PORTLAND, Maine — A new measure of Maine’s economic well-being from Husson University shows the end of the year is looking up for the state — at least, for its publicly traded companies.
The university’s business school has selected 28 companies with headquarters or operations in the state and created its Husson Stock Index to track the standing of those companies with investors.
By the end of the year, the index was up to an all-time high, led by a strong rise in bank stock prices at Bar Harbor Bankshares and Bank of America.
Investors trade shares of seven Maine-based companies, but many more that are closely scrutinized by investors and analysts have an impact on the state’s economy.
Those companies include Bangor Gas owner Gas Natural Inc., Hannaford owner Delhaize Group and other national retailers with a presence in the state, including Home Depot and Lowe’s.
“The companies in this price-weighted index are either based in Maine or have an influence on our state’s economy through employment, the number of consumers they serve, or their overall presence,” said associate professor J. Douglas Wellington in a press release. “When combined with analysis, this measurement tool provides students with a better understanding of Maine’s business climate.”
The seven Maine-based companies in the index are Idexx, in Westbrook; Wex, in South Portland; ImmuCell, in Portland; Camden National Bank; Bar Harbor Bankshares; First Bancorp, in Damariscotta; and Northeast Bancorp, in Lewiston.
The other companies include: athenahealth, Colgate-Palmolive, Darden Restaurants, General Dynamics, Hilton, McDonald’s, Penn National Gaming, PepsiCo, Rite Aid, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Time Warner Cable, UPS, Unum, Valero and Wal-Mart.