Cleveland Research Hosts 14th Annual Stock Pitch Competition at Miami University, Farmer School Team Wins Top Prize
By Cleveland AdminCleveland Research Company hosted its 14th annual Intercollegiate Stock Pitch Competition at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business in April, where a team of Farmer School students secured the top prize of $1,500.
The stock pitch competition provides a platform for students across the country to showcase their investment ideas and knowledge of financial markets. Teams of 2 to 4 students pitched their long or short equity positions with a 3-to-12-month outlook.
A total of 33 teams from 16 universities participated in the initial round of stock pitches in March, with the top eight teams advancing to the in-person finals in April.
Finalists were invited to a networking dinner on Thursday, April 11 and an investment symposium on Friday, April 12. The symposium featured engaging presentations and panel discussions with seasoned investment professionals, including our own President and Director of Research Sales, Chris Byke.
Following the symposium, each finalist delivered a 10-minute presentation of their analysis followed by a 10-minute Q&A session. Senior members of the Cleveland Research team served as judges, evaluating each pitch based on the investment pick’s quality and rationale, the presentation’s effectiveness, and the participants’ ability to field questions.
While the Farmer School of Business team won first place, teams from the University of Dayton and the University of Texas secured second and third, respectively.
“CRC’s Stock Pitch Competition is an awesome opportunity to discuss your ideas with professionals in the industry. As a student it’s tough to know whether you’re thinking the right things or focusing on the important factors. Thanks to CRC, we are able to learn from the experts and expand our network in the meantime,” Nick Mack, finance student at Miami University and member of the Farmer School team said.
Robert Nahigian, fellow team member added, “It’s always a valuable experience to pitch real ideas to professionals in the space. The competition really allows students to dive into the mechanics behind a company and identify value.”
This was the second year the stock pitch competition broadened to include teams from other universities. It’s proving to have positive outcomes for both students and industry professionals, fueling a culture of increased competition, networking opportunities, and innovative thinking around investment ideas.
“Our goal is to provide the students the opportunity to demonstrate their investment and presentation skills in a professional setting. Over the years, we have seen students consistently step up to the challenge, refine their stock pitches along the way, and form strong relationships with peers as well as investment professionals. We always look forward to being back in Oxford to host the competition and get to know students from Miami and other universities that are passionate about investing,” Vince Ciepiel, Senior Research Analyst at Cleveland Research said.
“The CRC team provided an experience that emphasized student success outside the classroom. Being able to form an investment thesis and have experienced judges ask diligent questions got us thinking in new ways and simulated a real scenario. We can take their advice and apply it to future pitches,” Mickey Fanella, Miami University student and member of the Farmer School team said.
