Pennies count in stock picks
Dundee team leads 1st week of Blade’s annual contest
2/12/2013The first week of The Blade’s Annual School Stock Contest already has shown that a few hundred dollars — or even 7 cents — can make a world of difference.
JD2T from Springfield High School in Holland and BGHS2 from Bowling Green High School in Bowling Green are ranked in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The two teams are separated by 7 cents, with JD2T coming in at $41,837.05 and BGHS2 at $41,836.98.
“It’s a very tight competition at this point,” said Ronald Belle, investment advisers executive and senior vice president at Fifth Third Bank, one of the contest sponsors.
The top spot went to Preptar from Dundee High School in Dundee, Mich. The team’s mythical portfolio grew from $40,000 to $42,336 during the first week. One of Preptar’s stocks, Blackberry, rose more than 26 percent during the week, from $13.03 to $16.49 a share, thanks to encouraging news about its new products.
The 12-week stock contest includes 113 teams from schools in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The competition began Feb. 4 and runs through April 26. Teams chose four stocks worth at least $5 a share.
Each team was given a hypothetical $40,000 budget, and the funds were allocated evenly among the four stocks.
The participants have one chance to change their stocks on March 8.
At the end of the 12 weeks, the team with the best-performing portfolio will win $250 for the students and $250 for the school. Second place will receive $250 for the school, and third place gets $100 for the school. The prizes can be cash or gift certificates.
In addition to Fifth Third, the contest is sponsored by The Blade’s Newspaper in Education program, the Taylor Automotive Family, and the University of Toledo, which calculates the results.
Jennifer Hoel, who teaches the four senior members of JD2T in her financial algebra class, said the team vetted its stock picks in the weeks leading up to the competition. JD2T “bought” stock in Netflix Inc., Globus Medical Inc., United Parcel Service Inc., and Columbia Sportswear Co.
That research most likely helped them earn the fourth-place ranking, Ms. Hoel said.
“Hopefully it shows their research paid off,” she said.
BGHS2’s holdings include Microsoft Corp., Basic Energy Services Inc., Apple Inc., and Select Medical Holdings Corp. Ron Nickey, who teaches BGHS2 in his practical money skills class, said he had his students check on the financial health of companies they took an interest in before the contest began.
“The main thing is I asked them to do some research, a couple things in the stock itself like cash flow and Beta. Beta is how it goes up and down according to the Standard & Poor’s index,” he said.
Another of Mr. Nickey’s teams, Gambrel, is in second place. The students on that team are juniors in his economics class, and their portfolio was valued at $42,040.
The team chose Microsoft, Basic Energy Services, Select Medical Holdings, and RDA Microelectronics Inc.
“We’ve had teams in the Top 10 in the past and I think our kids do a good job on doing their research,” Mr. Nickey said.
Contact Kris Turner at: kturner@theblade.com or 419-724-6103.
STANDINGS
Standings after the first week of the 12-week Blade School Stock Contest, with team name, school, and portfolio total. Teams started with a hypothetical $40,000.
1. Preptar, Dundee High, $42,336.40
2. Gambrel, Bowling Green High, $42,040.73
3. CashFlo, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $41,947.75
4. JD2T, Springfield High, Holland, $41,837.05
5. BGHS2, Bowling Green High, $41,836.98
6. Cashbag, Anthony Wayne Jr., Whitehouse, $41,728.25
7. KRABAPS, Rossford Junior High, Rossford, $41,698.58
8. Pirates, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $41,696.46
9. Briar, Briar Middle, Sandusky, $41,588.82
10. Phoenix, Bowling Green Christian Academy, $41,506.48
11. WHOSPM, Springfield High, Holland, $41,477.42
12. Stocker, Park Elementary, Swanton, $41,444.78
13. Moolah, Anthony Wayne Jr., Whitehouse, $41,419.50
14. Hot Fuz, Fostoria Jr/Sr High, Fostoria, $41,410.81
15. 2SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $41,403.38
16. ADMBP1, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $41,352.65
17. LIGERS, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $41,247.34
18. Kwame54, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $41,219.60
19. BrickSq, Bowling Green High, $41,166.33
20. BIZNESS, Anthony Wayne Jr., Whitehouse, $41,064.15
21. Clay_8, Clay High, Oregon, $41,051.19
22. HOBIE, Dundee High, $41,016.51
23. Kajiger, Dundee High, $40,996.43
24. Pancake, Dundee High, $40,917.70
25. Hogwild, Dundee High, $40,896.20
26. Catbobs, Bowling Green High, $40,884.92
27. bops127, Arbor Hills Jr., Sylvania, $40,855.96
28. Umizomi, Fostoria Jr/Sr High, Fostoria, $40,831.96
