BAD 370
Last Revised 01/07/02

   PETER ALONZI, Ph.D.

Spring, 2002
Investments

Contact Information: by phone or email at: 708-524-6483 or lpalonzi@email.dom.edu

Click here for: Course: [Objectives] [Assessment] [Reading Assignments] [Homework Assignments]

Office Hours:

Day

Monday

Wednesday

Friday

Time

3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. and by appointment

3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. and by appointment

3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. and by appointment

Place

Fine Arts 211

Fine Arts 211

Fine Arts 211

Texts:
1. Gitman, Lawrence J. & Michael D. Joehnk. Fundamentals of Investing 8th ed. Boston: Addison Wesley, 2002.

2. Wall Street Journal   (see Professor Alonzi for subscription discounts).

Tools:
1. Financial Calculator,

2. Access to Excel spreadsheets, and

3. Access to the WEB

Objectives: Click here to return home
This course reviews and enhances the student’s facility with the concepts and principles of financial market institutional arrangements, of the fundamental tools of finance, and of portfolio theory and then utilizes the student’s enhanced facility address the mechanics and art of portfolio construction and portfolio management.  Specifically upon completion of this course, the successful student will:

Institutional Arrangements:

1. Add many new words to their vocabulary,
2. Understand the structure and functioning of stock and bond markets,

3. Master the fundamental features of common stocks,

4. Master the essential attributes of bonds,

5. Be able to use balance sheet information to evaluate the condition and prospects of a company,

Financial Tools:
6. Use the tool of time value of money to assess the value a company’s stock, a company’s bonds,

7. Compute returns generated by a security,

8. Compute risk measures of a security’s returns,

Portfolio Theory:
9. Understand why a portfolio is held,

10.Understand what portfolio is held,

11. Understand what is meant by Modern Portfolio theory and be able to utilize its major implications,

Application to Portfolio Construction and Management:
12. Demonstrate their ability to integrate the concepts of the institutional environment, financial tools,

and portfolio theory by participating in a stock market simulation.

 

Expectations:
1. That you have passed (at least with a C) the prerequisite courses: Econ 270 and BAD 350.
* Inform Professor Alonzi immediately if this expectation is unmet.
2. Own & know how to use a financial calculator such as HP 10B ii or know how to use financial functions in excel.
Expectations: (cont.)
3. At minimum, read the assignments before coming to class.
4. That you will study effectively: read proactively (previewing--intro & summary before reading the detail), read selectively (after previewing a chapter read text skipping all the side bars and extras which are read the next time through), outline & synthesize, and read with a pencil in hand to apply concepts.
5. Do 2 for 1--that the student will devote at least 2 hours for every hour in the class (i.e. study effectively, work problems at end of chapter, outline, form & be active in a study group or work with a study buddy, formulate questions for class, do homework tasks…)
6. Students will recognize and identify confusion and ask trim as opposed to flabby questions.
7. Use office hours without delay when difficulty arises.

Assessment/Assignments  Click here to return home
Your performance will be assessed on five criteria: 1. exams,  2. homework problems, 3. progress assignments based on your participation in a stock market simulation (SIM Game Assignments), 4. the final report based on your participation in the stock market simulation (SIM Game Comprehensive End-of-Game Report), and 5. a 4-6-page paper based on outside readings.  These five criteria progress from the most fundamental (exams demonstrating facility with concepts) to the most advanced (outside reading & written paper demonstrating applied synthesis). The following table relates the course grade earned to the student’s performance on each criteria.

Criteria

Course Grade: F

Course Grade: D

Course Grade: C

Course Grade: B

Course Grade: A

Outside Reading/
Written Report

 

 

 

 

4-6 page report on Malkiel and Lynch
Books
High Pass

SIM Game Comprehensive End-of-Game Report

 

 

Pass*

Pass*

High Pass*

SIM Game Assignments

 

Less than 5
submitted*
regardless of quality

5
submitted*
average pass on best 5

6
submitted* average High Pass on best 6

All 7
submitted* average
High Pass overall

Homework
Problems

Less than 7   submitted*
regardless of quality

Minimum of 7  submitted*
average pass on best 7l

Minimum of 10 submitted* average pass on best 10

Minimum of 12
submitted* average high pass on best 12

All 13
submitted* average high pass over all

Exams

Average Failing
over all exams

(Under 60%)

