CFA Institute Research Challenge

An educational initiative that promotes best practices in equity research among the next generation of analysts

The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition which provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis and professional ethics. Each student participant will be tested on their analytic, valuation, report writing and presentation skills and gain real-world experience as they assume the role of a research analyst.

More than 5,500 students from over 1,100 universities, 112 CFA Local Level Challenges, and 150 local hosts in 87 countries and territories with more than 3,500 dedicated member volunteers participated in the 2017-2018 CFA Institute Research Challenge.

Click here for details on how the Research Challenge works.

CFA Society Chicago is proud to host the local level of the CFA Institute Research Challenge in Chicago.

Schedule of Events

Research Challenge spans October 2018 through February 2019 and consists of the following components:

• CFA Society Chicago Research Challenge Kick-Off Webinar (October 5, 2018)

• CFA Society Chicago to officially announce Feature Company (TBD)

• CFA Society Chicago to assign each team an industry mentor (TBD)

• Mentoring by a professional Research Analyst (TBD)

• Teams finalized and registered with CFA Society Chicago and CFA Institute (TBD)

• Student Registration

• Volunteer Registration

• Student and Faculty Advisor registration deadline for Feature Company Presentation (TBD)

• Feature Company Presentation (TBD)

• Equity Research Report due to CFA Society Chicago (TBD)

• Advancing Teams Announced (TBD)

• CFA Society Chicago Local Level Competition (TBD)

• Americas Regionals (TBD)

• Global Final (TBD)

Feature Company: TBD

2017-2018 Feature Company: CDW

CDW is a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare organizations in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. A Fortune 500 company with multi-national capabilities, CDW was founded in 1984 and employs nearly 8,800 coworkers. For the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2017, the company generated net sales of nearly $15 billion.

CDW Website

CDW Stock Quote

2018 - 2019 Program (Available Soon)

Participating Universities (As of August 13, 2018)

Benedictine University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Lake Forest College
Loyola University
Northern Illinois University
Olivet University
St. Xavier University
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

QUESTIONS?

2017 – 2018 CFA Society Chicago

Local Level Winner

Illinois Institute of Technology

Read official press release

2016 – 2017 CFA Society Chicago

Local Level Winner

Illinois Institute of Technology

Read official press release