Thus, as a backdrop for this upcoming speech and continuing a much deserved tribute to Bernanke's key role in helping the US avoid a Deep, Prolonged Financial Depression, I think it would be helpful to update just what has been going on with Stock Market Prices for Companies in each US State since March 6, 2009, the lowest point for the overall US Stock Market resulting from the aftershocks of the horrific late 2008 US Financial Meltdown, through the most recent date March 18, 2015......a roughly six year period of time.
Long-term Audited Earnings From Continuing Operations Under US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) drive Long-Term Changes in Stock Market Prices. These Company Earnings crashed with the late 2008 US Financial Meltdown and thus the linked Stock Market Prices of the related Companies also crashed.
But since the 2008 US Financial Meltdown, these Earnings have been consistently exceptional and thus the Stock Market Prices of the related Companies have also consistently exploded upwardly in the past six years.
This is the dilemma faced by the current US Fed ..... raise US interest rates or continue former US Fed Chair Ben Bernanke's economic policies which have continued to spur Company Earnings and thus also Company Stock Market Prices.
I think the current US Fed should tweak Bernanke's economic policies some to try to more effectively deal with income and wealth inequality, but why in the world would you want to alter them significantly since they have been so incredibly successful?
And the US Congress, and frankly also US Companies, just have to do a much better job addressing income and wealth inequality.
Illinois Companies stock market prices have been on absolute fire in the past 4 1/2 months. They experienced spectacular average stock market price growth of 601% for the 6 years since March 6, 2009 through the most recent date March 18, 2015. This average growth since March 6, 2009 was a substantially lower but still superb 553% only 4 1/2 months ago.
Illinois Companies spectacular 601% average stock market price increase in the past six years is the second highest, just behind Ohio's 619%, so far of all US States with at least 100 Companies included in the latter part of the alphabet (I through Z).
Chicago Metro Area Companies had an even more spectacular 649% average stock market price growth in the past 6 years.
Sixteen Chicago Metro Area Companies had more than Ten-Bag stock market price appreciation in the past 6 years ...... and five of them had more than Thirty-Bag stock market price appreciation in the past 6 years
Below here are the 111 Illinois Headquartered Companies with Stock Market Caps now above $100 mil and which have had their common stocks trading from December 31, 2007, or early in 2008 for companies first going public then, through the most recent date March 18, 2015, or the date the Companies were sold, if they were sold since the beginning of 2014.
| Market | Market | Market | ||||||
| Price | Price | Price | ||||||
| % | % | % | ||||||
| Change | Change | Change | ||||||
| Market | Market | Market | 3-6-09 | 12-31-07 | 12-31-07 | |||
