It's everyone's favorite time of year again-- Trader Monthly's 30 Under 30, a "coming-out party for the market's newest crop of up-and-comers," is finally here. Who is 2008's Zachary Michaelson? You tell us (who on the list is lying about the matter of their employment at Fortress or the like). Who is going to give 2006 nominee Tim Sykes a run for his (Bar Mitzvah) money? We haven't gone through the whole thing yet, but we think Christopher Davis, 14, might be up for the job.
Davis, who just started high school this week, began trading at the age of 11 when he bought a bunch of shares of Peapack-Gladstone Bank. He's up more than 90 percent on his own money and still holds those first shares. And he says things like "they have very few non-performing loans and pay a nice dividend," and, of the adult members of his school's formal investment committee, whose meetings he sits on, "I like to keep them on their toes," which sounds like something Sykes would say but in this case doesn't come off so Sykeish so much as it warms the cockles of our heart. Also, it's common knowledge that little kids posing (a la exhibit A to your left) and acting (a la: "Christopher often shows up to my office to discuss investment ideas with the Wall Street Journal in his hand," said adviser Sam Goldfischer) like adults is downright adorable.
Christopher says his father Paul, who manages portfolios for high-net-worth clients at Oppenheimer and Co. is his inspiration, and the elder Davis probably won't allow his son to devolve into the world of rabid self-promotion and calling the SEC "rapists," so the likelihood of a duel for territory is probably pretty slim. But you know someone's reading the TM profile and gnashing his teeth (and later, after the meth problem, gums) at the thought of it. And before you starting calling us out for instigating, please recall last year's fight between Sykes and Trader Monthly over the issue of not being invited to a party, and realize they've been planning this shit ever since.
30 Under 30: The Freshman [Trader Monthly]
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:13AM
Sham- Wow First.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:14AM
I am the CEO of a hedge fund. What is Trader Monthly?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:15AM
Bess - Did Tim break up with you?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:17AM
@3- has db ever written favorably about tim sykes? that's what i thought.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:19AM
NPL's... gnom gnom gnom
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:22AM
never trust anyone under 30.
ever.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:29AM
lol@ 6.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:38AM
Is getting your name and picture in the magazine the same as getting a tattoo on your forehead that says D-bag? Also, do they follow-up on these prodigies to see where they are 5 years later?
Posted by Anal_yst , Sep 04, 2008 11:39AM
Back from like '94-'00 I was up something like 10,000% on my bar mitzvah money, BFD tell this kid to give it more than 3 years to start bragging about his market clairvoyance and braggadacio (sp?) regarding their "non-performing loans".
Just cus you've reached a 9th grade reading level and can legally purchase Barrons does not mean you have any idea wtf you are talking about, son.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:40AM
@anal_yst- he's 14. chill.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:41AM
They need to start including the relationship status of these guys in their article.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:43AM
golddigger@11?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:45AM
30 biggest cock gobblers under 30.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:45AM
Speaking of relationships....
how does that Mexican guy on Squawk Box get a pass?
I mean, whose nephew is he?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:48AM
25 from last years crew of d-bags are probably unemployed.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 11:53AM
@ 12 - A girl can dream, can't she?
Posted by Suits , Sep 04, 2008 11:54AM
Not that it was all that great to begin with, but including a 14 year old (hell, including a 23 year old) on the 30<30 means they've jumped the shark.
Next year I imagine one of the 30<30 will have a baby while trading.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:03PM
@ 17 - Maybe the e-trade baby?
@12 - 11 here. Not a gold digger, but there is definitely something very sexy about a successful, intelligent and ambitious guy, but personality would absolutely trump all of those things (except for maybe ambition).
Posted by HAM05 , Sep 04, 2008 12:03PM
@13 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbxjfeymLas
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:04PM
Does Tom like Mayo?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:18PM
Trader's Monthly is a joke. Being included as part of that list is proof that a) you are not a true trader and have little idea of what you're doing; b) most likely a "day-trader" (hence, have little idea of what you're doing); c) are a major toolbag
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:18PM
how come no one ever talks about gaining 14,000% on their first communion money?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:23PM
Is a bat wing part of the award ceremony?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:25PM
The problem with this list is Trader's Monthly doesn't fact check. Any douchebag can nominate himself, saying he works for some LLC (which he or she started) and has gotten 150% returns on his baseball card money that he sold to a neighborhood boy. Really? Wow! You are one of the top 30 traders in the world under 30, forget SAC, DE Shaw, Goldman...You are it!
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:27PM
I know a few prop traders that were nominated, and when contacted by the mag, they immediately refused acknowledgement. I wouldn't really say it's career suicide, but real traders become the subject of major ridicule on the floor, and well, pretty much most of Wall Street.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:28PM
a big joke indeed.... i know of one guy on the list ..the number 5 man on a four man desk
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:44PM
Fuck that, I shorted the fuck out of Bear while they collapsed and made over 8 million dollars. I'm 4 years old and dictating this post to my secratary.
