Teams weigh trading stock during Blade school contest
3/5/2013Members of teams participating in The Blade School Stock Contest have an important question to ask themselves this week: Do they switch their holdings or keep what they’ve got?
Teams near the top of the standings know that switching could mean they climb higher or bottom out. It’s one part strategy and another part risk as they decide if they want to participate in a one-time switch Friday.
Teams are allowed to trade in any or all of their four stocks and add new ones. Or they can stick with what they have.
Springfield High School’s JD2T has maintained its first-place rank for two weeks and is grappling with whether it should change its stocks, said Jennifer Hoel, who teaches the four senior members in her financial algebra class. The team’s portfolio has increased 9.89 percent since the contest began and is valued at $43,955.
JD2T has stock in Netflix Inc., Globus Medical Inc., United Parcel Service Inc., and Columbia Sportswear Co.
“They were afraid if they make any changes they will lose their momentum,” Ms. Hoel said. “They were going to let me know [today] after I update them if they were going to go through with any of those trades.”
Ronald Belle, investment advisers executive and senior vice president at Fifth Third Bank, a contest sponsor, said consumer spending has been on an upswing and consumer confidence is somewhat strong. Momentum, however, could stall if that confidence is shaken.
“On Wall Street last week, strong economic data seem to overshadow concerns that saw a decline early in the week,” Mr. Belle wrote in a statement to The Blade. “The data also allowed the market to assess the potential impact of sequestration. During the month of February, manufacturing grew, the housing market strengthened, and consumer spending was up.”
The 113 teams from northwest Ohio and southern Michigan were given a hypothetical $40,000 budget, and the funds were allocated evenly among four stocks. The stocks initially were worth at least $5 a share.
The 12-week contest runs through April 26.
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 contest is sponsored by The Blade’s Newspaper in Education program, the Taylor Automotive Family, Fifth Third, and the University of Toledo, which calculates the results.
Amy Warnimont teaches second-place team CashFlo in her eighth-grade advanced math class at All Saints Catholic School in Rossford. Ms. Warnimont said she’s confident her students can maintain their upward climb.
CashFlo has $43,153 in its portfolio, an increase of 7.88 percent since the contest began, with stock in Netflix, Time Warner Inc., Marathon Petroleum Corp., and Visa Inc.
The students have been tracking their stocks and are weighing whether they’ll make any changes to their portfolio, Ms. Warnimont said.
“They are watching some of the other stocks that are in the lead to see if they need to make any other changes this week,” she said.
Contact Kris Turner at: kturner@theblade.com or 419-724-6103.
Springfield team leads standings after 4 weeks
Standings after Week 4 of The Blade School Stock Contest, with team name, school, and portfolio amount. Each team started with a mythical $40,000.
1. JD2T, Springfield High, Holland, $43,955.39
2. CashFlo, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $43,153.86
3. Gulhaye, Bowling Green High, $42,914.01
4. Umizomi, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $42,764.62
5. Fishmth, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $42,623.64
6. 1SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $42,326.71
7. 4SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $42,213.66
8. ATMS, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $42,052.63
9. Pirates, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $41,975.47
10. 2SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $41,929.87
11. McNugtz, Rossford Junior High, $41,927.06
12. bops127, Arbor Hills Jr. High, Sylvania, $41,920.34
13. LIGERS, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $41,750.49
14. KRABAPS, Rossford Junior High, $41,695.77
15. CLAYed7, Clay High, Oregon, $41,692.89
16. Phoenix, Bowling Green Christian Academy, $41,558.21
17. Kwame54, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $41,537.22
18. Tacvuli, Rossford Junior High, $41,514.85
19. Chicas, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $41,461.93
20. AnteUp, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $41,398.60
21. Kajiger, Dundee High, $41,390.15
22. Hot Fuz, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $41,381.87
23. Bears, Bowling Green Middle, $41,380.24
24. GABAJ, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $41,237.86
25. WHOSPM, Springfield High, Holland, $41,185.81
26. G Unit, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $41,055.89
