Ex-computer programmer 1st-month leader - Hypothetical portfolio up 25%
Richard Woodruff, a 75-year-old retired IBM computer
programmer who lives in Monclova Township, is the
first-month leader in The Blade's stock market game.
His hypothetical portfolio is up 25 percent, thanks
largely to his choice of two companies dealing in
solar electric-power equipment.
His super stock pick was Trina Solar Ltd., a Chinese
manufacturer of solar electric-power modules that's
traded on the New York Stock Exchange. It gained 55
percent in January.
"I am surprised it moved so much," Mr.
Woodruff said.
Mr. Woodruff leads nearly 900 contestants in the
year-long contest, maintaining he researched last
year and concluded that solar-power firms will do
well in 2007.
"I think they're ready," Mr. Woodruff said.
About two-thirds of the contestants had gains in
their mythical portfolios in January, said Shane Ewbank,
a financial adviser in the Toledo office of the brokerage
firm Smith Barney, a contest co-sponsor and tabulator
of results.
Each entrant had to select four stocks, trading for
more than $5 each, by Dec. 31, and a hypothetical
$10,000 was allotted to each at the outset.
The portfolio which grows the most by the end of
this year wins.
Entrants are competing for prizes. First place receives
$100 and a trip for two to Chicago, Toronto, or Tampa.
Second place gets $300 cash, and third place $100
cash.
The trip, including transportation and hotel, will
be arranged by Central Travel of Toledo, a contest
co-sponsor.
Many of the leaders have portfolios that include
alternative-energy companies (especially solar power),
small pharmaceutical suppliers, and a variety of technology
companies, Mr. Ewbank said.
Mr. Woodruff's portfolio grew to $50,078 in the month.
He also picked Sunpower Corp., a solar-power products
maker, up 19 percent on Nasdaq; Cypress Semiconductor
Corp., up 9 percent on NYSE; and Fuel Tech Inc. air-pollution
control equipment maker, up 17 percent on Nasdaq.
Among three challenge portfolios, not eligible for
prizes, the best so far was submitted by Bill Harris,
a Sylvania Township financial planner, up 8 percent
at $43,027.
The portfolio of Toledoan Terry Carey, an investment-club
president, was up 2 percent, and The Blade's dartboard
portfolio, chosen at random, is down 4 percent.
Other leaders and the amounts to which their portfolio
grew by the end of January: James Frey, Toledo, $47,350;
Terri Williamson, Findlay, $46,710; Lauren Schulze,
Toledo, $46,518; Lana Perry, Ottawa Hills, $46,255;
Donna Hafner, Toledo, $46,223; Liz Fuller, Sylvania,
$46,066; Brian Walker, Bowling Green, $45,975; Colleen
Lancz, Sylvania, $45,901, and Richard Flasck, Toledo,
$45,748
