Four students from Southeast Missouri State University beat out
1,600 other students and traded their way to a 162 percent total
portfolio gain in four weeks to win the second annual thinkorswim®
Challenge. The nationwide virtual trading competition sponsored by
TD Ameritrade, Inc. (“TD Ameritrade”)1 attracted more than 1,600
students from 166 colleges and universities in 44 states who put
their best investing ideas into action amid earnings season and
heightened market volatility.
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Winners of TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim
Challenge from Southeast Missouri State University (Photo:
Southeast Missouri State University)
The 2015 thinkorswim Challenge was held from Oct. 12 through
Nov. 6, 2015, and was open to all students at postsecondary
educational institutions in the U.S. Each of the 476 competing
teams started with $500,000 in virtual money to invest in real time
using the paperMoney® program on TD Ameritrade’s thinkorswim
platform. Prizes were awarded to the top team whose portfolio had
the highest percentage gains in aggregate value at the end of each
trading week. The three teams with the highest percentage gain
overall were also awarded prizes at the close of the competition,
as were their respective schools.
“There is nothing like trading in a real-life environment,” said
Nicole Sherrod, managing director at TD Ameritrade who heads the
firm’s young investors program. “The thinkorswim Challenge provides
an unparalleled experience for students to try investing with the
paperMoney® safety net but with all the real activity like earnings
announcements, breaking news and other events that shapes the
direction of the markets every minute of every day. There is no
substitute.”
Students largely remained optimistic about the market overall,
with 49 percent of trades being bullish, 42 percent bearish and 8
percent volatility plays.
Team Gettin’ Paper Takes Top PrizeCalling themselves
Gettin’ Paper, they won the competition outright, boasting a 162.50
percent portfolio gain and a final portfolio value of $1,312,521
after four weeks of trading. The team consisted of four
undergraduate students at Southeast Missouri State University: Zac
Rankin, a business administration major; Chelsey Winsor, an
accounting major; Ben Asselmeier, computer graphics major; and John
Racanelli, a psychology major.
Each member of the winning team received $3,500 to be deposited
into his or her own TD Ameritrade brokerage account. The students
won $3,000 as the prize for winning the Challenge overall and $500
for winning week two of the competition. As the school affiliated
with the overall winning team, Southeast Missouri State University
received $30,000 from TD Ameritrade for its role in teaching
students about the importance of investing.
“The Harrison College of Business congratulates Captain Rankin
and his team for their victory in the TD Ameritrade thinkorswim
Challenge,” said Southeast Missouri State University Interim Dean
Gary G. Johnson. “Navigating the investing world of “puts and
calls” is a challenge in the classroom, but to apply that
understanding in actual trades is a monumental accomplishment. To
accumulate the most profit in the four-week period when competing
with some of the best students at some of the best universities
makes the reward that much sweeter.”
Johnson praised finance professor Dr. Ben Dow for his role in
bringing this contest to the attention of the students and
encouraging them to participate. “Clearly, Dr. Dow’s motivating
influence was critical to the students’ success, and more broadly,
the students truly represent Southeast Missouri State University’s
“Will to Do” added Johnson.
“Our team employed a strategy consisting of directional calls
and puts, as well as technical analysis and earnings reports,” said
Zac Rankin. “One of the most important things I learned from this
experience is that you can’t give up. We went from first to last a
couple of times in the competition. The Challenge was like a roller
coaster ride, just like the stock market. But you have to have
patience and keep fighting.”
The second-place team, SoSig, hails from the University of North
Texas, which produced last year’s overall winner, Go Mean Green.
Both teams consisted of members from UNT’s Student Investment
Group. Their 129 percent gain translated into a portfolio valued at
$1,145,078 at the competition’s close. SoSig also brought in
$20,000 for their school, and each team member won $2,000 deposited
into a TD Ameritrade brokerage account. Third place went to team
Clawed Z Eagle from American University, which ended up with a
109.50 percent gain and a portfolio worth $1,047,518.79. Clawed Z
Eagle won $10,000 for their school, and each team member won $1,000
deposited into individual TD Ameritrade brokerage accounts.
