Competing at the Highest Level: Baylor Advances in CFA Investment Research
A team of Baylor University students advanced in the regional round of the CFA Investment Research Challenge, earning an invitation to present its equity research in person at Texas A&M University in February.
Representing Baylor were Daniel Six, Nicholas Erland, Dylan Dossey and Cesar Pando, who advanced from the written report stage after submitting a research report and investment recommendation on Green Brick Partners Inc. (GRBK). The team was guided by faculty advisor Brandon Troegle and industry mentor Tyson Strauser.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge is a global competition that tests students’ abilities in equity analysis, valuation, report writing, and presentation. Each team analyzes a publicly traded company, develops an institutional-quality research report, and the top five finalists are invited to defend their recommendations before a panel of judges. Widely regarded as one of the premier experiential-learning opportunities in finance, the competition demands the kind of analytical depth, precision and communication skills expected in the investment profession.
This year’s assigned company, Green Brick Partners, required students to evaluate a homebuilder through multiple lenses, including company fundamentals, industry structure, macroeconomic conditions and valuation. Earning a place in the in-person presentation round signals that Baylor’s team distinguished itself in a highly competitive field and produced work strong enough to advance beyond the initial written stage.
For Baylor’s team, that achievement followed weeks of intensive preparation. In addition to conducting extensive research, the students built detailed financial models, wrote a polished analyst report, and prepared to defend their conclusions before judges.
“This recognition reflects a tremendous amount of work from our students,” said Brandon Troegle, faculty advisor for the team. “Daniel, Nicholas, Dylan and Cesar devoted weeks to researching Green Brick Partners, pressure-testing their assumptions, refining their valuation work, and producing a report capable of competing at the highest level. What impressed me most was the seriousness with which they approached every part of the process. The CFA Research Challenge is demanding, and their advancement was a meaningful accomplishment that speaks to their discipline, teamwork and professionalism. We are very proud of how they represented Baylor.”
Troegle also credited Tyson Strauser, the team’s industry mentor, for helping the students sharpen their analysis and prepare for the demands of the competition.
By advancing to the in-person round, Baylor’s students earned the chance to present and defend their investment thesis on a regional stage while showcasing the rigor of their research and preparation. Their accomplishment reflects both the team's strength and the high standard of work required to advance in one of the most respected student competitions in finance.
