Dr. Robert M. Eldridge.
Seabury Hall 304
Tel: (H)876-5046
(O) 392-5628;
Fax: 203-392-5254;
email: eldridger1@southernct.edu

Thursday 1935-2205 ;

EN A 113

1. Required:
A) "Fundamentals of Investing", Gitman & Joehnk 9th edition, 2005, Boston:Addison-Wesley
B) Subscription to the Wall St Journal
C) Your text from corporate finance.
D) A basic 4-function calculator

1. "Two minute drills". At least once a week, at the end of the lecture, there will be a one-question quiz lasting two minutes. I will count only the top 10 grades. This will constitute 10% of the final grade.

2. At the end of the course, the student will be requested to complete a "Course Survey" form, separate and distinct from any University Evaluation form. This survey helps me in preparing the course for the next time it is offered. For each form returned, 1/n points will be added to the final grade, where "n" represents the number of students enrolled in the course based on the registrar's final class list.

3. The student is permitted and encouraged to tape record lectures for personal study use only.

4. If any student has a particular disability-related need in order to participate in this course, such as special seating, note-taking assistance, use of tape recorders or modified exam conditions, you will need to visit the Disability Resource Office, EN C105A, to arrange for approved accommodations. If you have other information you wish to share with me, such as emergency medical information, or arrangements in case the building has to be evacuated, please tell me as soon as possible.

5. I have developed a phobia: cell phones/pagers/other personal communications devices that go off in class. To maintain good diplomatic relations with me, please turn off all such devices in the classroom. NO EXCEPTIONS UNLESS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY ME.

6. Technology constraint: Cell phone calculators are not permitted for examinations.

A. What you may expect from me:

1. A strong grounding in investment analysis

2. A willingness to work with you on specific problems you have with the course or scheduling.

3. A sense of excitement about the field of finance.

B. What I expect of you:

1. Come to class prepared by having read the assigned material and done any outside work assigned.

2. If you know that you will miss a class, a call to me would be appreciated

3. If something does not make sense, you will ask me either in class, in office hours or call me at home.

4. A sense of what is going on in the world of business and finance through a daily reading of the Wall St Journal, sections one and three at a minimum.

C. Profile for success or failure. If you go into an exam behind in the reading and not up with the class discussions, you will probably not be successful. If, on the other hand, you have done the reading and been faithful in attendance, you should have no problem with any exam you get from me.

Introduction. The investment environment and online information

Common stocks

Fixed Income Securities

Chapter 6

Chapter 10

Market price behaviour

Chapter 9

Preferred and convertible securities

Papers:

1. 1-2 pages. In this paper you will lay out your investment objectives (income, capital gains); the investment style you would follow (growth securities, value value securities) and your investment horizon (which should be tied in to your objectives). Each element above (objective,style and horizen) should include a rationale. Finally, discuss your level of risk tolerance at this current time

2. 1-2 pages. In this paper you will establish your asset allocation with a rationale. Show how this allocation will support your objective, style and horizon of paper 1.

3. 1-2 pages. In this paper you will establish the benchmarks by which your portfolio will be measured. Include a benchmark for measuring both equity and bond holdings. Provide a rationale for your selection.

4.-8. 2-4 pages. These papers will report the results of investing in your portfolio, the results of the benchmarks and an explanation of the results. Pay particular attention to news reports that affect either the markets as a whole or specific stocks or bonds or sectors.

9. 3-4 pages. A final report on the exercise.

SPECIAL NOTE: There will be a prize for the top three portfolios created starting 15 Feb. Portfolios will be judged on: (1) Adherence to started asset allocation and (2) Portfolio results. The prize is separate from grades on the 9 papers.

Some assistance:

www.finance.yahoo.com

Go to "stock research" screener:

     Launch Yahoo Finance Stock Screener
                                   or
     Large Cap value
                                   or
     Bargain growth