Weekly Reputation Index Metrics

The RepuStars® Variety Corporate Reputation Index calculated by Dow Jones Indexes is the first-ever composite equity index based on a quantitative value strategy informed by the Steel City Re corporate reputation ranking metrics. The metrics comprise non-financial indicators of reputational value. The RepuStars Variety Index has two versions: a total returns index and a price index, whose ticker symbols are, respectively, REPUVART and REPUVAR.  Click here for real time quotes.

Analysis

Greece voted, disaster was averted, the markets celebrated, the markets crashed, and then came Friday. Is this any way to run a capital market? RepuStars is a value-based algorithm driven by expectations. What do expectations look like when the world turns upside down weekly? Still, Repustars Variety is outperforming the S&P500 for the calendar year.

Turning to companies who appear to have been undervalued at the start of this calendar year, the greatest gains in the 2012 RepuStars portfolio are being reported by Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) with a year-to-date climb of 66.92%. American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) is in second place at 41.06% for the year. In third place, Questcor Pharmaceuticals takes the prize returning for the year 43.88%. These are three of the 38 firms identified by the RepuStars Variety algorithm at the start of the year as value opportunities.

Side Note: A description of the 2012 portfolio constituents can be obtained here: click here.

Weekly Update

At the close of trading June 22, 2012, REPUVART and REPUVAR stood at 2705.79 and 2335.71 respectively. Over the past four weeks, the former has changed by 0.81%, while the latter has changed by 0.64%. The benchmark S&P500 Composite Index stood at 1162.83 (31 Dec 2001=1000) and has changed over the past four weeks by 1.31%.

Over the trailing twelve months, REPUVART and REPUVAR have, respectively, changed by 2.44% and 0.97% respectively; the S&P500 Composite Index has changed by 5.25%. Since January 2009, the REPUVART and REPUVAR have changed by 116.23% and 103.38% respectively; the S&P 500 Composite Index has changed by 43.27%. Other interval changes in the magnitude of the indices are shown below.

Background

The RepuStars Variety Corporate Reputation Index is the first index based on a quantitative model for analysts, investors, and company managers to help demonstrate the impact of reputation on corporate equity prices. The companies selected for the RepuStars Variety Index are chosen algorithmically to capture the disparity between value at which a company is currently trading and its value as calculated by Steel City Re’s reputational metrics.

The RepuStars Variety Corporate Reputation Index tracks up to 57 company stocks that appear to be underpriced relative to their metrics as measured by Steel City Re’s proprietary Corporate Reputation Rank™, which tracks 7000 companies weekly. In using the RepuStars Index as an investment strategy, investors can take advantage of this price disparity. The principles behind Steel City Re's reputation metrics are discussed in the book, Mission:Intangible (see below).

The RepuStars indices are reconstituted annually in the first week of January and posted by Dow Jones Indexes in the third week. The Indices were last reconstituted 20 Jan 2012.  Click here for additional information on the index.

Reputation, Risk and Finance

Reputation management through superior control of a company's intangible assets may be one of the best paths to value creation today. If it is not on your agenda, perhaps it should be. Here are several things you can do right now to start creating value for your organization:

1. Become better informed. Participate in our regular Mission Intangible Monthly Briefings held on the first Friday of every month or read the book, Mission: Intangible. Managing risk and reputation to create enterprise value, available at the IAFS Store, specialty finance sector retailers, or other leading online book retailers. 
2. Become a member of the Intangible Asset Finance Society and engage.
3. Join our community on Linked-In and stay in the information flow.

Notices

STEEL CITY RE and REPUSTARS are registered trademarks of C. Huygens & Co. LLC and are used under license. Investment products based on the RepuStars Variety Corporate Reputation Indexes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Technology Option Capital, LLC, C. Huygens & Co, LLC, Steel City Re, LLC, or their respective affiliates and none of Technology Option Capital, LLC, C. Huygens & Co, LLC, Steel City Re, LLC and their respective affiliates make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. Inclusion of a company in any of the indexes in this piece does not in any way reflect an opinion of Technology Option Capital, LLC, C. Huygens & Co, LLC, Steel City Re, LLC or any of their respective affiliates on the investment merits of such company. None of Technology Option Capital, LLC, C. Huygens & Co, LLC, Steel City Re, LLC or any of their respective affiliates is providing investment advice in connection with these indexes. The RepuStars Variety Corporate Reputation Indexes are calculated by Dow Jones Indexes, the marketing name and the licensed trademark of CME Index Services, LLC. (CME Indexes). Dow Jones Indexes is a service mark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. (Dow Jones). Investment products based on the RepuStars Variety Corporate Reputation Indexes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by CME Indexes, Dow Jones or their respective affiliates, and CME Indexes, Dow Jones and their respective affiliates make no representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s).