29. McNugtz, Rossford Junior High, Rossford, $40,777.11
30. KaChing, Oak Harbor Middle, Oak Harbor, $40,770.21
31. SnrGrls, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $40,737.85
32. Golden6, Oak Harbor Middle, Oak Harbor, $40,708.42
33. sailors, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,705.32
34. Redmen, Fostoria Jr/Sr High, Fostoria, $40,662.77
35. lucky21, Arbor Hills Jr., Sylvania, $40,654.01
36. BGHS72, Bowling Green High, $40,618.00
37. CLAYed7, Clay High, Oregon, $40,587.16
38. BLUCHIP, Oak Harbor Middle, $40,581.12
39. LHSTG78, L Hollingworth School for the Talented & Gifted, Toledo, $40,578.67
40. tpteam, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $40,562.51
41. Clayhs2, Clay High, Oregon, $40,544.59
42. AnteUp, Fallen Timbers MS, Whitehouse, $40,523.05
43. Bears, Bowling Green Middle, $40,504.24
44. Legit, St. Pius X, Toledo, $40,502.22
45. Cemerso, Bowling Green High, $40,499.91
46. RMDC, Patrick Henry Middle, Hamler, $40,494.06
47. 5SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $40,492.42
48. FatCash, Dundee High, $40,482.14
49. Nickpet, Bowling Green High, $40,481.61
50. Chicas, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $40,456.46
51. Gulhaye, Bowling Green High, $40,443.51
52. ZACOPS2, Bowling Green Christian Academy, $40,441.54
53. TheWall, Bowling Green Middle, $40,441.36
54. Winners, Bowling Green High, $40,438.32
55. CHSseis, Clay High, Oregon, $40,402.55
56. Blank, Bowling Green High, $40,394.97
57. MDMM, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $40,376.55
58. Bulls, Bowling Green Middle, $40,372.21
59. CashCow, Anthony Wayne Jr., Whitehouse, $40,358.20
60. MoneyMe, Park Elementary, Swanton, $40,349.33
61. 5PSNPOD, Arbor Hills Jr., Sylvania, $40,345.66
62. ChChing, Fallen Timbers MS, Whitehouse, $40,309.03
63. ONIFC, Dundee High, $40,307.81
64. Bankbr2, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $40,285.87
65. 4SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $40,280.04
66. Clay.99, Clay High, Oregon, $40,252.82
67. Kakier, Bowling Green High, $40,248.09
68. BGHS1, Bowling Green High, $40,213.23
69. SABIBAS, Rossford Junior High, Rossford, $40,205.90
70. Copeski, Bowling Green High, $40,200.13
71. Maybee, Dundee High, $40,189.50
72. GABAJ, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $40,183.61
73. 1SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $40,131.87
74. Quibble, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $40,110.55
75. Sclywag, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,066.11
76. G Unit, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $40,064.71
77. LHSTG6, L Hollingworth School for the Talented & Gifted, Toledo, $40,062.55
78. Zizzles, Bowling Green High, $40,060.28
79. Team123, Dundee High, $40,057.57
80. sfsCash, St. Francis de Sales, Toledo, $40,052.14
81. ATMS, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $40,043.51
82. squirls, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $40,036.47
83. TEAMSHS, Springfield High, Holland, $40,031.33
84. Gulible, Dundee High, $39,990.43
85. calairs, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $39,976.10
86. CRZB, Dundee High, $39,952.01
87. THEHELP, Springfield High, Holland, $39,939.48
88. Heat, Fostoria Jr/Sr High, Fostoria, $39,939.17
89. Pokadot, St. Pius X, Toledo, $39,917.02
90. Tacvuli, Rossford Junior High, Rossford, $39,916.81
91. butterz, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $39,895.33
92. gecko, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $39,874.86
93. 3SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $39,835.26
94. Lottery, Fallen Timbers MS, Whitehouse, $39,824.60
95. 5jmlllz, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $39,801.87
96. CBDCKK, Dundee High, $39,801.78
97. HASBULL, Pike Delta York Middle, Delta, $39,801.31
98. crusher, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $39,757.57
99. Clay1, Clay High, Oregon, $39,752.93
100. NoSwag, Rossford Junior High, Rossford, $39,737.99
101. jmorgan, Bowling Green Middle, $39,737.61
102. Potter, Dundee High, $39,735.17
103. tmJACOB, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $39,731.21
104. morgan, Bowling Green Middle, $39,730.16
105. unicorn, Bowling Green High, $39,705.59
106. jleader, Bowling Green High, $39,649.83
107. NARNIA9, Springfield High, Holland, $39,507.03
108. Kaleb, Bowling Green High, $39,460.20
109. Fishmth, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $39,429.36
110. CashMe6, Oak Harbor, Oak Harbor, $39,352.45
111. MX3, Park Elementary Swanton, Swanton, $39,333.99
112. tropics, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $39,303.66
113. Fisher, Bowling Green High, $39,141.97
114. Pro LSP, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $38,498.24
115. BIGboat, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $37,424.97