Merrick Team Wins Financial Investment Research Challenge
University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business MBAs Douglas Palmer and Charles Atwood, along with three other student, successfully competed in the first round of the CFA Institute Investment Research Challenge. The contest brings students from universities across Maryland and in Washington, DC together to create and present the most effective equity research report and presentation about an actual publicly-traded company.
The group was coached by Steve Isberg, associate professor of finance for the Merrick School of Business, will now travel to Denver, Colo., for the next round on March 18-19.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge tasks students with the unique challenge and opportunity to develop and present an industry-standard report and take it toe-to-toe against tough competition. This annual educational initiative was crafted to endorse the highest quality of equity research within the next group of talented analysts coming out of business school. The institute and the completion do this through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis and presentation skills.
D.J. Palmer, the MBA who led the Merrick team, said the competition has been an invaluable experience.
“I’ve gained great experience interviewing management, working with an investment expert from a premier equity research firm, performing the type of analysis and valuations expected from analysts at top tier firms, and defending my recommendation and valuation to a panel of investment professions,” he said. “As a student, it’s the closest you’re going to get to the actual thing.”
