Business 100
Financial Planning Project
Background
This course
project is a research assignment in financial planning. Research for your
project can be completed using print and electronic College of DuPage
Library resources as well as information on the Internet and in the news
media. Before you begin your research, read the sections "Developing
an Investment Plan" and "Traditional Investment Alternatives"
in Chapter 20 of your text. They provide excellent background for the
project.
The Project
You will prepare
a personal financial plan. You have $40,000 to invest. An important first
step in preparing a financial plan is performing a self-analysis. Your
self-analysis is an important part of your project and must be turned
in with your portfolio. Use the following outline as a guide in this process.
Self-Analysis
- What are your investment
goals?
- When trying to
match potential investments with your investment goals, how important
are the following:
- Safety and
risk
- Investment
income
- Investment
growth
- Investment
liquidity
Stock Selection
- Select at least
five stocks that are consistent with your goals. State why you believe
they are appropriate.
- The five stocks
should represent at least four different industries.
- The companies should
be in varying stages of maturity.
Buying Stock
- Buy stock in each
of the five companies you have selected, using the closing stock prices
as of a date specified by the instructor.
- You should invest
all $40,000.
- It is your choice
of how many shares of each stock to buy.
Tracking Stock Performance
- Check your stock
prices three times a week for threee weeks.
- Track the amount
of money you have made or lost.
Company Analysis
- Select one stock
in your portfolio to analyze. Select a stock that has shown some movement
as there may be lots of interesting news on the company.
- What do Value Line,
Hoover's Online or Business & Company ASAP say about your company?
- What do Value Line
and Business & Company ASAP say about the industry?
- Using one of the
Library business databases, find an article that discusses latest business
issues. Summarize the article in 1-2 paragranps.
- Listen to or read
the business news. Are there any stories on the company?
Resources
Refer to the
Research Guide - Business 100 - Financial Planning Project on the
College of DuPage Library web site under: Research
Guides > Business/Management/Marketing for information about resources that will be useful
for this project.
Project Format
- Neatly assemble
all your work.
- All material should
be typewritten.
- A list of resources
("Works Cited Page" in MLA format) should be included. For
correct format, refer to Research Help>Citing Sources
on the College of DuPage Library web site.
Library Research
Contact Judy
Wagner, Business Librarian, for an orientation to Library resources for
this project or for additional assistance with the assignment.
Judy
Wagner, Professor/Reference Librarian
SRC 3044
630-942-2021
wagnerj@cdnet.cod.edu
