BLADE STOCK CONTEST: WEEK 3

Springfield team defies declines in stock market

GOLD moves into 1st; Clay8 advances to 2nd

3/18/2014

BY CHIP TOWNS
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER

Blade-School-Stock-Contest-2014-with-sponsors

It wasn’t a good week for stocks, but it was a great week for GOLD.

That’s the name of the team from Springfield High School that moved into first place after Week 3 of The Blade School Stock Contest.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 — a broad gauge of the stock market — declined 1.9 percent last week. Only 13 of the 158 teams in the contest saw their mythical portfolios increase in value last week.

“Volatility continues to be the word to describe the stock market so far in 2014,” said Ronald Belle, senior vice president and investment advisers division executive at Fifth Third Bank in Toledo. “Events overseas are what drove the market down last week.”

ADTR, another Springfield High team, fell from first place to third place. Clay8 from Clay High School climbed a notch to second place. Mariner, from the Maritime Academy of Toledo, remains in fourth place.

GOLD, made up of students in a money management class taught by Bonita Adams, had by far the best week. GOLD’s portfolio of four stocks increased 6 percent in value, led by Egalet Ltd., which rose 21 percent.

Egalet is a biopharmaceutical company that is working on “abuse-resistant” medication, specifically versions of morphine and oxycodone that are not addictive.

Egalet went public in early February. Last week, the underwriters of the company’s initial public offering exercised their option to buy more shares. That gave the company a boost because it now has extra funding to carry it through until its products hit pharmacy shelves.

“It’s no surprise that so few teams had a gain in value last week, given the overall market performance,” Mr. Belle said. “One interesting observation: Of the four teams in the top ten with positive value growth last week, GOLD is the only team that does not hold a recognizable name brand company.”

GOLD’s other holdings are Hawaiian Holdings Inc. (the parent company of Hawaiian Airlines), Eleven Biotherapeutics (a biopharmaceutical company), and Lumenis Ltd. (a startup that makes laser and light systems for medical devices).

“GOLD has benefited the most during the first three weeks by being on the ‘right’ side of a volatile market,” Mr. Belle said. “Their holdings are in smaller companies within their respective industries. Smaller companies are often more volatile. Add to that an equally volatile market and stock prices can swing very positive or very negative.”

The stock contest is sponsored by The Blade’s Newspaper in Education program, the Taylor Automotive Family, Fifth Third Bank, and the University of Toledo, which calculates the results.

Each of the 158 teams in the contest was given a mythical $40,000 to split evenly among four stocks. Midway through the contest, the teams will have one chance to trade in one or more of their stocks.

At the end of the contest, the team whose portfolio has grown the most will be the winner.

The winning team will get $250 for the students and $250 for the school.

The second-place team will receive $250 for the school, and third place gets $100 for the school. Prizes may be cash or gift certificates.

Ms. Adams said she gave the students on all of her Springfield teams some general advice about picking stocks, but didn’t specifically recommend pharmaceutical firms.

“I tell them things like when they research companies, try to buy stock when it’s low, how to look at the charts, to consider picking companies that are popular companies, and think about anything that might happen in the near future that might have an impact on a company's stock price.”

One team learned about the volatility in the pharmaceutical sector.

A team from Clay High School owns Geron Corp., which fell almost 60 percent last week after the Food and Drug Administration put a study of Geron’s anti-cancer drug on hold.

Contact Chip Towns at: ctowns@theblade.com or 419-724-6194.

