Wildcat
Investment Fund
The MBA Wildcat Fund is a portfolio managed by MBA students in the Investments Analysis course at UNH. It involves fundamental analysis and selection of stocks by students using real money.Wildcat Fund Review and Update
Holdings of The MBA Wildcat Fund
The MBA Wildcat Fund was incorporated into the MBA Investment Class to serve as an innovative learning tool for WSBE graduate students. Using the fundamental valuation techniques developed in class, the students acquire a hands-on approach to evaluating and selecting stocks to be placed into an actual portfolio with real money.
The objective of the fund is to invest in securities which provide an opportunity for long-term growth of principal and income without exposing capital to undue risk. A secondary objective is to achieve a reasonable current income. With such a limited sum of money, the minimization of commissions should be accounted for in deciding how often to turnover the fund. Therefore, the managers decided that the purchasing of four stocks would optimally satisfy the goals of minimal commissions with maximum possible diversification. In order to achieve the best diversification results possible with the limited number of securities, the class decided that the stocks should be spread among four separate industries.
The management of the fund will be provided by a group of second-year MBA students at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics. Integrated into the Investment Analysis course (ADMN 830), the fund will serve as a learning tool for graduate students to gain real experience in portfolio management. The class will be divided into 4-5 groups, each assigned with the responsibility of researching and analyzing 5-10 stocks within two “hot” industries using 4-5 fundamental valuation techniques as well as other variables. Based on this analysis, each management team has to select the two most promising stocks (highest valuation relative to current market price) and report them in a written and oral form to the class. They should also do similar analysis and make an evaluation of the Fund’s existing holdings. Based on such an evaluation, the class will be assigned the task of voting on the best stocks and will be required to make a decision in regards to the funds future. The students were required to use a 1-year time horizon, due to the exercise occurring again one year from now (annual turnover). For this year, stocks were only considered for this fund (bonds may become incorporated into the exercise later).
The Fund began operations on October 4, 1995 when contributions totaling $9,150 were deposited into the Fund account. As of Jan 1, 2000, the Fund was fully invested in eight stocks (see below) with a market value of over $20,000. (It should be noted that the Fund received some additional money, small, since its inception.)
The Wildcadt account is maintained through MSDW financial advisor under UNH alumnus Matthew Becker.
Fall Semester 1997:
The ADMN 830 Investment Analysis class for the Fall Semester of 1997 consisted of four teams who did a semester-long analysis of selected companies in key industries. The purpose was to make recommendations for the purchase of new securities for the MBA Wildcat Fund and for the possible sale of existing securities.
The Wildcat Fund had reached a market value of approximately $14,350. About $11,625 was divided among four stock: DuPont EI De Nemours & Co., MBNA Corp., Micron Technology Inc., and Sierra Health Services. The approximate balance of $2,725 was included in a money market fund “sweep” account maintained for asset allocation and liquidity purposes.
The class decided to sell all holdings in each of the four above-mentioned stocks. The class decided to use the resulting fund balance to purchase shares of stock in the following five companies: Great Lakes Chemicals (in the industrial chemical manufacturing industry), Xerox Corporation (in the Office Equipment and Supplies Industry), Texas Instruments Inc. (in the Electronic Components Industry), The Limited Inc. (in the speciality retail industry), and Bidley Western Industries Inc. (in the major drug company industry). The class voted to have the Fund invest an equal 19% (nineteen percent) of its value in the common stock of each of these five companies. The class also voted that the remaining 5% (five percent) of the Fund should be invested in the money market account.
FALL Semester 1998:
The ADMN 830 Investment Analysis class for the Fall Semester of 1998 consisted of eight teams who did a semester-long analysis of selected companies in key industries.
By this date the Wildcat Fund had reached a market value of approximately $17,390. About $14,410 was divided among six stocks: Xerox Corp., Texas Instruments, The Limited Inc., Great Lakes Chemical Corp., Octel Corp., and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The balance of about $2,980 was included in a money market fund “sweep” account maintained for asset allocation and liquidity purposes.
The class decided to sell all shares in each of the six above-mentioned stocks. The class decided to use the resulting fund balance to purchase shares of stock in the following eight companies: Merrill Lynch (in the Brokerage & Finance Industry), Saratoga Springs (in the Beverages Industry), NPC International (in the Restaurants Industry), Delta Air Lines (in the Airlines Industry), MacDermid (in the Chemicals Industry), Deere (in the Machinery Industry), Nucor (in the Steel Industry), and Gannett (in the Publishing Industry). The class also voted that 0% (zero percent) of the Fund should be invested in the money market account. Regarding the investment proportions, the class voted to have the Fund invest an equal dollar value (in effect 12.5% of the fund’s value) in the common stock of each of these eight companies.
FALL 1999:
The ADMN 830 Investment Analysis class for the Fall Semester of 1999 consisted of six teams who did a semester-long analysis of selected companies in key industries.