Average a Pass
over all exams

(60-80%)

Average Pass
over all exams

(60-80%)

Average High Pass all exams

(at least 80%)

Average High Pass
all exams

(at least 80%)

*Timeliness and Presentation

All assignments
on time and presented neatly

* All assignments on time and presented neatly

* All assignments on time and presented neatly

* All assignments on time and presented neatly

* All assignments on time and presented neatly

Each student will enter a formal, individual agreement with Professor Alonzi by giving him a written memo stating the student’s course grade goal.  In the memo the student indicates which column he/she has selected for their goal. The agreement is that if the student meets the expectations set forth in the selected column, then the student will receive the course grade indicated at the head of that column. This memo is due at the beginning of the third class session January 16, 2002. Should the student change his/her goal later in the course, another written memo indicating the revised goal must be submitted to Professor Alonzi.

To be absolutely clear: to earn his/her stated course grade goal, the student must demonstrate the expected level of proficiency in the five criteria indicated in the column they selected.  NOTE: the student must meet the expectations for all the criteria of their course grade goal stated in the above table. Should the student fail to meet any of the agreed upon expectations, then the course grade will be determined by the student’s Assessment/Assignments (cont.)
performance level on the most basic, unmet criteria (starting from exams and working up to outside reading/written report).  A specific example will clarify.  Suppose a student agreed with Professor Alonzi to work for a B.  Suppose this student accomplished the following: Averaged High Pass on the exams, averaged a Pass on the 12 homework problems, averaged a High Pass on 6 SIM Game Assignments, and earned a Pass on the SIM Game Comprehensive End-of-Game Report.  While the performance on the exams, SIM Game Assignments, and the SIM Game Comprehensive End-of-Game Report all meet the expectations for a B, the student would earn a C for the course since the homework performance is at the C level.

+s and –s are used as deemed appropriate by Professor Alonzi.  Among other factors, p
articipation influences the grade of those on the borderlines. Participation includes attendance, quality of contribution to discussion, raising questions, using office hours when needed and subjective factors.

Definition of Pass on Any One Particular Assignment

Grade

High Pass

Pass

Fail

% Range

100-80%

80-60%

Under 60%

Criteria Explained

Criteria 1: Exams
1. Exams are the work of the individual student (non-cooperative) and closed book.
2. Format:  Multiple choice and true false.
3. A Make up exam is a privilege not a right.  It is granted by Professor Alonzi if & when dire circumstances warrant.
4. Make up exams if granted will be held during the final ten days of the semester at a time to be announced.

Criteria 2: Homework Problems: Click here to return home
1. There will be 13 homework problems.  The level of difficulty and time required varies between problems.
2. You may work together on homework; each student should participate fully.
3. Each student must hand in his or her own assignment (written or typed by his/her self).
4. Two copies of the homework are required: one that is turned in and the other that the student brings to class but keeps (in their journal) for reference when homework problems are discussed in class.
5. Homework is due at the beginning of the session date designated in reading assignments and is to be placed on Prof. Alonzi’s class desk.
6. Homework is to be turned in on time.  Late homework is unacceptable (if you are sick or in dire circumstances contact Professor Alonzi to arrange for alternate delivery-it can be sent with a classmate).
7. Each homework should only require one page (maybe front and back).  Use both side of a single sheet of paper rather than stapling two pages together.
8. Homework can be rejected for lack of neatness.  One example would be homework written on pages ripped from a spiral notebook resulting in formerly bound side of the page having an irregular, tangled edge.  Another example is presentation of work containing crossed out material or insertions of corrections when such adjustments indicate a general lack of care and professionalism.