Standings after Week 3 of The Blade School Stock Contest, with rank, team name, school, and portfolio total:

1. GOLD, Springfield High School, Holland, $48,555.43
2. Clay8, Clay High, Oregon, $46,070.36
3. ADTR, Springfield High School, Holland, $45,146.44
4. mariner, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $44,829.25
5. ZZEBRAZ, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $44,752.97
6. Minions, Park Elementary, Swanton, $43,770.40
7. magicb, Bowling Green High, $42,638.30
8. Rugrats, Springfield High School, Holland, $42,631.83
9. FA4th, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $42,614.66
10. FA6th, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $42,604.54
11. CHASE06, Chase STEM Academy, Toledo, $42,585.41
12. 7NINJAS, Rossford Junior High, $42,481.68
13. CashFlo, Rossford Junior High, $42,458.89
14. Team BG, Bowling Green High, $42,378.33
15. ClayHON, Clay High, Oregon, $42,346.70
16. SHS386, Springfield High School, Holland, $42,276.96
17. Bowties, Park Elementary, Swanton, $42,241.03
18. Bagels, Springfield High School, Holland, $42,185.49
19. Legit 6, Rossford Junior High, $42,172.13
20. GGnoRE, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $42,111.15
21. SPOOOON, Dundee (Mich.) High, $42,043.34
22. Flamngo, Bowling Green High, $41,980.05
23. MOMA, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $41,868.87
24. FA5thR, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $41,817.12
25. AWGB7, Anthony Wayne High, Whitehouse, $41,750.84
26. CLAY6, Clay High, Oregon, $41,605.17
27. DA BEAN, Rossford Junior High, $41,567.70
28. 5Shards, Bowling Green High, $41,429.84
29. Boats, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $41,424.76
30. THEM, Springfield High School, Holland, $41,421.51
31. moneymm, Bowling Green High, $41,418.40
32. PlumBum, Fallen Timbers MS, Whitehouse, $41,367.92
33. TTuttle, L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted, Fostoria, $41,359.41
34. FoStock, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $41,308.07
35. PAYROLL, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $41,283.90
36. BG Lexi, Bowling Green High, $41,233.26
37. Jackpot, Springfield High School, Holland, $41,206.25
38. addsubs, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $41,121.29
39. CHASE08, Chase STEM Academy, Toledo, $41,119.19
40. Bucs, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $41,107.95
41. WeezMan, Dundee (Mich.) High, $41,097.01
42. Mitch5. Bowling Green High, $41,079.54
43. AvenG3r, Dundee (Mich.) High, $41,054.12
44. MVCDSZB, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $41,006.94
45. Shnozes, Rossford Junior High, $41,004.54
46. FA8th, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $41,000.51
47. slushie, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,994.93
48. purpleg, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $40,978.96
49. johnsto, Bowling Green High, $40,970.59
50. take, Bowling Green High, $40,950.48
51. SAGET22, Park Elementary, Swanton, $40,911.66
52. MVCDSNI, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $40,906.36
53. VolleGs, Notre Dame Academy, Toledo, $40,894.39
54. MCMM, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $40,860.30
55. magconb, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $40,859.33
56. JJRAP, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,840.97
57. HASHTAG, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $40,798.39
58. CoolCat, Dundee (Mich.) High, $40,796.86
59. 6Loserz, Rossford Junior High, $40,688.84
60. MVCDSJA, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $40,630.25
61. BigDawg, Dundee (Mich.) High, $40,619.76
62. Dogs101, Park Elementary, Swanton, $40,600.97
63. Manatee, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $40,600.41
64. thejerk, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $40,593.12
65. nfl1314, Bowling Green High, $40,538.97
66. munchie, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,535.73
67. CatFish, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $40,510.27
68. Karats, Fallen Timbers MS, Whitehouse, $40,509.46
69. Chiefs, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $40,500.86
70. MVCDSZS, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $40,465.44
71. kingsto, Bowling Green High, $40,463.07
72. Redmenz, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $40,447.15
73. FA5thL, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $40,436.27
74. 6GRocks, L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted, Toledo, $40,426.28
75. VIPER, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,425.69
76. 4Saints, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,395.15
77. mrToms, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,387.56
78. Trex, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $40,342.02
