Introduction Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion Merrill

Introduction Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion Merrill Lynch Direct Features and Functionality of Tracker, News, and Quotes Compared to Free Financial Portals Thomas J. Bahnck Management Science & Information Systems Penn State University Client Access Group Intern Merrill Lynch Direct

Introduction Why Compare MLD and Financial Portals? Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion • • Offer several similar features Portals openly accessible with larger audience Functionality more comprehensive on portals Feedback from IFR draws comparisons of MLD and free sites • Usability testing suggests clients complement online broker with Yahoo! Finance, CBS Market. Watch, etc.

Introduction Project Overview Tracker Quotes News What Do Our Clients Say? - from IFR Conclusion • “Why does the tracker feature not reflect stock splits automatically? ” - MSN Money. Central automatically updates • “Improve the news references and get them all. I have to go to Yahoo’s screens to see what is going on. ” - Yahoo! Finance has 16 sources • “I have had several requests about adding the Dow Industrial, S&P 500, American Exchange composite to the tracker quotes” (from FC) Smart. Money. com has multiple indices

Introduction Project Overview Tracker Quotes News MLD Site Statistics Conclusion As of July 21, 2000: • 3, 148, 050 Requests for Tracker (19% of hits to Research) • 64, 086, 266 Requests for Quotes (40% of hits to site) • 3, 325, 510 Requests for News (21% of hits to Research) • =All vital areas of Merrill Lynch Direct

Introduction Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion MLD Tracker Analysis • Merrill Lynch lags far behind - only 16 data items available compared to an average of 38. 7 and max of 65 (MSN Money. Central) • Lacks basic data items such as Earnings/Share, 52 -Week High/Low, p/e ratio • Unable to track cash • Offers only 2 views, Market Data and Performance, while other sites add Historical, Tax, Industry. . . • Cannot customize views • Will not account for splits, commissions, or dividends

Introduction The Competitions’ Trackers - MSN Money. Central Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion “Several Clients have requested stock names instead of only symbols on tracker” - IFR “In addition to showing cumulative profit/loss, show daily profit/loss for the entire portfolio” - IFR

Introduction The Competitions’ Trackers - CNNfn Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion “Allow us to create our own performance of our account” - IFR

Introduction Project Overview Quotes Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion • Merrill Lynch level with competitors - has 5 basic features compared to average of 4. 3 and 21 data items versus average of 18. 3 • Offer better integration with other areas of the site: “It would be a lot easier if the quote page had my Watch List symbols across the top as links” (-IFR) • 5 -Minute chart does not use real-time data • Cannot add symbol directly to tracker

Introduction The Competitions’ Quotes - CNBC Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion Indices Integration Additional Features

Introduction Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Functionality Conclusion • MLD news sources limited with only 3 providers compared to average of 7. 5 and max of 16 (Yahoo! Finance) • Lacks keyword search • Cannot view news for all holdings in one screen • Mixes news articles with press releases • Java dialog box complicates navigation from tracker

Introduction Yahoo! Finance News Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion Filter by source

Introduction Project Overview Tracker Quotes News Conclusion MLD News

Introduction Project Overview Summary Tracker Quotes News Conclusion TRACKER • Needs more data items, customization, and greater functionality • Increase max number of trackers • Provide integration with ML research and opinion changes QUOTES • On par, but could better integrate with other features NEWS • Need more providers • Expand filter and search capability • Provide a view containing news items for entire tracker/portfolio