What's the Lion Cub Fund?
The Lion Cub Fund is a one-credit course that provides practical experience in the in-depth equity research process. Students gain a strong foundation in analyzing individual securities—creating customized tear sheets, conducting fundamental research, and building a compelling stock thesis. Emphasis is placed on stock selection, evaluating company-specific drivers, and assessing risk-reward trade-offs. Students also learn to present a stock pitch in a professional manner. The course concludes with formal stock pitch presentations, with the Lion Cub Fund investing in the recommendations of the winning teams.
Stock Pitch Presentation
At the end of the course, students participate in formal stock pitch presentations. Each team presents a 10-15 minute investment thesis followed by a 10-minute Q&A session. All students are expected to engage critically by asking questions and voting on the strongest pitches. Teams receiving the most votes are recognized as winners, and the Lion Cub Fund will invest in their stock recommendations. This process emphasizes analytical rigor, persuasive communication, and collaborative decision-making.
Check out some of the past selected investments here.
Fixed Income Portfolio Simulation
The Fixed Income Portfolio Simulation is a one-credit course that offers practical experience in fixed income research and portfolio management. Designed to complement the equity-focused Lion Cub Fund course, it gives students hands-on exposure to bond markets and strengthens their understanding of fixed income investing. Students learn to analyze macroeconomic trends, interpret yield curve and credit spread movements, and construct ETF-based bond portfolios. The course emphasizes active portfolio positioning, benchmark comparison, and performance attribution. Students also gain experience using Bloomberg Terminals to support their research and decisions. The course concludes with a formal presentation of each team’s strategy and performance relative to the benchmark.
Check out some of the top investment teams from past semesters here.
Contact
Daniel Chan, CFA
daniel.chan@lmu.edu