BLADE STOCK CONTEST: WEEK 8

Minions still in lead, but team from Clay makes a leap

4/22/2014

BY CHIP TOWNS
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER

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

A balanced portfolio has kept the Minions team from Swanton on top of The Blade School Stock Contest for the third consecutive week.

“They’re excited, but they’re a little nervous today,” said Jenny Schmidt, who teaches the fifth graders at Park Elementary School.

“We did some math today based on last week’s results, but they are definitely starting to sweat it.”

The Minions and their schoolmates were on spring break last week, but Ms. Schmidt said a few of them tried to keep track of the contest and their stocks online.

Week 8 of the 12-week contest was good for most teams, with 148 of the 158 teams seeing their mythical portfolios grow.

That came after Week 7 in which only one team made money.

“Minions’ portfolio has performed well, particularly recently,” said Ronald Belle, senior vice president and investment advisers division executive at Fifth Third Bank in Toledo. “A couple of their holdings have made significant moves, at or close to 52-week highs, while much of the market had pulled back over the last three weeks. Last week the market was up; importantly, Minions held on the prior week when the market saw significant pullback.”

Week 8’s biggest gainer was Clay6, from Clay High School. Clay6 saw its four-stock portfolio grow 13 percent last week, more than twice as much as any other team.

Clay6 vaulted from 38th place in Week 7 to second place in Week 8.

At the midway point — when teams had their only chance to trade in one or more stocks — Clay6 added BioFuel Energy Corp.

The stock had almost tripled in price in the first six weeks of the contest, from $1.90 a share to $5.61 a share.

Clay6 was hoping the rise would continue. The stock fell 5 percent in Week 7, but last week the company received a nonbinding offer to be acquired by Greenlight Capital, and the stock soared 45 percent to $7.72 a share.

“This is a great example of how a single stock can move,” Mr. Belle said. “In this case, it helped to move Clay in a positive direction. If this stock can continue to hold its value and have even slight positive gains throughout the contest, Clay has put themselves in a strong position.”

The Clay6 team, one of several taught by Clay High School economics teacher Keith Dunbar, also owns Alliance Fiber Optic Products Inc., Buffalo Wild Wings Inc., and Yum Brands Inc., the parent company of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut.

Each of the 158 teams was given a mythical $40,000 at the start of the contest to divide evenly among four stocks.

At the end of the 12-week 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.

The 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.

Minions, the team that has led for the last three weeks, owns Apple Inc., Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc., Emerge Energy Services LP, and Tesla Motors Inc.

Minions’ portfolio has gained 13.6 percent since the start of the contest. Fifty-one of the 158 teams have made money in eight weeks.

Mr. Belle said the contest is far from over.

“There are still many companies who have yet to report first-quarter earnings,” he said. “That leaves the potential for teams to benefit from gains.”

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

WEEK 8 STANDINGS

Standings after Week 8 of The Blade School Stock Contest, with rank, team name, school, and portfolio value. Each team started with a mythical $40,000.