The winners from each week of the competition are listed
below:
Team Name Associated
School OVERALL Gettin’ Paper
Southeast Missouri State University
Oct. 12-Nov. 7
Week One
SIGnificant Gains University of North Texas
Oct. 12-Oct. 17
Week Two Gettin’
Paper Southeast Missouri State University
Oct. 19-Oct. 24
Week Three
DuckGoQuack Stevens Institute of Technology
Oct. 26-Oct. 31
Week Four Tech
Trading Texas Tech University
Nov. 2-Nov. 7
Variety in Trading Strategies Wins TooOutside of awarding
prizes to the top three teams for highest percentage gain, the 2015
Challenge introduced a prize for the team that acquired the most
badges. Badges were awarded based on various trading activity. The
winners were SDSUThetaTraders from San Diego State University,
which acquired 40 badges. Each team member received $500 deposited
into individual TD Ameritrade brokerage accounts.
Real-Time Experience is the Best TeacherWhen it comes to
refining one’s investing acumen, the competition revealed that
real-time practice makes perfect. Students grew more sophisticated
with their trading strategies as they spent more time in the
market. During the last week of the thinkorswim Challenge, 86
percent of trades were options, and 14 percent were equities,
compared with 36 percent equity trades and 64 percent options
trades at the start of competition.
Students also invested in names they know, generally favoring
the consumer discretionary sector more than any other. This is a
change from last year in which technology was the favored sector.
This year, Apple Inc. (AAPL) was the most frequently traded option,
and Netflix (NFLX) was the most frequently traded stock.
Like TD Ameritrade clients, students in the thinkorswim
Challenge could place trades from their desktops and mobile
devices. The competition showed that Gen Z investors are at ease
trading from mobile devices compared to other retail investors.
Thirty six percent of trades in the Challenge were placed via a
mobile device, a usage rate that is almost 100 percent higher than
TD Ameritrade clients. The iPhone was the most frequently used
mobile device for trading in the competition.
Financial Literacy is Not a GameThe 2015 thinkorswim
Challenge was offered through TD Ameritrade U, an educational
program for professors and college-run organizations that provides
free access to virtual trading through paperMoney® on the
thinkorswim trading platform. TD Ameritrade developed the program
last year to help students prepare for the real world of personal
finance by giving them the ability to put classroom theory into
real-life investing practice. The firm believes that access to
leading-edge investment resources and education is the first step
in helping young people form savings and investing habits that can
last a lifetime.
“We are thrilled with the 95 percent growth in enrollment in the
thinkorswim Challenge this year,” said Sherrod. “There were several
repeat participants, which tells us they thought this was a
valuable and rewarding experience.”
For more information about TD Ameritrade U or the thinkorswim
Challenge, visit www.tdameritradeu.com or
www.thinkorswimchallenge.com. To receive updates on the 2016
thinkorswim Challenge, interested students and educators can email
support@tdameritradeu.com.
For the latest news and information about TD Ameritrade, follow
the Company on Twitter, @TDAmeritradePR.
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constitute a recommendation from TD Ameritrade to buy, sell or
hold.
Past performance of a security, strategy or index is no
guarantee of future results or investment success.
Historical data should not be used alone when making investment
decisions. Please consult other sources of information and consider
your individual financial position and goals before making an
independent investment decision.
Source: TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation
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1. TD Ameritrade, Inc. is a broker-dealer subsidiary of TD
Ameritrade Holding Corporation. Brokerage services provided by
TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA (www.FINRA.org)/SIPC
(www.SIPC.org)
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TD Ameritrade Holding CorporationFor Media:Beth Evegan,
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Affairsbeth.evegan@tdameritrade.com@TDAmeritradePRorFor
Investors:Jeff Goeser, 402-597-8464Investor Relations &
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