| Price | Price | Price | to | to | to | |||
| Illinois Company | HQs | 3-18-15 | 3-6-09 | 12-31-07 | 3-18-15 | 3-6-09 | 3-18-15 | |
| $s | $s | $s | ||||||
| Chicago Metro Area Company | ||||||||
| General Growth Properties | Chicago | IL | 30.94 | 0.33 | 41.18 | 9276% | -99% | -25% |
| Tenneco | Lake Forest | IL | 57.04 | 0.86 | 26.07 | 6533% | -97% | 119% |
| KapStone Paper & Packaging | Northbrook | IL | 32.75 | 0.75 | 3.50 | 4267% | -79% | 836% |
| Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrances | Bolingbrook | IL | 150.99 | 4.40 | 17.15 | 3332% | -74% | 780% |
| Akorn | Lake Forest | IL | 48.15 | 1.53 | 7.34 | 3047% | -79% | 556% |
| Brunswick | Lake Forest | IL | 52.29 | 2.18 | 17.05 | 2299% | -87% | 207% |
| Manitex Intl | Bridgeview | IL | 9.25 | 0.46 | 6.07 | 1911% | -92% | 52% |
| Coleman Cable | Waukegan | IL | 26.25 | 1.44 | 9.45 | 1723% | -85% | 178% |
| United Continental | Chicago | IL | 68.10 | 3.94 | 35.66 | 1628% | -89% | 91% |
| Strategic Hotels & Resorts | Chicago | IL | 12.63 | 0.77 | 16.73 | 1540% | -95% | -25% |
| Sparton Corp | Schaumburg | IL | 23.75 | 1.50 | 4.94 | 1483% | -70% | 381% |
| Methode Electronics | Chicago | IL | 45.67 | 3.37 | 16.44 | 1255% | -80% | 178% |
| Middleby | Elgin | IL | 107.23 | 7.99 | 25.54 | 1243% | -69% | 320% |
| Century Aluminum | Chicago | IL | 14.61 | 1.10 | 53.94 | 1228% | -98% | -73% |
| Material Sciences Corp | Elk Grove Village | IL | 12.74 | 1.00 | 7.43 | 1174% | -87% | 71% |
| Discover Financial Services | Riverwoods | IL | 58.95 | 4.95 | 15.08 | 1091% | -67% | 291% |
| Littelfuse | Chicago | IL | 98.46 | 9.54 | 32.96 | 932% | -71% | 199% |
| Catamaran | Lisle | IL | 49.80 | 5.01 | 3.63 | 895% | 38% | 1274% |
| Jones Lang LaSalle | Chicago | IL | 164.46 | 16.99 | 71.16 | 868% | -76% | 131% |
| Hillshire Brands | Chicago | IL | 62.96 | 7.08 | 16.06 | 789% | -56% | 292% |
| First Industrial Realty Trust | Chicago | IL | 21.40 | 2.51 | 34.60 | 753% | -93% | -38% |
| Packaging Corp America | Lake Forest | IL | 79.66 | 9.92 | 28.20 | 703% | -65% | 182% |
| ACCO Brands | Lake Zurich | IL | 7.51 | 1.10 | 16.04 | 583% | -93% | -53% |
| Taylor Capital Group | Rosemont | IL | 21.05 | 3.10 | 20.40 | 579% | -85% | 3% |
| John B Sanfilippo | Elgin | IL | 37.16 | 5.58 | 8.42 | 566% | -34% | 341% |
| CNA Financial | Chicago | IL | 41.52 | 6.98 | 33.72 | 495% | -79% | 23% |
| USG Corp | Chicago | IL | 25.39 | 4.29 | 35.79 | 492% | -88% | -29% |
| VASCO Data Security | Oakbrook Terrace | IL | 23.85 | 4.09 | 27.92 | 483% | -85% | -15% |
| Orbitz Worldwide | Chicago | IL | 11.81 | 2.17 | 8.50 | 444% | -74% | 39% |
| Motorola Solutions | Schaumburg | IL | 66.65 | 12.70 | 16.04 | 425% | -21% | 316% |
| Boeing | Chicago | IL | 155.73 | 30.10 | 87.46 | 417% | -66% | 78% |
| Zebra Technologies | Lincolnshire | IL | 85.82 | 16.69 | 34.70 | 414% | -52% | 147% |
| CF Industries | Deerfield | IL | 294.80 | 60.59 | 110.06 | 387% | -45% | 168% |
| Allstate | Northbrook | IL | 70.62 | 14.55 | 52.23 | 385% | -72% | 35% |
| Kemper Corp | Chicago | IL | 39.62 | 8.34 | 47.99 | 375% | -83% | -17% |
| Wintrust Financial | Rosemont | IL | 47.60 | 10.05 | 33.13 | 374% | -70% | 44% |
