Celebrity Pick of the Year Contest?

[billyjoe]

If anyone remembers, 4 years ago I ran a celebrity version of the Pick of the Year Contest. Various stock gurus, pundents, and self proclaimed business wizards' stock picks taken from media articles and financial newsletters were chosen and watched weekly, or was it monthly? Anyway they were tracked for a year to separate the wheat from the chaff.

-----------I'd like to do it again if Ody,Karel ,and Mr.Market don't mind. I'll have to start as of Feb 1st prices or there abouts. If anybody has predictions from a newsletter I'll enter the writer. I'll research and come up with at least 10 contestants. Thanks

-------------billy

[billyjoe]

I just looked back and had forgotten that Jim Cramer won the celebrity contest with a 149% gain. The Motley Fool guys came in 12th place with a 4% loss.

-------------billy

[Karel]

Just do it, billyjoe!

Regards,

Karel

[hags]

Bulkowski is pumpin' SOMX as of the end of January....not sure if he qualifies as a celebrity??

hags

[billyjoe]

Thanks, Hags, Bulkowski is in. I'll start all picks as of the Feb. 1st date. I've got 12 other celeb. picks set.

------------billy

[Row]

Ben Stein says he can't pick stocks, preferring iShares. He is high on EEM, Emerging Market SPDR. It might be interesting to see how he does against the stock pickers.

[billyjoe]

Row,
Thanks for the Ben Stein pick. He's a name most recognize. I'll put his EEM in. Will make entry post tomorrow.

-----------billy

[billyjoe]

When I mentioned this possible thread, the stock pickers were fighting to get in. Just shows how Huge Mr. Market is in the financial circles. I had to turn down some really big names to limit the entries to 15. Here are the 15 and their impressive resumes.

1. Jim Cramer-- defending champion with a 149% gainer in the 2006 contest famed hedge fund manager, tv celebrity (Mad Money), and eccentric. 2010 pick- WEN

2. Bill Miller-- chairman Legg Mason Cap. Management Controls over 60 billion in assets. His Legg Mason Value Trust Fund beat the S&P 500 for 15 consecutive years. His 2010 pick--WM

3. Laszlo Birinyi-- Birinyi Associates, writer for Forbes and Bloomburg Personal Finance. Was panelist with Louis Rukeyser for 10 years. 2010 pick--NOK

4. Ian Wyatt--did well in the 2006 contest. Wyatt is editor of Rising Star Stocks and Growth Report newsletters. Invented the Early Growth Indicators (EGI) stock picking system. 2010 pick--FEED

5. Nate Pile-- stock picking prodigy. Was editor of AgBiotech Stock Letter at age 22. Now publishes Nate's Notes, highly rated by Hulbert's Financial Digest. 2010 pick is MNKD.

Continued in next post.

--------------billy

[billyjoe]

entrants continued:

6. Louis Navellier--writer of 4 different investing newsletters. Controversial, he has been rated on many lists as being one of the 10 worst pickers , on other lists as the 10 best. Known for commentary on many non stock related issues. 2010 pick THOR

7. John Buckingham--The Prudent Speculator. Sometimes called a bottom feeder, Buckingham's newsletter has the highest rating in Hulbert's Financial digest for the last 15,20,and 25 year time periods. Annualized return rate of 18.65% for last 32 years. 2010 pick PMTI

8. George Putnam III-- Turnaround Letter. Grandson of Putnam Investment empire founder. #2 stock newsletter for last 20 year time period. 11.30% annualized return for 20 years. 2010 pick LCC

9. Dan Sullivan-- The Chartist. Since 1969 has used proprietary trend and momentum models combined with a buy high, sell higher approach. 2010 pick MEE

10. Michael Farr-- long time panelist on "Wall Street Week". Guest host CNBC Squawk Box. Radio show host on NPR and Associated Press radio. Often quoted in WSJ, Forbes, Fortune, and Businessweek. 2010 pick PEP

to be continued

--------billy

[Larry]

Where is guru Webs with his JBII pick.

[billyjoe]

Larry,
Webs is half human half vulcan, therefore, doesn't qualify. The mind melt is not a legitimate investing strategy.

-----------billy

[billyjoe]

entrants continued:

11. Karen Finerman-- Fast Money panelist. Graduate of Wharton. Runs Metropolitan Capital Hedge Fund since age of 27, now 42 she's worth 100 million. Super mom, she raises 2 sets of twins, married to a multimillionnaire in his own right. 2010 pick GLNG

12. Pete Najarian-- Fast Money panelist. Options trader. Founded Options Monster. Named top 100 trader by Trader Monthly. former NFL football player with Tampa Bay and Minnesota Vikings. 2010 pick MDVN

13. Thomas Bulkowski--World famous for his groundbreaking books on chart patterns. Started The PatternSite.com in 2006. Retired at age 36. 2010 pick SOMX

14. Ben Stein--lawyer, author, economist, actor (Forrest Beuller's Day Off, The Wonder Years, Dave), game show host (Win Ben Stein's Money, America's Most Smartest Model), political analyst. 2010 pick EEM

15. Paul Latta--director of research at McAdams,Wright,Ragen. Barron's Magazine rates him as #1 stock picker for last 12-36 months. 2010 pick PFE.

Most of these picks were made prior to 2010 but a couple weren't so the starting prices will be as of Feb.1st 2010.

--------------billy

[Odysseus]

Ooo so how does this work? I don't mind Billy, in fact, was going to throw your name on the POTW contest as I believe you started it.... if you didn't mind

[billyjoe]

Ody,
Most of these picks were published on line or in magazines prior to Jan.1st 2010 but a couple were made in Jan. 2010 so I'll post the prices as of Feb. 1st and keep track weekly or monthly just to see how these experts do. It's fun to compare their performance to those of us average Joe investors.

-----------billy

[billyjoe]

Here are the results for 2006.

http://www.mrmarketishuge.com/showthread.php?p=75251&highlight=celebrity+pick+year#post75251

Notice 3 repeat contestants, Cramer, Ian Wyatt, and Louis Navellier

-------------billy