Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website

Students from the Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University secured second place at the Alpha Seekers Invitational, an equity research competition modeled after CFA standards and hosted by Pace University on November 8, 2025. The event featured teams from several universities, including Pace University, Rutgers University, Auburn University, and Trinity College.

The St. John’s team consisted of Vincent Luscher, Ava Weege, Kyle Wo, and Ezgi Yasar. Their presentation focused on Sphere (SPHR), for which they developed a detailed investment thesis using fundamental analysis, comparative ratios, and a discounted cash flow model to determine intrinsic value. This approach enabled them to progress through the preliminary round into the final stage.

During the finals, they presented their findings to a panel that included representatives from J.P. Morgan, Bloomberg, Egan-Jones, Spear Ventures, 2nd GenPartners, Cooley LLP, and Vanguard. Professor André de Souza from St. John’s served as a guest judge.

Team member Ezgi Yasar explained the competition format: “We first pitched our stock idea to judges in 10-minute sessions, and after advancing to the final round, presented to the full panel. Our pitch included an in-depth company background, fundamental analysis, relative valuation using key ratios, and an intrinsic valuation through a detailed DCF model to forecast the stock’s upside potential.”

Vincent Luscher shared his experience: “The biggest lesson was learning how to stand by our ideas; checking our numbers, fixing weak spots, and explaining our pitch clearly even when scrutinized. It showed us that strong analysis and confidence go hand in hand."

The Alpha Seekers Invitational is designed for undergraduate students who are tasked with evaluating small- to mid-cap companies under real market conditions while delivering persuasive stock recommendations before industry professionals.

St. John’s officials congratulated the team members for their achievement and noted that their performance demonstrates both the quality of Tobin’s finance curriculum and its focus on practical learning experiences.