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De La Cruz 1
FDLC
Self-Starting Market
Analyst
Traditional Education, Fresh Perspective
Fabian De La Cruz
310-892-4866
Chadrick D. Bray
De La Cruz 2
Contents About This Report
Market Research: Analyses were conducted on publicly traded
companies for investment purposes. This research led to profitable
decisions.
Disney
Checkpoint & Palo Alto Networks
Apple
Tesla
Skills in Demand: This section covers the top ten skills employers are
looking for.
Conclusion
De La Cruz 3
Do employers know their job candidates?
The modern business world has increased in scope,
complexity, and uncertainty. The hiring of
employees is an important process for growth, but
the interview process does not provide all
pertinent data to make an informed decision. This
report is filled with information that demonstrates
my competence in a professional setting and will
also provide insight into my character. The
objective is by reading this report, there will be a
better understanding of my capabilities as opposed
to a resume.
In the Market Research section, I discuss some of the information and analytical processes that
were used for my own investment decisions. I believe that this shows I am not only able, but
confident in my own capabilities. This section is time-sensitive to late April 2015.
The following section revolves around a Forbes article, which explains the skills that employers
most want in 2015 graduates. I then explain how my employment history and education have
given me the skills necessary to be a valuable employee.
The final section contains a summary of this report and any closing thoughts.
“This report is filled with
information that demonstrates competence in a professional
setting.”
About This
Report
De La Cruz 4
A core component of my financial success
hinges upon understanding the influence
risk aversion has on investors. The more
risk averse someone is, the more likely
they will behave cautiously. In the stock
exchange, risk averse behavior would be
represented by less purchasing and
increased selling of stock shares
contributing to a lower share price.
The entire population does not consist
solely of risk averse people. There are
those who enjoy risk in varying degrees.
However, more people are risk averse
than risk loving (Halek, & Eisenhaur, 2001)
see figure 1. The larger risk averse group is
influenced by good news, but puts a greater weight on negative news.
There were different sources and methods that helped influence accurate predictions
about whether a company’s share prices would increase or decrease. I examined official
earnings reports, information my partners have sent me, as well as articles discussing
new technologies, developments, purchases, etc. The eclectic information collected not
only provided me a view into the current value and future potential of a company, but
also gave insight into the perception many investors held about the company. As stated
previously, this information is time-sensitive to late April 2015.
Market Research
Risk Loving
Risk Averse
Figure 1
Blue triangle represents population
De La Cruz 5
Disney
There is a trend between increased
share prices and high-profile film
releases. When the release of
Avengers: Age of Ultron was on the
horizon, it was set to open higher
than Marvel’s The Avengers, which
holds the record for the highest
opening weekend at $207,438,708.
Due to the acquisition of Marvel’s
stocks by Disney, Disney’s shares
would see the benefit of Avengers:
Age of Ultron’s success.
Disney’s shares had seen growth
from the success of the first
Avengers. Given the fact that the
second installment in the franchise
was set to perform as well as the first, if not better (Busch, 2015), the probability was high the
share would rise, including the possibility of negative news being released regarding Disney in
this time period.
Other good news revolved around the fact that the company’s shares had been steadily rising.
This had been driven in large part by the continuous increase in Disney’s earnings see figure 2.
Since investors had responded positively to earlier announcements of their upcoming movie
lineup, and the unlikelihood of negative news which would lower the value of the company,
multiple shares were purchased and yielded a profit.
Checkpoint & Palo Alto Networks
Check Point’s shares had been driven to their highest point since 2001, due to the increased
frequency of cyberattacks. In a world where cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important,
Check Point represents a field that is expected to continue growing. The data leaks from
companies like Sony Pictures and Target served to highlight the importance and demand for
cybersecurity. Investors viewed it as a steady rise and Check Point had been actively evaluating
their services in order to compete against young competitors like Palo Alto Networks. The
changes Check Point had made in their company gave investors renewed confidence in Check
Point’s ability to compete and thrive (Coppola, 2015). This had turned the business’s sole
negative, the lack of adaptation, into a nonissue. As a result, Check Point shares had risen 22
percent in the past year. Predictions estimated Check Point sales would continue to grow 8.4
9,000
12,000
15,000
DIS Q2 2014 DIS Q3 2014 DIS Q4 2014 DIS Q1 2015
Disney Earnings in Millions
Earnings
Figure 2. See references for information about figures
De La Cruz 6
percent. While the price of shares had received dips over the previous three months, the
general trajectory was continued growth. Their history, in addition to their announcements
indicated Check Point would result in long-term profit and thus, multiple shares were
purchased.