| Equity Residential | Chicago | IL | 80.41 | 17.09 | 36.47 | 371% | -53% | 120% |
| IDEX Corp | Lake Forest | IL | 77.02 | 17.53 | 36.13 | 339% | -51% | 113% |
| Beam Suntory Inc | Deerfield | IL | 83.47 | 19.07 | 72.36 | 338% | -74% | 15% |
| United Stationers | Deerfield | IL | 40.00 | 9.25 | 23.11 | 333% | -60% | 73% |
| Ingredion Inc | Westchester | IL | 79.29 | 18.46 | 36.75 | 330% | -50% | 116% |
| Calamos Asset Management | Naperville | IL | 12.89 | 3.05 | 29.78 | 323% | -90% | -57% |
| GATX | Chicago | IL | 60.08 | 14.70 | 36.68 | 309% | -60% | 64% |
| LKQ Corp | Chicago | IL | 24.31 | 6.10 | 10.51 | 299% | -42% | 131% |
| John Bean Technologies | Chicago | IL | 35.04 | 8.85 | 14.00 | 296% | -37% | 150% |
| Hospira | Lake Forest | IL | 87.72 | 22.21 | 42.64 | 295% | -48% | 106% |
| Walgreens Boots Alliance | Deerfield | IL | 87.18 | 22.09 | 38.08 | 295% | -42% | 129% |
| AMCOL Intl | Hoffman Estates | IL | 45.74 | 11.59 | 36.03 | 295% | -68% | 27% |
| Federal Signal | Oak Brook | IL | 15.54 | 3.99 | 11.22 | 289% | -64% | 39% |
| WW Grainger | Lake Forest | IL | 238.41 | 61.45 | 87.52 | 288% | -30% | 172% |
| PrivateBancorp | Chicago | IL | 35.91 | 9.57 | 32.65 | 275% | -71% | 10% |
| Illinois Tool Works | Glenview | IL | 99.81 | 26.80 | 53.54 | 272% | -50% | 86% |
| Equity LifeStyle Properties | Chicago | IL | 56.64 | 15.29 | 22.84 | 271% | -33% | 148% |
| Ventas | Chicago | IL | 71.50 | 20.41 | 45.25 | 250% | -55% | 58% |
| Merge Healthcare | Chicago | IL | 4.51 | 1.31 | 1.19 | 244% | 10% | 279% |
| Dover | Downers Grove | IL | 72.10 | 22.32 | 46.09 | 223% | -52% | 56% |
| Treehouse Foods | Oak Brook | IL | 85.63 | 26.56 | 22.99 | 222% | 16% | 272% |
| RR Donnelley & Sons | Chicago | IL | 18.80 | 5.87 | 37.74 | 220% | -84% | -50% |
| Stepan Company | Northfield | IL | 40.38 | 12.90 | 16.27 | 213% | -21% | 148% |
| MB Financial | Chicago | IL | 31.21 | 10.17 | 30.83 | 207% | -67% | 1% |
| Great Lakes Dredge & Dock | Oak Brook | IL | 5.88 | 1.92 | 8.72 | 206% | -78% | -33% |
| Arthur J Gallagher | Itasca | IL | 47.74 | 15.68 | 24.19 | 204% | -35% | 97% |
| Anixter Intl | Glenview | IL | 78.09 | 25.90 | 62.27 | 202% | -58% | 25% |
| Schawk | Des Plaines | IL | 20.80 | 6.94 | 15.52 | 200% | -55% | 34% |
| AAR Corp | Wood Dale | IL | 32.87 | 10.99 | 38.03 | 199% | -71% | -14% |
| Stericycle | Lake Forest | IL | 140.51 | 47.74 | 59.40 | 194% | -20% | 137% |
| Lifeway Foods | Morton Grove | IL | 19.41 | 6.82 | 11.83 | 185% | -42% | 64% |
| First Midwest Bancorp | Itasca | IL | 17.34 | 6.28 | 30.60 | 176% | -79% | -43% |
| CME Group | Chicago | IL | 98.99 | 36.49 | 137.20 | 171% | -73% | -28% |
| Morningstar | Chicago | IL | 75.59 | 28.79 | 77.75 | 163% | -63% | -3% |
| Cabot Microelectronics | Aurora | IL | 48.53 | 19.06 | 35.91 | 155% | -47% | 35% |
| InnerWorkings | Chicago | IL | 6.60 | 2.62 | 17.26 | 152% | -85% | -62% |
| Hub Group | Downers Grove | IL | 39.89 | 15.87 | 26.58 | 151% | -40% | 50% |
| Mondelez | Deerfield | IL | 35.02 | 14.15 | 21.35 | 148% | -34% | 64% |
| Oil-Dri Corp America | Chicago | IL | 31.51 | 13.11 | 21.94 | 140% | -40% | 44% |