79. one, Bowling Green High, $40,314.86
80. BUCKETS, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,311.48
81. Pistach, Dundee (Mich.) High, $40,285.97
82. stockbo, Bowling Green High, $40,263.98
83. jlas, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,252.48
84. MVCDSTF, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $40,250.44
85. MVCDSJS, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $40,203.44
86. WOLFSqd, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,191.04
87. magicw, Bowling Green High, $40,185.42
88. MVCDSRK, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $40,182.03
89. MVCDSLI, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $40,178.81
90. 2fast4u, Park Elementary, Swanton, $40,178.59
91. bobcat1, Bowling Green High, $40,114.19
92. 7LHSTG, L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted, Toledo, $40,107.98
93. linda, Bowling Green High, $40,100.78
94. 8LHSTG, L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted, Toledo, $40,074.38
95. BSBIS, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,073.04
96. 5LOCOS, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,055.64
97. Seahors, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,054.87
98. BG Emma, Bowling Green High, $40,049.88
99. Pirates, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,027.20
100. Clay1, Clay High, Oregon, $40,026.15
101. TeamAce, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,019.42
102. MeGusta, Bowling Green High, $40,010.88
103. Sauce, Dundee (Mich.) High, $40,001.66
104. k3cs, Bowling Green High, $39,967.30
105. SHS1, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,944.32
106. Scalywg, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $39,943.56
107. NPGTOWN, North Point Educational Service Center, Graytown, $39,910.29
108. Nikki, Bowling Green High, $39,903.69
109. Turnt, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,885.70
110. kahbobs, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $39,859.14
111. wolves, Bowling Green High, $39,848.82
112. BaZinga, Pike Delta York Middle School, Delta, $39,846.06
113. TBPN, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,845.67
114. HEYAA, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,829.29
115. cosmic, Dundee (Mich.) High, $39,824.81
116. gr8stok, Notre Dame Academy, Toledo, $39,807.36
117. mightyt, Bowling Green High, $39,798.00
118. bobKATS, Bowling Green High, $39,797.75
119. CCC, Dundee (Mich.) High, $39,739.82
120. ganar, Bowling Green High, $39,716.51
121. TurnUhh, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,716.47
122. 136627, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,711.79
123. Risk101, Rossford Junior High, $39,703.84
124. Clay500, Clay High, Oregon, $39,688.80
125. Destroy, Dundee (Mich.) High, $39,681.53
126. teamnah, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $39,629.66
127. SAP, SAP, Graytown, $39,559.12
128. IT, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,538.74
129. FA7th, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $39,531.37
130. swag, Bowling Green High, $39,521.54
131. SHS2, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,452.34
132. GROUP6, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,425.19
133. PEMDAS7, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $39,416.05
134. THEMOB, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,406.47
135. CashFO5, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,405.21
136. AWGB8, Anthony Wayne High, Whitehouse, $39,403.42
137. FISH, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,385.85
138. Giraffe, Bowling Green High, $39,302.75
139. betty, Bowling Green High, $39,294.26
140. votefor, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $39,242.37
141. STOCKRS, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,231.75
142. NATAS, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,222.74
143. THEMILS, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $39,145.56
144. TOMFORD, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,046.79
145. teampic, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $39,025.02
146. BGWolvs, Bowling Green High, $38,988.59
147. HOBIE, Dundee (Mich.) High, $38,928.43
148. AWGB5, Anthony Wayne High, Whitehouse, $38,787.42
149. OICU812, Fallen Timbers MS, Whitehouse, $38,748.40
150. saints, Bowling Green High, $38,475.86
151. CHASE07, Chase STEM Academy, Toledo, $38,412.50
152. TNR03, Springfield High School, Holland, $38,185.58
153. CTDM1, Springfield High School, Holland, $38,105.87
154. Welky, Rossford Junior High, $38,069.31
155. BetaMax, Dundee (Mich.) High, $37,698.58
156. CHASE05, Chase STEM Academy, Toledo, $37,270.58
157. HOBIE 2, Dundee (Mich.) High, $36,895.55
158. Clay333, Clay High, Oregon, $33,469.00