Criteria #3 & #4: Student Investment Management (SIM) Game
SIM Game provides the student the opportunity to learn by doing, by reflecting, and by recording.  In the game the student will be a portfolio manager who selects, manages, and evaluates an actual portfolio.  During this portfolio management process, the student will reflect upon the experience of portfolio management through a set of graded assignments.  The student will record these assignments in a journal (maintain the assignments in a ring binder).
The SIM Game graded assignments will help you strengthen your grasp of the text’s concepts and their importance and applicability to portfolio management. The SIM Game assignments are explained in complete detailed at the end of this syllabus.  Here it is just noted that there are three types of assignments:
3a.  Initial one page report on SIM Game, 3b. Seven SIM Game Assignments,   4. SIM Game Comprehensive End-of-Game Report Due.
Criteria #3 & #4: Student Investment Management (SIM) Game (cont.)
The SIM Game utilizes a stock market web site that accepts and tracks orders.
This engine provides a very realistic trading environment. Orders are executed at actual market prices. 

Commissions are charged for each trade.  Trade confirmations are provided.  Orders can be entered to buy, sell, sell short, or buy to cover. Orders can be market, market on open, market on close, limit, or stop orders. One can borrow to buy on margin but interest is charged on the borrowed funds. The engine keeps track of each individual’s portfolio.

We are able to use this stock market web site at a zero dollar cost.  But as Economists we know that “…There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.”  Although there is no dollar cost to use this web site, there is the non-dollar cost of distracting advertising/offers etc.  It is assumed that the student will resist such distractions and that each student acknowledges that Professor Alonzi is not responsible for the student’s responding to such advertising/offers.  It is also understood that by selecting this trading engine
Professor Alonzi neither recommends nor vouches for the integrity of any advertising/offers etc. found at this site.

If you want to review the game before it is formally introduced in the course ask Professor Alonzi for an instruction sheet.

Criteria #5: Project on Outside Reading and Written Report
Write a report based on the following two books:  a)
Malkiel, Burton Gordon. A Random Walk Down Wall Street 5th ed. New York: W.W. Norton 1973  or more recent edition and b) Lynch, Peter. One Up on Wall Street. New York: Simon And Schuster, 1989 or more recent edition.

Your report (4-6 pages should be sufficient) needs to:
1. Identify and briefly explain the two or three major themes/concepts of each book,
2. Contrast the major themes of the two books, and
3. Relate the major themes of the two books to the concepts developed in Gitman and Joehnk.

If the student wishes to suggest an alternate, substantial project instead of the reading/report project outlined above see Professor Alonzi by
Friday February 1.

*Bonus:
Bonus percentage points will be added to your exam average if your portfolio exhibits superior performance on the trading game and if you apply for the points.   

You must apply for the points in your April 26 SIM Game Comprehensive End-of-Game Report.  Your application makes your case for the points.  To apply you must hand in a memo listing the values for and providing the computations of your Jensen’s measure, your Holding Period Return, and your benchmark’s HPR.

Ranking  

Jensen’s Measure

 

Beating Prof.Alonzi’s Jensen Measure

Beating Your
Benchmark HPR

1st Place

1½%%

 

1%

1%

2nd Place

1%

 

1%

1%

3rd Place

¾%

 

1%

1%

 

 

 

Anyone beating Professor Alonzi earns 1%

Anyone beating their benchmark earns 1%


Superior performance is measured
three ways: in terms of 1) Jensen’s Measure, 2) Jensen’s Measure of Professor Alonzi’s Portfolio, and 3) your benchmark’s holding period return, See the table below.  The listed percentages will be added to your average exam score.  For example suppose you average 77.75% (i.e. a pass) on the exams and you come in third in the class in Jensen’s Measure (+¾%), beat Professor Alonzi’s Jensen measure (+1%), and beat your benchmark (+1%).  In this case your exam average will be raised from 77.75%, which is a Pass to 80.50% (77.75% + ¾% + 1% + 1%) that is a High Pass on the exams


 
BAD 370 Planned Reading Assignments as of 01/07/02
Revised reading assignments will be posted as the need arises.  Check the date in the upper left-hand corner of the reading assignment table to assure you have the most recent
reading assignments


Last Revised: 01/07/02           Planned Reading Assignments Click here to return home

Session/Date

             Topic

Reading Assignment
Gitman & Joehnk

Homework Problem and
SIM Game Assignments

#1/Jan 11 Fri

* Course Organization

 

 