Palo Alto Networks sales were expected to grow six times faster than Check Point’s, a 47
percent increase in sales is expected in 2015 (Coppola, 2015). Palo Alto Networks had a gain of
104 percent on their shares in the past year. The general trend of their shares showed a
continued increase, in spite of momentary dips it had experienced. A look at their past trend
and general growth had indicated a safe purchase that would see a long-term profit. The high
demand for cybersecurity had benefitted Palo Alto Networks as well, and they were not
hampered with concerns about the competence of their leadership to begin with leading to
multiple shares being purchased.
Apple
Several factors contributed to the decision to invest in Apple. For one, the Apple Watch’s
release date was drawing ever-near, and reports had stated the demand for the Watch had not
only exceeded Apple’s expectations, but their ability to make enough to satisfy demand
(Higgins, 2015). Secondly, Apple increased its lobbying spending by 16 percent, totaling $1.24
million, focusing efforts on its mobile payment options (Higgins, 2015). Furthermore, Apple is
building two solar farms in China (Randall, 2015). China is on track to have more low-carbon
electricity than the capacity of the United States in the next 15 years. This is supported with
China’s president Xi Jinping’s crackdown on corruption and pollution. Finally, Apple would soon
reveal their earnings reports, which was predicted to boost share prices. Companies which have
performed well when earnings reports were released tend to see their shares rise. Although
there was more risk of negative news since Apple’s success was contingent upon multiple
fronts, it was still a lucrative investment for both short-term and long-term profit.
Tesla
On April 21st, in an e-mail sent to investors and analysts, it was stated Tesla would discuss
details of their new product at an unveiling on April 30th, the home battery (Hull, 2015). This
was the first time Tesla had adopted a new product line, with their previous product being their
electric cars. This e-mail raised their share price 10 points. In addition, Tesla is signing up
customers such as Wal-Mart and Cargill to become a leader in clean energy (Hull, 2015).
Due to the nature of the stock and its wild fluctuations, it was determined Tesla would be best
for a short-term profit, capitalizing on the spike from their announcement and selling
afterwards. Tesla is valued differently from other car competitors. Their stock is driven by
speculation, not their current value. It was decided Tesla would be a short-term investment due
to the company not being a value driven stock.
De La Cruz 7
What skills are in the most demand?
There has never been a better time to be involved in the hiring process. One reason for this is
the bevy of new information at our disposal thanks to technology. However, with so much new
data available, which selective criteria should employers use to optimize their performance?
There are 10 skills that employers most want from college graduates. These qualities were
ranked in order of importance on a 5-point scale from 260 employers (Adam, 2014).
1. Ability to work in a team structure
2. Ability to make decisions and solve problems
3. Ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside the
organization
4. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work
5. Ability to obtain and process information
6. Ability to analyze quantitative data
7. Technical knowledge related to the job
8. Proficiency with computer software programs
9. Ability to create and/or edit written reports
10. Ability to sell and influence others
Skills in Demand
De La Cruz 8
What follows is evidence that leads me to believe that I have the skills in demand.
I have developed and polished the top four skills employers say they seek during my time
working in the American Marketing Association. As a chapter, we worked as a team and tasks
were split up between members. However, we would hold weekly meetings to make tactical
and strategic decisions pertaining to all aspects of our association. In academia, there are many
deadlines that need to be worked around. Mastering the ability to plan, organize, and prioritize
work was a necessity.