27. calairs, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $41,035.33
28. Stocker, Park Elementary, Swanton, $40,944.53
29. ONIFC, Dundee High, $40,903.92
30. Clay_8, Clay High, Oregon, $40,863.12
31. 5SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $40,836.17
32. HOBIE, Dundee High, $40,715.25
33. Clay.99, Clay High, Oregon, $40,699.37
34. MDMM, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $40,690.29
35. lucky21, Arbor Hills Jr. High, Sylvania, $40,681.62
36. tmJACOB, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,680.63
37. FatCash, Dundee High, $40,674.30
38. LHSTG78, L Hollingworth School for the Talented & Gifted, Toledo, $40,662.58
39. ChChing, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $40,652.67
40. THEHELP, Springfield High, Holland, $40,588.78
41. SABIBAS, Rossford Junior High, $40,554.44
42. Quibble, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $40,546.87
43. Clayhs2, Clay High, Oregon, $40,523.27
44. jleader, Bowling Green High, $40,520.44
45. Nickpet, Bowling Green High, $40,512.83
46. Pokadot, St. Pius X, Toledo, $40,505.64
47. tpteam, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $40,504.33
48. crusher, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $40,482.94
49. Zizzles, Bowling Green High, $40,476.53
50. Team123, Dundee High, $40,364.91
51. Golden6, Oak Harbor Middle, $40,354.39
52. Bankbr2, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $40,330.52
53. Blank, Bowling Green High, $40,325.21
54. Sclywag, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,308.18
55. Cemerso, Bowling Green High, $40,280.40
56. gecko, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $40,215.52
57. BGHS72, Bowling Green High, $40,209.87
58. butterz, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,180.95
59. NoSwag, Rossford Junior High, $40,157.56
60. SnrGrls, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $40,136.76
61. Preptar, Dundee High, $40,133.70
62. Heat, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $40,126.72
63. Lottery, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $40,073.02
64. BrickSq, Bowling Green High, $40,031.66
65. TheWall, Bowling Green Middle, $39,920.56
66. 5PSNPOD, Arbor Hills Jr. High, Sylvania, $39,919.11
67. Redmen, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $39,918.36
68. KaChing, Oak Harbor Middle, $39,908.84
69. HASBULL, Pike Delta York Middle, Delta, $39,908.15
70. MoneyMe, Park Elementary, Swanton, $39,901.15
71. Potter, Dundee High, $39,897.06
72. Clay1, Clay High, Oregon, $39,890.30
73. Pancake, Dundee High, $39,882.82
74. Legit, St. Pius X, Toledo, $39,869.77
75. NARNIA9, Springfield High, Holland, $39,858.78
76. CashMe6, Oak Harbor Middle, $39,834.94
77. Kakier, Bowling Green High, $39,779.10
78. LHSTG6, L Hollingworth School for the Talented & Gifted, Toledo, $39,771.83
79. Winners, Bowling Green High, $39,764.16
80. RMDC, Patrick Henry Middle, Hamler, $39,716.37
81. 5jmlllz, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $39,713.19
82. BIZNESS, Anthony Wayne Jr. High, Whitehouse, $39,705.82
83. ZACOPS2, Bowling Green Christian Academy, $39,687.82
84. Moolah, Anthony Wayne Jr. High, Whitehouse, $39,637.72
85. BGHS2, Bowling Green High, $39,619.83
86. BGHS1, Bowling Green High, $39,603.61
87. CRZB, Dundee High, $39,464.93
88. Kaleb, Bowling Green High, $39,395.65
89. squirls, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $39,341.67
90. sailors, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $39,330.24
91. Maybee, Dundee High, $39,317.31
92. Hogwild, Dundee High, $39,293.50
93. TEAMSHS, Springfield High, Holland, $39,273.67
94. CBDCKK, Dundee High, $39,234.16
95. Gambrel, Bowling Green High, $39,216.41
96. CHSseis, Clay High, Oregon, $39,169.66
97. 3SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $39,163.67
98. tropics, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $39,141.93
99. Fisher, Bowling Green High, $39,067.51
100. Copeski, Bowling Green High, $38,735.52
101. BLUCHIP, Oak Harbor Middle, $38,646.68
102. morgan, Bowling Green Middle, $38,635.70
103. unicorn, Bowling Green High, $38,610.41
104. CashCow, Anthony Wayne Jr. High, Whitehouse, $38,594.14
105. Gulible, Dundee High, $38,450.11
106. Pro LSP, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $38,430.02
107. MX3, Park Elementary, Swanton, $38,384.30
108. Bulls, Bowling Green Middle, $38,350.06
109. jmorgan, Bowling Green Middle, $37,805.02
110. BIGboat, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $37,700.57
111. sfsCash, St. Francis de Sales, Toledo, $37,464.04
112. Cashbag, Anthony Wayne Jr. High, Whitehouse, $37,406.93
113. Briar, Briar Middle, Sandusky, $36,879.31
114. Catbobs, Bowling Green High, $36,360.53
115. ADMBP1, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $35,542.03