Team of Isenberg Finance Majors Vies in Investment Case Competition

Three Isenberg finance majors—Sam Jezard ’15, Hannah Kim ’17, and Joshua Owczarski ’17—are competing against student teams from 14 other business schools in this year’s Kerrisdale Capital Investment Case Study Competition on the Economist.com web site. In a written response and a video presentation, both on the Economist.com web site, the Isenberg team has insightfully addressed the sponsor’s challenge: Find a billion dollar market-cap company that you think may bankrupt by 2020 and explain why. Be the industry’s next activist short seller. Find a zero!

The Isenberg team, which represents the student-run Minutemen Equity Fund, has chosen Sears Holding Corporation, which comprises Sears Domestic, Sears Canada, and Kmart, as its candidate for dissolution. After dissecting the company’s competitive landscape, its financials (including its considerable debt burden), and its turnaround potential, the students have concluded that Sears will likely be out of business by 2020.

You’ll find their well-reasoned case and video presentation here. The team is competing for three prizes ranging from $15,000 to $3,000, which will be judged by the sponsor. It is also vying for a fourth prize—a People’s Choice award of $3,000--based on a public vote on the Economist web site.

Visit the web site, VOTE, and take pride in the competitiveness of your Isenberg peers in a high-profile international competition.

Vote Now!