial performance and share price have suffered at the hands of the pandemic but whose business model remains sound: they may have the potential to deliver some positive surprises as the vaccination programme continues, the virus is (hopefully) beaten off and lockdowns ease.
One possible candidate in this respect is medical equipment specialist Smith & Nephew, perhaps best known for its replacement hips and knees.
Last month’s full-year results bore the scars of the pandemic. Sales fell by 11pc year on year in 2020, while operating margins and earnings per share both fell by around a third on an underlying basis.