Posted by BSD , Sep 04, 2008 12:44PM
For those wondering...
http://www.traderdaily.com/magazine/article/22349-5.html
Zack Michaelson, 27, became a controversy magnet last summer following his departure from his rates-trading gig at Fortress -- an occurrence we learned of only after we'd gone to press with Michaelson [poor fact checking, indeed] among eight traders on our cover. He soon landed at Graham Capital in Rowayton, Connecticut -- but upon further review, he no longer works there, either.
As someone who's been quoted in Trader Monthly before I can say that it gets a mixed response on the desk. That being said SOME of the guys they profile, are quite legitimate and excellent traders. Also, it never hurts to get good press so long as you have nothing to hide as it does help lure in investors, especially if you're dealing with less astute midwest pesnion managers or LA HNW types who love a glossy picture.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 12:49PM
I saw this a few minutes ago. I would blow my head off with a shotgun before I put myself in this thing, career suicide. This mag has no credibility anyway, no trader worth his salt reads it. I mean Sykes was in it for chrissakes. Zack Michaelson, etc, the list goes on and on
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:07PM
I would blow my head off with a shotgun if I were Tim Sykes.... hint hint
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:14PM
Who is the biggest fraud on this year's list in everyone's opinion? Anyone know anyone on this list personally?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:22PM
i know a few people on the list...all said "by no means put me on that list". some even threatened legal action, but appeared on the list anyway
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:24PM
Most of these traders aren't on Wall Street and aren't legit. Even if I was some no-firm trader in the midwest and used a "direct trading software" application from my random office, I'd kill myself before I ever allowed my name on this list.
Repeat 31's comment - who is the biggest joke on this year's list (besides the 14-yr old)?
Posted by a dead horse , Sep 04, 2008 1:25PM
Tim Sykes doesn't have a throne
That's like saying someone is the new top hobo on Wall Street, replacing the crazy lady who screams "Handsome, can you help me get some foooooood?"
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:28PM
Curious to get the opinion of any females that actually read this....does anyone find a guy being on this list to be an actual turn on?
Posted by Anal_yst , Sep 04, 2008 1:32PM
Not that I'm defending some practices employed in the piece, but I read it this morning and the ones who work @ Goldman, one or two @ other legit firms appear to be ok, as others have pointed out, the ones who work outa their parent's basement probably shoulda been left off
Posted by Anal_yst , Sep 04, 2008 1:34PM
oh, and @ 10
I traded too when I was his age, you clearly didn't read my post (or understand it), so let me explain it to you my daft (or hungover - i'll give you the benefit of the doubt) friend:
The kid shorts some 2-bit bank at a time when even the ones with the best balance sheets and risk management (if there is sucha thing) are getting crushed, and is somehow a genius for doing so?
Hardly.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:42PM
Seems like alotta big name HFs are on there...Tudor, Magnetar, BAM, Harbinger, etc....?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:44PM
@38- not to mention Goldman Sachs
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:47PM
@35 BUMP!
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 1:56PM
How did the E-trade baby not make the list? This list is b.s.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 2:24PM
how does this rag fact-check what these guys make (read: claim to make) each year? If these kids are nominating themselves to the list, are they not just making up comp #s as well?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 2:44PM
42 - EXACTLY
Posted by BSD , Sep 04, 2008 2:48PM
@35 - See 18 and 11.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 3:10PM
@12 you still around?
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 4:11PM
@11/18 - too bad very few on this list are actually intelligent, successful, or ambitious. More like day traders moving portolios with a whopping $100,000 total value from their parents' computers.
But if you're interested, Christopher Davis might be single.
Posted by TimothySykes , Sep 04, 2008 4:47PM
haha i love it, let the kids play...but now he's gotta dethrone me from the top of Covestor:
http://www.covestor.com/rankings/portfolio?showselector=1
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 5:37PM
It was only a matter of time before Tim Sykes chimed in. There is nothing more pathetic than Sykes trying to defend his non-existent credibility on DB.
I'm completely convinced that Bess is getting some sort of kick back for the constant Sykes promotion. There's no good reason why I should ever be subjected to Sykes content on DB. It went from funny to annoying in about a week. We know he's a loser, but just let it go. Don't feed the idiot animals.
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 6:30PM
@48 - Thank you! I think the rest of Wall Street that frequent this site agrees with you.
DB - let him go, it's becoming sad...
Posted by guest , Sep 04, 2008 8:53PM
@34. Can you give me some money for a hot dooooog?
God I just wanna pay a guy in a van to kidnap her and throw her out in Texas, where she will surely be killed.