Similarly, for the past quarter to June, 17 of the companies recorded gains on their market capitalisation, the total value of all ordinary shares on issue.
Scott McClay, a corporate finance partner at Deloitte's Christchurch office said: "The three largest companies in the Deloitte South Island Index, being Ryman Healthcare, Meridian Energy and Ebos Group, provide the index with significant weight.''
The number of companies tracked fell from 31 to 29, following the NZX delisting of would-be West Coast export coal miner Bathurst Resources and NZ Windfarms relocating its head office from Canterbury to the North Island.
While not all of the companies are headquartered in the South Island, all have substantial revenue generated from the South.
Six of the seven sectors tracked by Deloitte achieved market capitalisation growth, for the year to June.
The manufacturing and distribution sector led the way, up 54%, and the energy and mining sector topped the table in dollar value, up $1.21billion, he said.
"Several companies had an outstanding 12 months, with significant activities resulting in large gains in one or two of the quarters,'' Mr McClay said.
The considerable difference in the performance of the largest companies on the index compared with the smaller companies was understandable, he said.
Investors tended to flock to substantial companies in times of uncertainty, as now, when markets faced ongoing volatility, Deloitte said.
"It could also be speculated there's a lack of information and analysis of smaller listed companies, leading to investors not wanting to take unknown risks on those stocks,'' Mr McClay said.
In percentage terms, health care and animal care group Ebos Group grew the most, up 60% or by $931million to $2.47billion, while for the year to June 2015 Ebos reported revenue above $6billion.
Queenstown-based Skyline Enterprises was the fifth-largest company on the Deloitte South Island index as at June 30, 2015, at $766million, and surpassed Heartland Bank in the March 2016 quarter to take fourth place in the Index.
"If the company achieves similar growth over the next 12 months it will have a market capitalisation greater than $1billion,'' Mr McClay said.
Dunedin-based Scott Technology achieved positive results in the quarter to June, growing its capitalisation by $65million, or 84.5%, and its share price gaining 21c to $1.90 per share.
Its half-year to February included a full six months result from acquisitions Machinery Automation and Robotics Pty Ltd, which was brought into the group in January 2015.
The manufacturing and distribution sector was the best performer for the year to June 2016, growing an "excellent'' 54.2%, led by Scott Technology, which was up 141.4% and Ebos Group, up 60.3%.
Mr McClay said a significant part of Scott's growth came from the issuance of new shares to new 51% shareholder, JBS Australia.
Dunedin cancer diagnostic company Pacific Edge saw its market capitalisation drop $45.2million, or 17.9%, to $207.1million.
For its year ended March 31 2016, Pacific Edge reported a larger total comprehensive loss for the year of $15.45million.
The report said a "key movement'' in the quarter to June was the drop in the biotechnology of 12.6%.
Pacific Edge was down 17.9%, but that was "slightly offset'' by Dunedin-based Blis Technologies' gain of $7.9million, or 27.5%.
Blis' results for the year to March noted that there had been significant costs incurred to ensure it met growth targets, and it had predicted a maiden profit, for its year to March 2017, Mr McClay said.
Given the market's focus on decreasing international milk prices, Mr McClay said it was "surprising'' Dunsandel-based Synlait Milk had a solid 12 months, growing $127.3million, or 36.1% and its share price increasing by 87c to $3.28 per share, as at June 30.
Primary sector participant PGG Wrightson had a "topsy-turvy'' 12 months, he said, as its share price fluctuated from quarter to quarter.
It ended the year to June 30 down $34million, or 9.8%.
Top five companies
(Growth in dollar terms)
Meridian Energy: up $1.21billion to $6.75billion.
EBOS Group: up $931million to $2.77billion.
Ryman Healthcare: up $705million to $4.66billion.
Skyline Enterprises: up $323.5million, to $766million.
Scales Corporation: up $174.7million to $415million.
Source: Deloitte