1. Minions, Park Elementary, Swanton, $45,444.55
2. CLAY6, Clay High, Oregon, $44,996.78
3. GGnoRE, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $44,548.38
4. AWGB8, Anthony Wayne High, Whitehouse, $44,457.71
5. CHASE06, Chase STEM Academy, Toledo, $44,177.72
6. MOMA, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $42,713.21
7. ADTR, Springfield High School, Holland, $42,606.83
8. moneymm, Bowling Green High, $42,591.03
9. SAGET22, Park Elementary, Swanton, $42,387.12
10. TTuttle, L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted, Fostoria, $42,289.13
11. 6Loserz, Rossford Junior High, $42,268.25
12. MVCDSRK, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $42,252.28
13. CHASE08, Chase STEM Academy, Toledo, $42,080.74
14. Chiefs, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $41,939.99
15. 8LHSTG, L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted, Toledo, $41,855.35
16. CashFlo, Rossford Junior High, $41,801.13
17. DA BEAN, Rossford Junior High, $41,724.44
18. Mitch5, Bowling Green High, $41,723.81
19. magicw, Bowling Green High, $41,591.82
20. BigDawg, Dundee (Mich.) High, $41,582.56
21. bobKATS, Bowling Green High, $41,396.68
22. SPOOOON, Dundee (Mich.) High, $41,271.61
23. MVCDSLI, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $41,257.75
24. CoolCat, Dundee (Mich.) High, $41,257.54
25. JJRAP, Springfield High School, Holland, $41,213.61
26. SHS1, Springfield High School, Holland, $41,212.69
27. CashFO5, Springfield High School, Holland, $41,071.39
28. Team BG, Bowling Green High, $41,037.39
29. 136627, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,978.08
30. Trex, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $40,869.65
31. Nikki, Bowling Green High, $40,840.91
32. Seahors, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,739.13
33. purpleg, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $40,703.71
34. addsubs, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,642.74
35. FA4th, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $40,626.86
36. stockbo, Bowling Green High, $40,606.72
37. Boats, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,588.40
38. Dogs101, Park Elementary, Swanton, $40,583.01
39. ZZEBRAZ, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $40,471.99
40. Clay8, Clay High, Oregon, $40,411.18
41. 4Saints, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,384.25
42. Bucs, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,368.78
43. mariner, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $40,368.21
44. one, Bowling Green High, $40,324.59
45. FoStock, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $40,285.35
46. 7NINJAS, Rossford Junior High, $40,263.94
47. WeezMan, Dundee (Mich.) High, $40,235.58
48. 7LHSTG, L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted, Toledo, $40,211.30
49. TurnUhh, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,179.62
50. WOLFSqd, Springfield High School, Holland, $40,178.67
51. jlas, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $40,060.03
52. 6GRocks, L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted, Toledo, $39,945.96
53. MVCDSJS, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $39,941.21
54. MCMM, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $39,940.26
55. 5Shards, Bowling Green High, $39,938.91
56. MeGusta, Bowling Green High, $39,904.29
57. ClayHON, Clay High, Oregon, $39,899.96
58. Risk101, Rossford Junior High, $39,872.19
59. THEM, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,828.63
60. HASHTAG, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $39,819.35
61. BSBIS, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,815.35
62. FISH, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,811.20
63. Turnt, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,703.29
64. VolleGs, Notre Dame Academy, Toledo, $39,682.08
65. THEMOB, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,505.29
66. FA6th, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $39,483.95
67. SAP, SAP, Graytown, $39,465.04
68. HEYAA, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,446.03
69. TOMFORD, Springfield High School, Holland, $39,370.26
70. gr8stok, Notre Dame Academy, Toledo, $39,316.20
71. slushie, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $39,295.93
72. MVCDSZB, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $39,273.36
73. nfl1314, Bowling Green High, $39,265.04
74. AvenG3r, Dundee (Mich.) High, $39,241.89
75. Shnozes, Rossford Junior High, $39,230.03
76. Bowties, Park Elementary, Swanton, $39,212.37