| Abbott Laboratories | Abbott Park | IL | 47.39 | 22.44 | 26.87 | 111% | -16% | 76% |
| FreightCar America | Chicago | IL | 30.35 | 14.52 | 35.00 | 109% | -59% | -13% |
| PCTEL | Bloomingdale | IL | 8.80 | 4.31 | 6.86 | 104% | -37% | 28% |
| Old Republic Intl | Chicago | IL | 15.26 | 7.66 | 15.41 | 99% | -50% | -1% |
| Tootsie Rolls Industries | Chicago | IL | 33.40 | 17.33 | 22.96 | 93% | -25% | 45% |
| McDonald's | Oak Brook | IL | 97.00 | 52.12 | 58.91 | 86% | -12% | 65% |
| Inland Real Estate | Oak Brook | IL | 10.75 | 6.12 | 14.16 | 76% | -57% | -24% |
| Lawson Products | Chicago | IL | 24.84 | 14.25 | 37.92 | 74% | -62% | -34% |
| Heidrick & Struggles Intl | Chicago | IL | 24.36 | 14.00 | 37.11 | 74% | -62% | -34% |
| BankFinancial Corp | Burr Ridge | IL | 12.74 | 7.54 | 15.82 | 69% | -52% | -19% |
| Huron Consulting Group | Chicago | IL | 66.76 | 40.75 | 80.63 | 64% | -49% | -17% |
| Northern Trust | Chicago | IL | 71.31 | 47.38 | 76.58 | 51% | -38% | -7% |
| Allscripts Healthcare Solutions | Chicago | IL | 11.72 | 7.93 | 19.42 | 48% | -59% | -40% |
| Heritage-Crystal Clean | Elgin | IL | 12.84 | 8.84 | 14.19 | 45% | -38% | -10% |
| Baxter Intl | Deerfield | IL | 68.55 | 51.92 | 58.05 | 32% | -11% | 18% |
| Terra Nitrogen Co. LP | Deerfield | IL | 145.79 | 118.97 | 149.53 | 23% | -20% | -2% |
| Navigant Consulting | Chicago | IL | 13.54 | 11.07 | 13.67 | 22% | -19% | -1% |
| Sears Holdings | Hoffman Estates | IL | 40.10 | 33.01 | 94.81 | 21% | -65% | -58% |
| Telephone & Data Systems | Chicago | IL | 26.13 | 23.08 | 57.59 | 13% | -60% | -55% |
| Rubicon Technology | Bensenville | IL | 4.11 | 3.93 | 23.75 | 5% | -83% | -83% |
| Inteliquent | Chicago | IL | 15.88 | 18.99 | 19.02 | -16% | 0% | -17% |
| Coeur Mining Inc | Chicago | IL | 5.19 | 6.30 | 49.40 | -18% | -87% | -89% |
| DeVry Education Group | Downers Group | IL | 36.15 | 44.19 | 51.96 | -18% | -15% | -30% |
| Landauer | Glenwood | IL | 34.80 | 50.65 | 51.85 | -31% | -2% | -33% |
| Career Education | Schaumburg | IL | 5.75 | 20.80 | 25.14 | -72% | -17% | -77% |
| Average % Change all 100 Chicago Area | 649% | -56% | 92% | |||||
| Downstate Illinois Company | ||||||||
| Horace Mann Educators Corp | Springfield | DS | 33.25 | 6.46 | 18.94 | 415% | -66% | 76% |
| Deere | Moline | DS | 89.32 | 25.51 | 93.12 | 250% | -73% | -4% |
| Caterpillar | Peoria | DS | 81.33 | 23.23 | 72.56 | 250% | -68% | 12% |
| Titan Intl | Quincy | DS | 9.62 | 3.33 | 25.01 | 189% | -87% | -62% |
| Richardson Electronics | Lafox | DS | 9.09 | 3.17 | 7.01 | 187% | -55% | 30% |
| Consolidated Communications | Mattoon | DS | 21.29 | 8.38 | 19.90 | 154% | -58% | 7% |
| Aptar Group | Crystal Lake | DS | 63.95 | 25.55 | 40.91 | 150% | -38% | 56% |
| RLI Corp | Peoria | DS | 52.07 | 21.88 | 28.40 | 138% | -23% | 83% |
| Archer Daniels Midland | Decatur | DS | 47.17 | 25.96 | 46.43 | 82% | -44% | 2% |
| First Busey | Champaign | DS | 6.55 | 6.15 | 19.86 | 7% | -69% | -67% |
| First Mid-Illinois Bancshares | Mattoon | DS | 19.72 | 19.90 | 26.05 | -1% | -24% | -24% |
| Average % Change all 11 Downstate | 165% | -55% | 10% | |||||
| Average % Change all 111 Illinois | 601% | -56% | 84% | |||||
