Stirling students to pitch stock recommendations for investment fund

Students are set to pitch their stock recommendations for inclusion in the newly created University of Stirling Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF).

Students from industry sector teams will take part in the second stock pitch event in Cottrell Lecture Theatre W1, in the Cottrell Building at the University, on Wednesday 21 March.

The fund was set up to provide students from all disciplines with experience of professional equity analysis and portfolio management.

Supported by academic staff from the Accounting and Finance Division of Stirling Management School, the student-managed fund aims to achieve a consistently above-average, long-term return from a broadly diversified portfolio of equity securities, benchmarked against the MSCI World Index.

It also aims to invest in stocks that are undervalued or poised for abnormal future growth.  All investments made by the SMIF will consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues in line with the University’s commitment to the UN’s Principles of Responsible Management Education.

The fund is currently using ‘virtual’ money but aims to convert the holdings into real money investments once it has raised sufficient donations.

Dr Kevin Campbell, Director of the MSc in Investment Analysis, said: “Involvement in the SMIF provides our students with the opportunity to develop and practice equity valuation techniques and portfolio management, aided by access to Bloomberg, S&P Capital IQ and Thomson Reuters financial databases in a dedicated SMIF resource room.

“The stock pitch event provides a platform for our students to pitch their ideas to a panel of investment experts, and to answer their questions, thereby enhancing their communication skills and employability.”

The event, which starts at 2pm, is open to all students, staff, alumni and members of the public.

If you are interested in supporting the fund, please contact Isaac Tabner, Kevin Campbell, Patrick Herbst or visit the SMIF donation page to find out more.