神经, jitters and excitement appear on the students as they enter the Marshall School of Business at USC, anticipating a victory at the CFA协会研究挑战. 马修丹科, 卡洛斯, 安德鲁•克莱因, Mindy Larios和Yi Zhang, represent 加州大学洛杉矶分校’s 工商经济学院 on Friday February 16th 2024. 联合力量, the team set out to present the best equity research possible for the business provided to them.
Being this is 加州大学洛杉矶分校 first time entering the competition, the weight of this prestige competition lingers on the students. The CFA协会研究挑战 is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands on mentoring and intensive training in 财务分析 and professional ethics. It also provides educational initiative, by promoting the best practices in equity research among the next generation of analysts through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis and presentation skills.
马修丹科 reached out to fellow classmate 卡洛斯, later accompanied by Mindy Larios who all collectively had an interest in joining the CFA Institute. With fellow student Andrew and the help of professor Mine Ucok Hughes, Yi Zhang was introduced. With the guidance of Finance professor Charles Danso, the team set out to compete in the competition.
The students receive their business, Air Lease Corporation in Fall 2023 with intent on expanding and discovering new business intertie and equity. During their initial meeting students met on Zoom, sharing their strengths and weakness to maximize their efforts in unequivocal areas during the course of their presentation. 卡洛斯 stating “his interest in the 投资理论 and 估值 experience from previous internships, felt confident in taking on those sections”. When faced with obstacles in some sections that required more emphasis such as Excel analysis or discussing which methods and numbers to project key metrics to reveal the company value; the students leaned on one another discussing their thinking process over Zoom.
为比赛做准备, students began a steady repetition and rhythm practicing their presentation to ensure the information would be given in a respective time. Mindy Larios states, “we gained more and more confidence through each practice”.
Arriving at the CFA协会研究挑战, the students were excited to compete, with their biggest competition being Cal State Fullerton. 在过去的十年里, Cal State Fullerton has swept the competition, 足彩外围网站, seeking their own opportunity to advance to the next round. 准备他们的演讲, 团队成员聚集在一起, ran over the notes and put their best foot forward in order to make the next round.
准备的一个月, two weeks of rehearsing led the students to this point, 登台表演, 马歇尔商学院的教授, where students are given 20 minutes with a slide consistency of 15 (10 to present and 10-minute Q & A). During the presentation, only faculty and one judges are allowed to spectate. 在一个30人的房间里, with mixed professionals within the finance industry and 10 CFA judges, the students understand the value of speaking swiftly nailing down points in order to capitative the audience while evoking the imagery. 一种由易于阅读的字体组成的字体, self-made visual charts and a cohesive design use of colors, 包括业务概述, 行业分析, 投资理论, 估值, 财务分析, investment risks and environmental-social-governance (ESG).
The feedback first-time competition competitors received, were endless. Organization, the ability to maintain confidence during tough Q & A section, creativity by developing their own graphs and charts instead of relying on premade charts. 和明迪·拉里奥斯, stating “this competition was an invaluable experience that taught me how to better research and analytical thinker, who can successfully collaborate in a team of diverse personalities. Who all have the same end goal and determination leads to completing opportunities like this one”?
Completing their presentation on their analysis on Air Lease Corporation, was met with positive results with student’s placing 6th in the CFA协会研究挑战. The students walked away feeling more prepared than before to enter the competitive work force within finance which has boosted their confidence.
The CFA Institute Competition was a great opportunity for students, they had the privileged of gaining knowledge and boosting their confidence, while expanding their mindset and knowledge on the financial institutions. 虽然, the students didn’t claim first place, the experience and knowledge receive will be beneficial as they move in a up the economics food chain.