Undergrads Win Georgetown National Stock Pitch Conference

Students from UC Berkeley's largest investment club, including two Haas undergraduates, took first place Saturday in the Georgetown Stock Pitch Conference.

The Berkeley team consisted of Haas students Anthony D'Asaro, BS 13, and Kevin Hsu, BS 14; and two economics students, George Eliades, BA 13, and Max Oltersdorf, BA 14.

Hsu attributed the students' success to their involvement in the Berkeley Investment Group (BIG), the largest investment club at UC Berkeley, with more than 400 members, 21 officers, and a portfolio of more than $30,000 real investments. The club's activities include hosting weekly educational meetings, managing a real mutual fund, and consulting for investment managers.

In the first round, the Berkeley team defeated USC and Michigan with its 10-minute pitch for Diamond Foods, followed by 10-minutes of Q&A with a panel of judges. In the final round, the Berkeley team defeated William & Mary, George Mason, and Georgetown to take home the $2,000 first place prize. The competition also featured teams from Stanford, Wharton, the Ross School at the University of Michigan, and the Stern School at NYU.

“Our investment thesis for Diamond is simple," D'Asaro said of the BIG team's pitch. "We believe the company consists of several strong brands, but recent pessimism around the stock has pushed the stock price well below the company’s fundamental value. We believe that Diamond will realize its full value once the earnings are restated and once fear is dispelled."

Berkeley Investment Group Winners George Eliades, BA 13; Kevin Hsu, BS 14; Max Oltersdorf, BA 14; and Anthony D'Asaro, BS 13.

Back