77. MVCDSNI, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $39,113.31
78. Redmenz, Fostoria Jr./Sr. High, $39,081.79
79. kingsto, Bowling Green High, $39,074.67
80. magicb, Bowling Green High, $39,028.59
81. cosmic, Dundee (Mich.) High, $39,015.02
82. magconb, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $38,997.95
83. SHS386, Springfield High School, Holland, $38,980.99
84. FA5thR, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $38,976.51
85. take, Bowling Green High, $38,926.10
86. mightyt, Bowling Green High, $38,803.85
87. FA8th, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $38,692.32
88. CatFish, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $38,656.81
89. Bagels, Springfield High School, Holland, $38,653.96
90. BaZinga, Pike Delta York Middle School, Delta, $38,650.22
91. VIPER, Springfield High School, Holland, $38,614.36
92. mrToms, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $38,610.59
93. BG Emma, Bowling Green High, $38,606.31
94. Scalywg, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $38,573.34
95. linda, Bowling Green High, $38,565.50
96. Flamngo, Bowling Green High, $38,544.01
97. FA5thL, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $38,537.38
98. Giraffe, Bowling Green High, $38,516.64
99. ganar, Bowling Green High, $38,490.79
100. AWGB7, Anthony Wayne High, Whitehouse, $38,418.52
101. NPGTOWN, North Point Educational Service Center, Graytown, $38,381.85
102. bobcat1, Bowling Green High, $38,347.02
103. CCC, Dundee (Mich.) High, $38,337.21
104. 5LOCOS, Springfield High School, Holland, $38,336.61
105. MVCDSJA, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $38,272.20
106. teampic, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $38,264.21
107. Clay1, Clay High, Oregon, $38,250.21
108. BG Lexi, Bowling Green High, $38,121.64
109. PAYROLL, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $38,057.06
110. Pirates, Maritime Academy of Toledo, $38,054.72
111. Pistach, Dundee (Mich.) High, $38,041.66
112. thejerk, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $38,026.84
113. Clay500, Clay High, Oregon, $38,017.82
114. MVCDSTF, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $38,012.96
115. TeamAce, Springfield High School, Holland, $37,967.44
116. kahbobs, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $37,963.24
117. Karats, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $37,925.00
118. wolves, Bowling Green High, $37,869.36
119. SHS2, Springfield High School, Holland, $37,841.46
120. betty, Bowling Green High, $37,803.88
121. Destroy, Dundee (Mich.) High, $37,795.94
122. swag, Bowling Green High, $37,593.80
123. Sauce, Dundee (Mich.) High, $37,558.78
124. Legit 6, Rossford Junior High, $37,441.99
125. MVCDSZS, Maumee Valley Country Day School, Toledo, $37,375.71
126. BUCKETS, Springfield High School, Holland, $37,314.19
127. PEMDAS7, All Saints Catholic School, Rossford, $37,248.77
128. TBPN, Springfield High School, Holland, $37,173.73
129. johnsto, Bowling Green High, $37,118.70
130. munchie, West Side Montessori, Toledo, $37,117.38
131. 2fast4u, Park Elementary, Swanton, $37,072.11
132. GOLD, Springfield High School, Holland, $36,918.31
133. FA7th, Franciscan Academy, Sylvania, $36,892.53
134. BGWolvs, Bowling Green High, $36,683.04
135. votefor, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $36,678.58
136. GROUP6, Springfield High School, Holland, $36,646.72
137. STOCKRS, Springfield High School, Holland, $36,428.81
138. HOBIE, Dundee (Mich.) High, $36,366.87
139. Jackpot, Springfield High School, Holland, $36,217.58
140. AWGB5, Anthony Wayne High, Whitehouse, $36,168.69
141. IT, Springfield High School, Holland, $36,111.18
142. OICU812, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $36,110.66
143. PlumBum, Fallen Timbers Middle School, Whitehouse, $35,933.93
144. teamnah, Saint John the Baptist, Toledo, $35,834.70
145. BetaMax, Dundee (Mich.) High, $35,825.07
146. k3cs, Bowling Green High, $35,758.81
147. NATAS, Springfield High School, Holland, $34,957.63
148. THEMILS, Byrnedale Elementary, Toledo, $34,938.45
149. Rugrats, Springfield High School, Holland, $34,925.24
150. Welky, Rossford Junior High, $34,759.83
151. saints, Bowling Green High, $34,735.11
152. Manatee, Saint Rose, Perrysburg, $34,690.56
153. Clay333, Clay High, Oregon, $34,375.65
154. CTDM1, Springfield High School, Holland, $34,249.79
155. CHASE05, Chase STEM Academy, Toledo, $34,148.52
156. CHASE07, Chase STEM Academy, Toledo, $32,784.46
157. HOBIE 2, Dundee (Mich.) High, $32,185.53
158. TNR03, Springfield High School, Holland, $32,048.84