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CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 4

[Scroll down for answers to today's Bonus Bucks trivia questions.]

Busy day, so commentary will be light, but here's an update on yesterday's crop of 4 extra special picks.

Collective Brands (PSS): +4.4%
AD Telecom (ADCT): +5.2%
UTi Worldwide (UTIW): +3.8%
Ulta Salon (ULTA): +9.1%
Average:  +5.6%

This is turning into a strong week.  I'll go back and check, but I think we're up to 15ish% through yesterday's close and 21ish% intraday today (including bonuses).

The weekly leader had notched up 23% as of yesterday's close, so we'd need to have another great day tomorrow to make any kind of run up the leaderboard.

Check in this afternoon for today's batch (will probably go up around 2 pm) and we'll give it a whirl.

Update:  Yep, something like 20% on the week, as of this morning's intraday trading.  To get there though, you need to have loaded at least some of your allocation with Tuesday's back ups Guess (GES) and Bob Evans (BOBE), which turned into skyrockets on Wednesday.  Those were on our list of 5 eligible earners for that day, but they were not among the 2 tagged as extra special.  The cumulative weekly performance of just the extra special picks would be a few percentage points lower.

Update:  Looks like we might get our double-digits after all.  PSS is now looking at an overnight gain of 11.8%, bringing the average up to +7.0%.

Update:  Here are today's eligible earnings reporters, for your consideration.

• The Cooper Companies (COO)
• Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO)
• Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods (WBD)
• Focus Media Holding (FMCN)
• National Semiconductor (NSM)
• Quiksilver (ZQK)
• Signet Group (SIG)

Let's give extra special consideration to those last 4 (given the amount of analyst coverage, the difference between the high and consensus analyst estimates, recent revisions to those estimates, the stock's historical volatility, the company's earnings surprise track record, today's price moves, and various subjective considerations).

Consider all of the above to be for entertainment purposes and not meant to be used as real-world investment recommendations.  The goals and strategies of the Portfolio Challenge are not to be confused with those of sensible investing.

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See all related posts in the CNBC Portfolio Challenge archive:

• Week 4:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
• Week 3:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 2:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 1:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 0:  Pre-game

• A New Fly In the Ointment
• Currency Trading Resumes
• More Technical Difficulties
• Prize Poll
• The Airing Of Grievances
• Technical Difficulties, Orders Cancelled

To receive additional updates by e-mail, drop a line here with the word "Subscribe" in the subject header.

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Thursday June 5th

Throughout the contest, each day's answers will be at the top of the CNBC Portfolio Challenge archive as soon as the questions are published, so bookmark accordingly.

Daily Trivia:

Squawk Box:  "Question: In his June 4 blog, what did Jim Goldman call "the only real issue" in the Yahoo-Microsoft drama?"

    Answer:  Fiduciary accountability

Squawk On the Street:  "Question: On June 3, George Soros said oil prices will not "crash" any time soon. What reason(s) did the billionaire cite?"

    Answer:  Prices' strong foundation

The Call:  "Question: In the slideshow, “States with the Biggest Declines and Increases in Home Prices,” where does Wyoming stand?"

    Answer:  Up 6.34%

Power Lunch: "Question: What comparison site did "On The Money" blogger Carmen Wong Ulrich recommend to help avoid hidden bank fees?"

    Answer:  Bankrate.com

Street Signs:  "Question: Doug Kass shorted Berkshire Hathaway again this week. What was his "artistic" characterization of Warren Buffett?"

    Answer:   Mozart of marketing

Closing Bell: "Question: In April's "Living With Volatility" Edward Egilinsky said "historically" a risk reduction strategy might include:"

    Answer:   Alternative investments

Comments

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 4

[Scroll down for answers to today's Bonus Bucks trivia questions.]

Busy day, so commentary will be light, but here's an update on yesterday's crop of 4 extra special picks.

Collective Brands (PSS): +4.4%
AD Telecom (ADCT): +5.2%
UTi Worldwide (UTIW): +3.8%
Ulta Salon (ULTA): +9.1%
Average:  +5.6%

This is turning into a strong week.  I'll go back and check, but I think we're up to 15ish% through yesterday's close and 21ish% intraday today (including bonuses).

The weekly leader had notched up 23% as of yesterday's close, so we'd need to have another great day tomorrow to make any kind of run up the leaderboard.

Check in this afternoon for today's batch (will probably go up around 2 pm) and we'll give it a whirl.

Update:  Yep, something like 20% on the week, as of this morning's intraday trading.  To get there though, you need to have loaded at least some of your allocation with Tuesday's back ups Guess (GES) and Bob Evans (BOBE), which turned into skyrockets on Wednesday.  Those were on our list of 5 eligible earners for that day, but they were not among the 2 tagged as extra special.  The cumulative weekly performance of just the extra special picks would be a few percentage points lower.

Update:  Looks like we might get our double-digits after all.  PSS is now looking at an overnight gain of 11.8%, bringing the average up to +7.0%.

Update:  Here are today's eligible earnings reporters, for your consideration.

• The Cooper Companies (COO)
• Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO)
• Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods (WBD)
• Focus Media Holding (FMCN)
• National Semiconductor (NSM)
• Quiksilver (ZQK)
• Signet Group (SIG)

Let's give extra special consideration to those last 4 (given the amount of analyst coverage, the difference between the high and consensus analyst estimates, recent revisions to those estimates, the stock's historical volatility, the company's earnings surprise track record, today's price moves, and various subjective considerations).

Consider all of the above to be for entertainment purposes and not meant to be used as real-world investment recommendations.  The goals and strategies of the Portfolio Challenge are not to be confused with those of sensible investing.

---

See all related posts in the CNBC Portfolio Challenge archive:

• Week 4:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
• Week 3:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 2:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 1:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 0:  Pre-game

• A New Fly In the Ointment
• Currency Trading Resumes
• More Technical Difficulties
• Prize Poll
• The Airing Of Grievances
• Technical Difficulties, Orders Cancelled

To receive additional updates by e-mail, drop a line here with the word "Subscribe" in the subject header.

---

Thursday June 5th

Throughout the contest, each day's answers will be at the top of the CNBC Portfolio Challenge archive as soon as the questions are published, so bookmark accordingly.

Daily Trivia:

Squawk Box:  "Question: In his June 4 blog, what did Jim Goldman call "the only real issue" in the Yahoo-Microsoft drama?"

    Answer:  Fiduciary accountability

Squawk On the Street:  "Question: On June 3, George Soros said oil prices will not "crash" any time soon. What reason(s) did the billionaire cite?"

    Answer:  Prices' strong foundation

The Call:  "Question: In the slideshow, “States with the Biggest Declines and Increases in Home Prices,” where does Wyoming stand?"

    Answer:  Up 6.34%

Power Lunch: "Question: What comparison site did "On The Money" blogger Carmen Wong Ulrich recommend to help avoid hidden bank fees?"

    Answer:  Bankrate.com

Street Signs:  "Question: Doug Kass shorted Berkshire Hathaway again this week. What was his "artistic" characterization of Warren Buffett?"

    Answer:   Mozart of marketing

Closing Bell: "Question: In April's "Living With Volatility" Edward Egilinsky said "historically" a risk reduction strategy might include:"

    Answer:   Alternative investments