Study on a Series of Investments Finance Essay

While participating in a portfolio simulation I was allowed to access $50,000 of virtual money and purchase numerous stocks and bonds from NYSE, AMEX, or NASDAQ. Through this simulation I am expecting to experience some gains and losses towards my portfolio and also gain some knowledge on numerous companies as well. Once initial trade began on August 31, 2010, bi-weekly trades were to be made up until November 2, 2010. From this records were kept and evaluated in the end. The overall look of my portfolio consisted of Apple (AAPL), Diamond Trust Series I (DIA), Goldman Sachs (GS), Teleflex Inc (TFX), Bank of America (BAC), Telecom Argentina S.A. (TEO), Coca Cola Company (KO), and Exxon (XOM). Apple Inc. The first company I choose was Apple Inc. it was formed in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California. As of September 2010, they have a total of 317 stores and 2555 of those are in the United States.

They are a company that sells their products worldwide so I choose them based on popularity. From week to week their stock prices continuously rose. I purchased the stock at $242.50 and sold it at $308.84. Based off the company name I believe the stock will continue to grow gradually in the near future. Results The overall performance of Apple stock gradually increased through time which caused my portfolio to grow. I originally purchased 80 shares in the begging at $242.50 and during my first trade I sold ten shares at $283.33. My overall investment in the begging was $16,975.00 and in the end I closed out with $21,618.80, so I had a gain of $4,643.80. I believe Apple was one of my best stocks in my portfolio and if I was able to start from scratch again I would keep all shares till the end of the project. Diamond Trust Series I The next company I choose was diamond trust Series I. DIAMONDS Trust, Series 1 wants to be an investor’s best friend. The company is one that wants to be the investor’s best friend. The company issues diamonds, a tracking stock for the 30 corporations of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). It owns approximately 5.8 million shares of each of the 30 firms. The price of diamonds generally corresponds to fluctuations in the DJIA, which consists of such corporate giants as Exxon Mobil, IBM, 3M, and Procter & Gamble. I choose this company because many people are collectors of some sort when it some to diamonds and they believe there money will grow rapidly when invested in them. Results The stocks overall outcome was a slight increase from begging to end. I bought 70 shares worth $137.25 and sold70 share at the end at $162.39. My begging investment totaled $9,607.50 and when I sold them I had earned $11,367.30. This left my portfolio with a gain of $1,759.80. I was very pleased with the results but when I had purchased the shares I believed it would grow more than it normally did. If done again I would change nothing with this stock, I would keep it till the end then sell off at closing time. Goldman Sachs This company was founded in 1869 and its main head quarter is located in New York, NY. They provide investment banking, securities, and investment management services to corporations and financial institutions worldwide.

They play roles as financial advisor, lender, investor and asset manager to their customers. This company is one that is usually mentioned when it comes to the stock market so I purchased the shares based on company name hoping my decision would lead to a profitable outcome. Results Overall performance of the company was a gradual increase and it was also one of my better choices in shares. I purchased 50 shares at $137.25, investing a total of $6,862.50. I held onto the shares until the end and sold them at $162.39, this gave me $8,119.50 at my closing date. It also earned my portfolio $1,257.00 as the overall profit. If started over I would probably buy more shares next time giving myself more room to trade. Teleflex Inc. Teleflex Incorporated is a diversified global company, well-known by a significant presence in healthcare, with businesses that also serve the aerospace and commercial markets. I choose this company because medical supplies are always going to be needed by clinics and hospitals and it was also something very different from my current decisions. I was not too sure on how my outcome would look like but I was curious so I went forthwith the situation. Results The overall performance was a slight increase. I originally purchase 150 shares at $49.79 putting my investment at $7,468.50. Throughout the trading periods I sold 50 shares on September 21, 2010 at $55.21. This sale earned my portfolio $2,760.50. I then sold 50 more shares on October 19, 2010 at $57.80, earning $2,890.00. The last 50 shares were held onto until the end and I ended up selling them at $56.55, earning $2,827.50. So my overall earnings for this particular stock was $8,487.00. In the end I was content with my decisions made and I would probably do the same if the chance came around. Bank of America Bank of America Corporation is a financial holding company that provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses, and large corporations.

These services are not only done within the United States but also internationally. Since Bank of American hasn’t been around as long as the other companies in the stock market, I wasn’t expecting too much out of them. Results The company’s overall outcome was to my expecting. I originally purchased 200 shares at $13.21, investing a total of $2,642.00. Throughout the trading periods I sold 100 shares at $13.29 on October 5, 2010; this earned my portfolio $1,329.00, I held onto the remaining 100 shares till October 19, 2010 selling them at $13.29. In the end I earned $18.00 from my original investment. Even though I sold all the shares before my closing period I kept up with the stock and realized it was best that I sold the share when I did. The stock slowly snuck its way down in price, so even though my gain was at a minimum it is still better than a loss Telecom Argentina S.A. This company provides telephone services to residential and corporate customers in Argentina. It operates in two segments, Voice, Data, and Internet Services.

Phone service and internet are very popular amongst individuals and moreover with corporations. These components are items that will always be used and upgrade within time. I choose this company because I thought it was something that is big not only in our country but around the world as well. I wasn’t too sure on how the stocks would fluctuate but I didn’t believe that they would decrease within my time period. Results My overall outcome with this company was ok for the most part with a slight increase. I bought 85 shares at $19.27, earning $1,637.95. It was not long before I sold off all my shares on September 21, 2010 at $20.50; this earned my portfolio $1,742.50. This gave me an overall gain of $104.55. If I was able to do it over I would hang on to this stock longer than what I normally did. I don’t believe I gave it enough time to grow in my portfolio. It may not have been much in the end but I’m curious to know where it would have gone. Coca Cola Company This company is known worldwide for their syrup beverages known as Coca Cola. The company manufactures, distributes, and markets this beverage every where you can think of. I choose this company based on popularity as well, but I did not purchase the share until September 21, 2010. Since the company is real big and they own other companies as well I expected the stocks to rise gradually. Results The ending results were not as high as I thought they would be. I purchased 50 shares at $57.88, investing $2,894.00. I held onto the shares until the end and sold them at $61.90. The sale earned $3,095.00, giving my portfolio a gain of $201.00. In between the share increased much less than I thought. I was guessing the increase would be much higher due to the company name itself and all the sub companies it owns. In the end I cannot complain about my outcome and if done again I would probably buy more shares. Exxon The last company I invested in was Exxon Mobile Corporation. This company deals with the exploration, production, transportation, and sale of crude oil and natural gas. It is also involved in the manufacturing, transportation, and sale of petroleum products. This company was also purchased at a later date of September 21, 2010. I choose this company sue to the fact that crude oil is one of the major resources of our country. I expected this corporations stock to increase but also decrease through the trading period. Results The end results I experienced were expected for the most part. I originally purchased 50 shares of the company at $61.79 bringing my investment to $3,089.50. I held the shares till the end and sold them at $67.33 earning $3,366.50. This gave my portfolio a gain of $277.00. I expected the stock to slightly decrease throughout my trading period due to world/political views but it didn’t seem to happen.

The shares increased gradually throughout my trading period giving my portfolio a gain when I was expecting a loss. Conclusion In the end my overall experience was relatively well. Though it took time to get the hang of the experience was very knowledgeable. My overall portfolio experienced many gains, some were major and some were slightly smaller than expected. Apple was my best choice in investing in and Bank of America was the worst choice of investment. The stock market is something we have no control over so when choosing what companies to invest in I learned that it is best if research is done on the company before putting your money on the line.

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