I have acquired skills 5-7 through formal education, but improved them by working with a
market research team. Through market research, I have been directly involved in studying
relevant news, reading earnings reports, and interpreting the reports my partners have sent
me. Using deductive reasoning, we utilized the information to make investments which have
seen growth.
I have learned skills 8- 10 via formal education. I have been using Microsoft Office for many
years now as part of the course curriculum. I have experience writing and editing reports from
my responsibilities as a Marketing Association member and as part of a market research team.
These reports were submitted to conferences and institutional review boards. My ability to sell
and influence others has been honed through marketing competitions, a public, professional
conference presentation, and selling tickets for fundraising events, memberships for AMA, and
AMA specific merchandise.
Although I believe the skills above are important, I consider my habit of improving myself and
learning new skills my greatest asset. As an example, I immediately enrolled in an online
computer science class, taught by Harvard University, after graduation. My personal philosophy
is to always be better than the person I was yesterday. I feel my “always improving” philosophy
is healthy for a productive work environment and success.
De La Cruz 9
This report has provided evidence supporting my value as a potential employee. In the Market
Research section, I show that I can handle complex analysis and use critical thinking in a
globalized world. In the Skills in Demand section, I list the top skills many employers seek for
new hires and present how my work experience and education have equipped me with the
most important skills. With this in mind, I firmly believe I will be a valuable asset as an
employee.
Conclusion
De La Cruz 10
Adams, S. (2014, November 12). The 10 Skills Employers Most Want In 2015 Graduates. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/11/12/the-10-skills-employers-most-want-in-
2015-graduates/
Busch, A. (2015, April 9). 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron' On Track For $200M Bow For Superhero Cluster Flick.
Retrieved from http://deadline.com/2015/04/avengers-age-of-ultron-tracking-for-200-million-
bow-1201406880/
Coppola, G. (2015, April 20). Check Point CEO Hustles to Stay on Top Amid Cyber Stock Surge. Retrieved
from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-18/check-point-ceo-hustles-to-stay-
on-top-amid-cyber-stock-surge
Halek, M., & Eisenhauer, J. (2001). Demography of Risk Aversion. The Journal of Risk and Insurance,
68(1), 1-24.
Higgins, T. (2015, April 21). Apple Boosts U.S. Lobbying Spending, Advocates on Mobile Payment.
Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-21/apple-boosts-u-s-
lobbying-spending-advocates-on-mobile-payment
Higgins, T. (2015, April 21). Apple Says Being 'Bombarded' With Inquiries on Watch Arrival. Retrieved
from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-21/apple-says-being-bombarded-
with-inquires-on-watch-arrival
Hull, D. (2015, April 21). Tesla Motors to Unveil Home and Utility Batteries April 30. Retrieved from
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-21/tesla-motors-to-unveil-home-and-
utility-batteries-april-30
Hull, D. (2015, April 21). Tesla Wants to Power Wal-Mart. Retrieved from
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-22/tesla-powered-wal-mart-stores-attest-
to-musk-s-energy-ambitions
Randall, T. (2015, April 21). Here's Why Apple Is Building Solar Farms in China. Retrieved from
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-21/here-s-why-apple-is-building-solar-
farms-in-china
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY REPORTS FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS FOR FISCAL 2015. (2015, February 3).
References
De La Cruz 11
Retrieved from http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/sites/default/files/reports/q1-fy15-
earnings.pdf
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR EARNINGS FOR FISCAL 2014.
(2014, November 6). Retrieved from
http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/sites/default/files/reports/q4-fy14-earnings.pdf
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY REPORTS SECOND QUARTER AND SIX MONTH EARNINGS FOR FISCAL 2014.
2014, May 6). Retrieved from http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/sites/default/files/reports/q2-
fy14-earnings.pdf
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY REPORTS THIRD QUARTER AND NINE MONTH EARNINGS FOR FISCAL 2014.
(2014, August 5). Retrieved from
http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/sites/default/files/reports/q3-fy14-earnings.pdf
Contributors
Fabian De La Cruz & Chadrick Bray