The Financial Post reports in its Saturday edition that most investors have owned a stock that has gone from pennies, and then seen it soar, only to continue holding it when it comes crashing down again. Post columnist Peter Hodson writes that the stock market produces many of these rags-to-riches-to-rags stories. Many investors who see a stock double, triple and more are too busy counting their winnings to pay much attention to risks at a company. Thompson Creek Metals (38 cents) was called Blue Pearl in 2005, and its stock was in the 60-cent range. Then, in October, 2006, it acquired the Thompson Creek mine for $757-million right at the edge of a giant commodity boom. In October, 2007, less than 13 months after its acquisition, Thompson Creek shares hit $25.58. Today, the shares are worth even less than they were before the big acquisition. Along the way, Thompson sold stock at $21.50. It raised hundreds of millions of dollars, yet the total market cap today is $88-million and it has hired advisers to look at strategic alternatives. TCM increased its debt from $12-million in 2009 to nearly $900-million now. When the commodity market rolled over, shareholders saw the debt as a huge burden.