The Wildcat Fund had reached a market value of $20,247. Of this $20,107 was divided among eight stock: Merrill Lynch, Saratoga Springs, NPC International, Delta Air Lines, MacDermid, Deere, Nucor, and Gannett. The balance of $140 was included in a money market fund “sweep” account maintained for asset allocation and liquidity purposes.
The class decided to keep the current shares in NPC International (in the Restaurants Industry), but to sell all shares in the other seven above-mentioned stocks. The class voted to invest the resulting fund balance equally (i.e. with equal market value) in the common shares of the following five companies: Nike (in the Textiles & Apparels Industry), Network Associates (NETA) (in the Computer Software Industry), BP Amoco (in the Integrated Oil Industry), and Rite Aid (in the Supermarkets & Drugstores Industry). Thus the Wildcat Fund would include six stocks in all, including NPC International. The class also voted that 0% (zero percent) of the Fund should be invested in the money market account.
FALL 2000:
The ADMN 830 Investment Analysis class of 2000 voted to sell the existing
securities in the Fund and use the proceeds to purchase the following
seven stocks in equal amounts:
At the beginning of the year (Dec. 31, 1999), the Wildcat Fund had
a market value of $14,984. Ten months later (October 31), it was worth
$9,680, including $59 in cash (money market). In November, Tucket Anthony
(TA) was bought out, adding $1,944 to the cash account. Details of the
latter will be available in the statement of the account from Morgan Stanley
at the end of November or early December.
Holdings of The MBA Wildcat Fund
Holdings in 2001:
| Company Name | Pur Date | Shrs | Price | Basis* | Jan to Date |
| Boston Communications Grp Inc | Jan 3, 2000 | 69 | 29.50 | 2073.69 | |
| Merrill Lynch & Co Inc | Jan 3, 2000 | 30 | 67.875 | 2073.28 | Cash Div, 8/22, $4.80 |
| Oracle Corp | Jan 3, 2000 | 66 | 30.8125 | 2071.71 | |
| Quest Diagnostics Inc | Jan 3, 2000 | 14 | 141.50 | 2016.94 | 100% Stk Div (5/31)
Adj shares: 28 shares ** |
| Southwest Airlines | Jan 3, 2000 | 60 | 33.65 | 2056.74 | Stk Div (2/15): 30 new shares
Adj shares: 90 shares ** Cash Div (3/27): $.41 Cash Div (6/27): $.41 Cash Div (6927): $.41 |
| Toyota Motors Cp ADR New | Jan 3, 2000 | 32 | 64.20 | 2091.70 | Cash Div (7/9): $6.10 |
| Tucker Anthony Sutro | Jan 3, 2000 | 81 | 24.625 | 2032.72 | Cash Div, 2/21: 5.67
Cash Div, 5/22: 5.67 Cash Div, 8/21: 5.67 Acquired by Co. X, Oct., at $24/sh for $1944 |
Holdings in 2000:
| Company Name | Date Acquired | No. of Shares | Price | Mkt. Value |
| NPC International (NPCI) | Dec 21, 1999 | 215 | 7.875 | 1693.12 |
| Networks Associates* | Dec 21, 1999 | 152 | 25.875 | 3942.95 |
| BP Amoco | Dec 21, 1999 | 64 | 61.875 | 3965.55 |
| Nike Inc.B | Dec 21, 1999 | 93 | 42.125 | 3924.63 |
| Rite Aide | Dec 21, 1999 | 317 | 12.425 | 3960.89 |
| Silicon Graphics | Dec 21, 1999 | 383 | 10.25 | 3947.25 |
| Money Market (cash) | Dec 21, 1999 | 0.00 |
Holdings in 1999:
| Company Name | Date Acquired | No. of Shares | Mkt. Value |
| NPC International (NPCI) | Jan 15, 1999 | 215 | 3010 |
| Saratoga Beverages (TOGA) | Jan 15, 1999 | 100.42 | 2474 |
| Deere and Co. (DE) | Jan 15, 1999 | 67 | 2160 |
| Delta Airlines(DAL) | Jan 15, 1999 | 41 | 2347 |
| Gannett Co.(GCI) | Jan 15, 1999 | 36 | 2380 |
| MacDermid Inc. (MRD) | Jan 15, 1999 | 58 | 2240 |
| Merrill Lynch (MER) | Jan 15, 1999 | 31 | 2321 |
| Nucor (NUE) | Jan 15, 1999 | 52 | 2483 |
| Money Market (cash) | Jan 15, 1999 | 16 |
Holdings in 1998:
The Limited (LTD)
Xerox (XRX)
Great Lakes Chemical
Texas Instruments (TXN)
Holdings in 1997:
Micron Technology
MBNA Corporation:
Dupont:
Sierra Health Services: