Losing streak jostles top 10
Investors’ concerns show up in ‘worst week of 2013’
4/23/2013A volatile week on Wall Street left the top teams in The Blade’s School Stock Contest in danger of slipping from atop the rankings.
All but two of the top 10 teams “lost money” during Week 11 of the event, which concludes at the close of the stock market Friday. The week was the worst of 2013, Ronald Belle, investment advisers executive and senior vice president at Fifth Third Bank, a contest sponsor, wrote in an email to The Blade.
“Commodity prices fell, led by gold, which caused some market concern,” he said. “Also, we are in corporate-earnings season. Thus far, top-line revenue, a measurement of new sales, has come in for some companies less than expected.
“Often, when companies report earnings, they also comment on the outlook for future earnings — some have restated lower expectations.”
The top three spots still are occupied by the same teams as in Week 10. A Bowling Green High School team called Gulhaye moved from third place to first place, bumping Springfield High School’s 1SHS and 4SHS into second and third, respectively.
Teams from northwest Ohio and southern Michigan are participating. The 115 teams each were given a hypothetical $40,000 budget, and the funds were evenly distributed among four stocks. Each stock initially was worth at least $5 a share. Each team had one chance to trade in one or more of their stocks.
When the contest ends, 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.
Jennifer Hoel, who teaches 1SHS and 4SHS at Springfield, said her students are eager to see if they can keep a prize-winning spot.
“Up until today they were hoping it would end quickly while they were still ahead,” Ms. Hoel said of the senior teams in her financial-algebra class. “We noticed that some of [the competition's] stocks had particularly good weeks last week. For 1SHS and 4SHS, their strongest stock was Best Buy and it’s seen its peak.”
The contest is sponsored by The Blade’s Newspaper in Education program, the Taylor Automotive Family Group, Fifth Third, and the University of Toledo, which calculates the results.
Chicas, from Saint Rose Catholic School in Perrysburg, continued its climb toward the top and landed in fourth place, up from eighth place the week prior. It also was one of the two top-10 teams to show a gain for the week. Its portfolio grew 0.12 percent during the week and had a total value of $45,157.
The team was ranked in 34th place in Week 9 and has continued its steady climb.
“They did not think that they would get this high since their position had lowered into the 30s and 40s,” said Anne Brahier, who teaches the seventh-grade girls in math at Saint Rose. “They thought the competition was out of reach at that point.”
The team has stock in Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., Skechers USA Inc., Starbucks Corp., and Monster Beverage Corp. The four stocks averaged 10 percent growth during the last three months. The decision to invest in companies that rely on consumer spending could pay off, Mr. Belle said.
“Chicas had a positive return last week even with market sentiment leaning more negative than we have seen,” he said. “As long as the purchasing consumer stays positive about their own economic situation, they normally keep spending. Chicas’ portfolio is made up of consumer discretionary companies which perform well as long as consumers keep buying.”
Contact Kris Turner at: kturner@theblade.com or 419-724-6103.
Standings after Week 11 of The Blade School Stock Contest, with team name, school, and portfolio amount. Each team started with a mythical $40,000.
1. Gulhaye, Bowling Green High, $47,884.38
2. 1SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $47,728.98
3. 4SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $46,677.14
4. Chicas, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $45,157.12
5. Pirates, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $44,792.94
6. Clay.99, Clay High, Oregon, $44,538.65
7. KaChing, Oak Harbor Middle School, $44,286.94
8. HASBULL, Pike Delta York Middle, Delta, $44,272.69
9. Sclywag, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $44,176.13
10. Kajiger, Dundee (Mich.) High, $43,820.56
11. JD2T, Springfield High, Holland, $43,588.57
12. THEHELP, Springfield High, Holland, $43,573.31
13. ZACOPS2, Bowling Green Christian Academy, $43,568.32
14. calairs, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $43,524.72
15. Team123, Dundee (Mich.) High, $43,523.58
16. Tacvuli, Rossford Junior High, $43,420.14
17. ONIFC, Dundee (Mich.) High, $43,359.38
18. crusher, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $43,281.31
19. Umizomi, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, Fostoria, $43,211.06
20. G Unit, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $43,114.62
21. jleader, Bowling Green High, $43,044.17
22. ATMS, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $42,964.79
23. Fishmth, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $42,850.77
24. ChChing, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $42,810.30
