Smith MBAs Compete and Win in M&A Competition
A slew teams from the country’s top MBA programs met to compete against each other for who could offer the best pitch in the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business 7th annual Mergers and Acquisitions Competition on November 7-8. The competition took place at the university’s College Park campus and Smith’s team went on to capture the event’s $5,000 first prize.
The competition took the form of a hypothetical case that asked students to analyze the sports apparel industry. MBAs devised their strategies through the night on Thursday before pitching their suggestions for strategic merger and acquisition alternatives to judges on Friday.
The teams, which are made up of up to four members, used data tools from Standard and Poor’s Capital IQ to prepare their analyses. Their data was presented to judges in two rounds and were evaluated on their qualitative arguments and the quantitative models used to support their arguments.
“This competition is an intense two days for these MBA students, but it’s just the type of experience they’ll have if they pursue a career in M&A,” said Alexander Triantis, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “That’s why we continue to hold this competition. We know the importance of offering students real-world experiential learning, and we are glad we can host students from top schools throughout the country.”
Each year, the Smith School’s MBA Finance Association presents the Mergers and Acquisitions Competition as its premier fall event. Targeting the nation’s top MBA programs, and also included a networking reception and opportunities for students to meet industry professionals and recruiters.
For more information on the competition, go to www.rhsmith.umd.edu/macompetition
