Russell Wilson: Zillow Inc (NASDAQ:Z)
Sources: Larry Maurer and Zillow.com.
A two-star high school recruit, the under-sized Russell Wilson has seemingly been doubted every step of the way. After a solid senior college season at Wisconsin, Wilson came into the league with questions surrounding his physical makeup and ability and was drafted as a backup to newly signed Seattle starter Matt Flynn.
Zillow Inc (NASDAQ:Z), an online real estate marketplace, went public in 2011 as the United States was recovering from the biggest financial crisis in decades, at the heart of which was the collapse in residential real estate. It saw many investors flee from the stock following a disappointing earnings release last November, and questions surrounding its ability to overtake the entrenched real estate market swirled.
Despite the many doubters, both of these Seattle-based underdogs have responded with incredible success. In his first year, Wilson led the Seahawks to the divisional playoffs. Zillow Inc (NASDAQ:Z) has seen its stock price rise by almost 230% this year as it continues to make headway in the real estate market.
While each is young, early performance indicates there could be many years of upper-echelon performance ahead of them. Or perhaps their success was due to their surroundings — a great defense for Wilson, and a roaring recovery in the real estate market for Zillow.
Cam Newton: Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE:COF)
Sources: Pantherfan11 and Capital One annual report.
Both Cam Newton and Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE:COF) are household names that need little introduction. One is a Heisman Trophy winner, national champion, first overall pick, and rookie of the year, and the other is one of the most recognized and advertised credit card providers on the planet.
Yet each is in the midst of a transition. Cam Newton came into the league as primarily a running quarterback and begins his third year with a charge from his general manager to stay in the pocket more and transform his game to a more traditional style. At the same time, through acquisitions, Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE:COF) has slowly transformed its business to comprise more traditional banking operations and not exclusively credit cards. If both parties can thrive in their new model, investors and fans will undoubtedly cheer loudly.
Are you ready for some football?
With these five comparisons in mind, we hope you enjoy the upcoming football season. Remember that while investing may seem like something for the only the Wall Street elite, it bears many similarities to other parts of our lives that we deal with every day — like football!
The article 5 Companies and Their NFL Quarterback Equivalents originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Patrick Morris.
Patrick Morris owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Tesla Motors, Walt (NYSE:DIS) Disney, and Zillow.
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