#2/ Jan 14 Mon

* Environment

Ch 1

 

#3/ Jan 16 Wed

* Environment

Ch 2

Formal Agreement Due

#4/ Jan 18 Fri

* Environment

Ch 3

 

#5/ Jan 21 Mon

* Exam 1, Ch 1-3

 

Problems 1 &2: Page 67- P2.3 & P2.7
Problem 3: Page 123- P3.6

#6/ Jan 23 Wed

* Return

Ch 4

 

#7 Jan 25 Fri

* Return/Risk

Ch 4

 

#8/ Jan 28 Mon

* Risk

Ch 4

 

#9/ Jan 30 Wed

* Portfolio Principles:
Why a Portfolio
Correlation! Covariance!

Ch 5

 

#10/ Feb 1 Fri

* Portfolio Principles:
Which Portfolio?
MPT Answer!

Ch 5

Problem 4: Page 170- P4.18
Problem 5: Page 171- P4.26

#11/ Feb 4 Mon

* Portfolio Principles:
Beta

Ch 5

 

#12/ Feb 6 Wed

Exam 2, Ch 4 & 5

 

Problem 6: Page 209/10- P5.3
Problem 7: Page 213- 5.10

#13/ Feb 8 Fri

* Set up SIM Game



 

#14/ Feb 11 Mon

Common Stock:
Institutional Features

Ch 6

Initial one page report on SIM Game

#15/ Feb 13 Wed

Common Stock:
Evaluation

Ch 7

 

#16/ Feb 15 Fri

Common Stock:
Evaluation

Ch 7

Problem 8: Page 266- P6.4

#17/ Feb 18 Mon

Discuss problem 7.8

 

Problem 9: Page 307- P7.8
(but use Exxon vs. Enron)

#18/ Feb 20 Wed

Exam 3, Ch 6 & 7

 

 

#19/ Feb 22 Fri

Game Discussion #1

 

SIM Game Assignment #1

#20/ Feb 25 Mon

Common Stock:
Valuation

Ch 8

 

#21/ Feb 27 Wed

Common Stock:
Valuation

Ch 8

 

#22/ March 1 Fri

Game Discussion #2

 

SIM Game Assignment #2

March 4-8

Spring Break

Spring Break

Spring Break

#23/ Mar 11 Mon

Common Stock:
Valuation

Ch 8

SIM Game Assignment #3

#24/ Mar 13 Wed

Common Stock:
Valuation

Ch 8
Technical Analysis
Guest Speaker

 

#25/ Mar 15 Fri

Exam 4, Ch 8

 

 

#26/ Mar 18 Mon

Bonds:
Institutional Features

Ch 9

Problem 10: Page 360-61- P8.4

#27/ Mar 20 Wed

Bonds:
Institutional Features

Ch 9

 

#28/ Mar 22 Fri

Game Discussion

 

SIM Game Assignment #4

#29/ Mar 25 Mon

Bonds:
Valuation

Ch 10

 

#30/ Mar 27 Wed

Bonds:
Valuation

Ch 10

 

* Mar 29 Fri

Easter Vacation

 

 

#31/ April 1 Mon

Game Discussion

 

Problem 11: Page 408-P9.5
SIM Game Assignment #5

#32/ April 3 Wed

Bonds:
Valuation

Ch 10

 

#33/ April 5 Fri

Exam 5, Ch 9 &10

 

Problem 12: Page 448- P10.1
Problem 13: Page 449- P10.10

#34/ April 8 Mon

Game Discussion

 

SIM Game Assignment #6

#35/ April 10 Wed

Portfolio Management:
Mutual Funds

Ch 12

 

#36/ April 12 Fri

Portfolio Management:
Your Own Portfolio

Ch 13

 

#37/ April 15 Mon

Game Discussion

 

SIM Game Assignment #7

#38/ April 17 Wed

Portfolio Management:
Your Own Portfolio

Ch 13

 

#39/ April 19 Fri

Options

Ch 14

 

#40/ April 22 Mon

Options

Ch 14

SIM Game Comprehensive
 End-of-Game Report Due

#41/ April 24 Wed

Options

Ch 14

 

#42/ April 26 Fri

Make up Exams