Luke Gonzalez, right, points to the students' winning stock picks, which beat out teacher Bruce Rottman's picks.
Monkeying around with the stock market cost economics teacher Mr. Bruce Rottman some face.
In a contest between Providence Hall senior economics students, their teacher, and a “monkey throwing darts” (random picks), the students were the winners.
On the line was growing a goatee for a week should Mr. Rottman lose, or wearing ties to school for a week, should the students lose. For the past week, Rottman has sported facial hair.
In the students’ basket of five stocks, titled “Goatee or Bust,” were Google, Netflix, Starbucks, Apple, and Ford. A 16.2% increase in Netflix over the week boosted them to the win, with a 3.78% gain overall. (The students’ prescience led Mr. Rottman to buy real shares of Netflix for his personal portfolio.)
Mr. Rottman’s metals-heavy list, “Fav Five: Ties for All,” included Endeavor Silver, Silver ETF, US Gold, 3M, and Enterprise Products. U.S. Gold soared 8.5% over the week, but 3M and Enterprise lost ground, giving Rottman’s favorite five an overall increase of just 2.6%.
The mythical monkey’s list of Visa, Coventry Health, Deere and Co., Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and Sysco grew only .5% over the week.
What did students learn? “That research and following trends pays off, at least in the short run,” said Rottman. “And that my goatee is more salt than pepper.”