Summary:
Why did Blackstone Inc. join the S&P 500?
References:
Additional Information about Blackstone Inc. (BX):
Blackstone Inc. is a leading global investment business, providing a wide range of investment and advisory services to institutional and retail investors worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Private Equity, Real Estate, Hedge Fund Solutions, and Credit & Insurance. Blackstone's diverse portfolio includes investments in private equity, real estate, public debt and equity markets, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets, and secondary funds.
Blackstone's inclusion in the S&P 500 index on September 18, 2020, replaced Lincoln National Corp. The decision to include Blackstone in the index was made by S&P Dow Jones Indices, which announced the change as part of its quarterly rebalancing. The S&P 500 index is a stock market index that measures the stock performance of 500 large companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. Companies are selected for inclusion in the index based on their market capitalization, liquidity, and other factors.
Blackstone's inclusion in the S&P 500 index is significant because it increases the company's visibility and credibility among investors. Being part of the index also means that Blackstone's stock will be included in many index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the S&P 500, which can lead to increased demand for the stock and potentially higher prices. In addition, Blackstone's broad product diversification and organic growth prospects look encouraging, which may have contributed to its selection for the S&P 500. The company's strong performance and reputation as a leading global investment business likely played a role in its inclusion in the index.
Blackstone's history dates back to 1985 when it was founded by Peter G. Peterson and Stephen A. Schwarzman. The company has grown significantly over the years, expanding its operations and diversifying its portfolio. Today, Blackstone is one of the world's largest alternative asset managers, with over $619 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2020. The company's investment strategies span a wide range of industries and sectors, including technology, healthcare, energy, and consumer goods.
Blackstone's inclusion in the S&P 500 index is a testament to its strong financial performance and reputation as a leading global investment business. The company's diverse portfolio and organic growth prospects have likely contributed to its selection for the index. By joining the S&P 500, Blackstone gains increased visibility and credibility among investors, which can lead to higher demand for its stock and potentially higher prices. Additionally, being part of the index means that Blackstone's stock will be included in many index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the S&P 500, further increasing its exposure to investors.
In conclusion, Blackstone Inc. (BX) is a leading global investment business that joined the S&P 500 index on September 18, 2020. The company's strong financial performance, diverse portfolio, and reputation as a leading global investment business likely played a role in its inclusion in the index. Being part of the S&P 500 provides increased visibility and credibility among investors, which can lead to higher demand for Blackstone's stock and potentially higher prices.
When it comes to college admissions essays, students should aim to use all of the allotted word count to make their case. If the maximum word count is 650 words, applicants should not write 500 words. They should write 650 words or pretty close to it. This applies not only to the Common Application Personal Statement but also to supplemental essays and short answer questions. Students should go up to the maximum character count in these opportunities to differentiate themselves from other talented applicants. In short, students should not just name their favorite movie; they should say why concisely. The official upper limit in acceptable length on the Common App essay is 650 words. A well-thought-out and well-developed essay of any true substance is not only not possible in 250 words, it's barely possible in 450 words. This is why none of my students have ever submitted a Common App essay consisting of fewer than 450 words. The true sweet spot in Common Application essay writing, for this current year's prompts and prompts going back over a decade, is 500 to 650 words. This was even the case a few years ago when the Common App limited students to a mere 500 words. That experiment lasted for such a short time because colleges were getting such transparently superficial essays that they were a waste of time and effort for students and lacking in any valuable insight helpful to college admissions officers. Think of a 500- to 650-word essay as a smooth and enjoyable flight from D.C. to Disney World. In 500 to 650 words students have the space they need to achieve proper cruising altitude: writing a strong introductory paragraph that both grabs readers' attention and clearly states the essay's thesis. Next, just as one wants to have an enjoyable in-flight experience with the fasten seatbelt light off and flight attendants passing out drinks and snacks, so too does a 500- to 650-word essay allow readers to relax a bit. In 500 to 650 words students are able to produce non-rushed, non-turbulent, highly valuable descriptive and specific body paragraphs that go a long way toward proving the essay's thesis. Finally, landing a plane takes great skill, as does writing a conclusion to a college application essay. It's not a simple rehash of the lift off (inclusive of a thesis statement); it should be complementary to it. Students who have 500 to 650 words to work with are able to smoothly touch down in a way that nicely tops off of the entire flying/essay reading experience. At the end of the day, admissions officers read your essays because they want to fly the friendly skies with you into your world. 500 to 600 words allows you to give them a proper flying experience and gives you the words necessary to differentiate your world from the world of other applicants. In order to produce a great final draft essay, your rough drafts should be even longer than 650 words. It's very common for students to write 800- to 1,000-word rough drafts and then edit them down to 650 words. This process allows students to include all of the details they want to include and then edit out the less important details, leaving only the most important and impactful details in the final draft. In conclusion, when it comes to college admissions essays, students should aim to use all of the allotted word count to make their case. By doing so, they can differentiate themselves from other talented applicants and increase their chances of being admitted to their dream schools.