Companies & stocks supported by Colby students

A few weeks ago, I published an article regarding Canada Goose jackets, the company, and its stock. This was prompted by observing the consumer habits of many Colby students, as these jackets are worn quite consistently on campus. As I thought more about this article, though, I wondered: what other companies, and stocks, are supported by the consumer habits of Colby students and other college students?

When first thinking about this, a few companies immediately come to mind.

The first of these is Apple. Many college students, especially at Colby, use MacBook laptops for educational purposes; any stroll through Miller library on a weekday will quickly reveal this. Also, most students have iPhones for personal use, as well as AirPods to accompany these phones.

Apple is the top choice for technology amongst college students, and this stronghold on the educational technology market has undoubtedly been profitable to the company over the past few years. Over the past five years, Apple's stock has risen over 400%, and some of this success can be attributed to the demand from students for Apple technology.  

A second company that is a favorite of Colby students is Patagonia, the outdoor clothing retailer. Just as Apple laptops can be seen in Miller, a walk around Colby's campus on a fall day will allow one to observe many articles of Patagonia clothing, ranging from down jackets to baseball hats.

Unlike Apple, Patagonia is not a publicly-traded company, so there is no Patagonia stock to examine in terms of performance over the past few years. What can be examined, though, are Patagonia's revenue estimates since 2013. These estimates show that since 2013, the company's revenue has nearly doubled, increasing from roughly $550 million to well over $1 billion in 2019. 

A portion of this revenue increase can certainly be attributed to college students, especially students who attend colleges in locations where temperatures drop significantly in the winter months, like Colby. Students wear Patagonia clothing because of its quality, but also for the company logo, which has a certain status attributed to it, like the logo of Canada Goose. Patagonia is undoubtedly a favorite amongst Colby students for these reasons, and that is likely true of many New England colleges and universities.

Lastly, one company that Colby students consistently support is Amazon. This is not as apparent on campus as Apple or Patagonia, as students do not walk around wearing gear from Amazon, yet Colby students' dependence upon this company is astoundingly clear in the student mailroom, located beneath the bookstore. 

At any point throughout the week, this room is filled to almost the ceiling with boxes, most of which come from Amazon. Especially given the COVID-19 pandemic, students this semester are opting to have items delivered to Colby rather than venturing into Waterville to get things that they need.

Amazon has performed incredibly well over the last few years, with CEO Jeff Bezos' net worth climbing to nearly 200 billion dollars due to the rapid increase in Amazon's stock price. This increase is certainly due to higher demand for delivered packages, but this encompasses much more than college students having items shipped to their respective schools.

Of course, there are many other companies and stocks that are supported by Colby and other college students. Apple, Patagonia, and Amazon are just a few that are especially visible on campus.

Going forward, I recommend that students interested in investing in the stock market pay attention to what companies they and their friends consistently support and examine these companies' stocks. In the words of Peter Lynch, a legendary investor: "Your investor's edge is not something you get from Wall Street experts. It's something you already have. You can outperform the experts if you use your edge by investing in companies or industries you already understand."

So, if you keep an eye out for companies you use or understand or those commonly used at Colby, you just might outperform the experts in the market. 

Food for thought, at least. 

~Sam Leathe `21