Ross Mayfield has created an interesting Flickr group called Parking Lot Indicatr. The idea: Have people take pictures during non-business hours of parking lots at public companies under the theory that it means something:
Off-hour parking lot density is a leading indicator of stock performance. Post pictures of parking lots of publicly traded companies anytime except 9to5 M-F.
While I have yet, ahem, to see any refereed research on Ross’s theory, I have espoused it too — and I love the application. More seriously, this sort of idea fits in with my peer-to-peer weather musings here — how about peer-to-peer equity research? I wouldn’t necessarily rely on other people’s financial analysis, but I would happily see whatever primary data they can collect.
Related posts:
I bet you’d see a ton of cars after hours in
the various Google parket lots. But Iwouldn’t
buy the stock with Your money.
disclosure: short goog
I guess it is time for a P2P Equities Wiki if there isn’t one already.