25. NARNIA9, Springfield High, Holland, $42,776.19
26. tmJACOB, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $42,769.64
27. McNugtz, Rossford Junior High, $42,699.83
28. Phoenix, Bowling Green Christian Academy, $42,647.55
29. 5SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $42,488.63
30. tropics, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $42,338.31
31. Winners, Bowling Green High, $42,327.00
32. unicorn, Bowling Green High, $42,323.09
33. FatCash, Dundee (Mich.) High, $42,264.13
34. squirls, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $42,230.16
35. butterz, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $42,229.64
36. GABAJ, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $42,217.49
37. Clay1, Clay High, Oregon, $42,056.29
38. CashFlo, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $41,966.48
39. Quibble, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $41,953.87
40. gecko, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $41,949.33
41. SABIBAS, Rossford Junior High, $41,949.30
42. Kakier, Bowling Green High, $41,878.44
43. Zizzles, Bowling Green High, $41,836.22
44. BGHS72, Bowling Green High, $41,828.64
45. Potter, Dundee (Mich.) High, $41,749.89
46. RMDC, Patrick Henry Middle, Hamler, $41,658.75
47. TheWall, Bowling Green Middle, Bowling Green, $41,627.55
48. LIGERS, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $41,612.77
49. LHSTG6, L Hollingworth School for the Talented & Gifted, Toledo, $41,570.25
50. Pro LSP, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $41,472.49
51. CashMe6, Oak Harbor Middle School, $41,453.64
52. AnteUp, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $41,395.23
53. tpteam, Saint John The Baptist, Toledo, $41,390.80
54. lucky21, Arbor Hills Jr., Sylvania, $41,364.30
55. LHSTG78, L Hollingworth School for the Talented & Gifted, Toledo, $41,058.20
56. Pokadot, St. Pius X, Toledo, $41,047.08
57. CLAYed7, Clay High, Oregon, $40,920.48
58. Bears, Bowling Green Middle, Bowling Green, $40,836.23
59. Nickpet, Bowling Green High, $40,764.07
60. bops127, Arbor Hills Jr., Sylvania, $40,708.28
61. BrickSq, Bowling Green High, $40,671.46
62. Hot Fuz, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, Fostoria, $40,588.84
63. Preptar, Dundee (Mich.) High, $40,560.51
64. 5jmlllz, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,502.29
65. Maybee, Dundee (Mich.) High, $40,476.56
66. 2SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $40,393.24
67. Clayhs2, Clay High, Oregon, $40,374.09
68. BIZNESS, Anthony Wayne Jr., Whitehouse, $40,335.98
69. Kaleb, Bowling Green High, $40,335.67
70. Heat, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, Fostoria, $40,333.14
71. 3SHS, Springfield High, Holland, $40,231.41
72. Briar, Briar Middle, Sandusky, $40,132.04
73. Cemerso, Bowling Green High, $40,065.37
74. Legit, St. Pius X, Toledo, $40,022.22
75. Clay_8, Clay High, Oregon, $40,015.38
76. MoneyMe, Park Elementary, Swanton, $39,952.92
77. Fisher, Bowling Green High, $39,887.70
78. CRZB, Dundee (Mich.) High, $39,807.43
79. morgan, Bowling Green Middle, Bowling Green, $39,606.43
80. Blank, Bowling Green High, $39,488.31
81. Bankbr2, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $39,463.70
82. WHOSPM, Springfield High, Holland, $39,452.34
83. sailors, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $39,329.74
84. Moolah, Anthony Wayne Jr., Whitehouse, $39,293.66
85. 5PSNPOD, Arbor Hills Jr., Sylvania, $39,272.79
86. Lottery, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $39,197.95
87. Cashbag, Anthony Wayne Jr., Whitehouse, $39,109.08
88. MDMM, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $39,077.84
89. KRABAPS, Rossford Junior High, $39,060.68
90. Stocker, Park Elementary, Swanton, $38,998.83
91. MX3, Park Elementary, Swanton, $38,935.52
92. jmorgan, Bowling Green Middle, Bowling Green, $38,899.44
93. Catbobs, Bowling Green High, $38,882.30
94. BGHS1, Bowling Green High, $38,829.66
95. BIGboat, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $38,817.92
96. Kwame54, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $38,809.90
97. CBDCKK, Dundee (Mich.) High, $38,741.74
98. Pancake, Dundee (Mich.) High, $38,644.87
99. sfsCash, St. Francis de Sales, Toledo, $38,636.19
100. Hogwild, Dundee (Mich.) High, $38,455.35
101. NoSwag, Rossford Junior High, $38,389.74
102. HOBIE, Dundee (Mich.) High, $38,382.01
103. Copeski, Bowling Green High, $38,344.40
104. CHSseis, Clay High, Oregon, $38,266.52
105. TEAMSHS, Springfield High, Holland, $38,253.91
106. CashCow, Anthony Wayne Jr., Whitehouse, $38,216.11
107. SnrGrls, Whiteford Agricultural, Ottawa Lake, $37,922.03
108. Gulible, Dundee (Mich.) High, $37,718.63
109. Golden6, Oak Harbor Middle School, $37,304.58
110. BLUCHIP, Oak Harbor Middle School, $36,768.87
111. Bulls, Bowling Green Middle, Bowling Green, $36,764.80
112. BGHS2, Bowling Green High, $36,625.20
113. Gambrel, Bowling Green High, $35,761.53
114. ADMBP1, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $35,398.87
115. Redmen, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, Fostoria, $34,897.26