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    By the Numbers

    Will Kate Upton Predict a Stock Rally in 2012?

    The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue billboard is unveiled in New York's Times Square.
    Gustavo Caballero | FilmMagic | Getty Images
    The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue billboard is unveiled in New York's Times Square.

    The 2012 Sports Illustrated issue was revealed Monday, featuring 19-year-old American model and actress, Kate Upton, on this year's magazine cover.

    Could the cover of the most profitable single-issue magazine franchise in the world be a barometer for the stock market? CNBC.com looked at the market performance in years when the magazine cover featured a blonde versus a brunette.

    The models' hair color was gauged from the Sports Illustrated website, dating back to 1964.

    >> QUIZ: Test Your Swimsuit Issue IQ

    49 covers from 1964 until now:

    • 25 blonde covers — average annual return of Dow 10 percent, S&P 10.9 percent
    • Note: The covergirl from 2008, Marissa Miller, is a blonde and the Dow and S&P fell 34 and 39 percent, respectively
    • 20 brunette covers — average annual return of Dow 2.2 percent, S&P 2.3 percent
    • 3 covers with multiple models of varied hair color
    • 1 cover with a redhead

    Additionally, the models' nationality may also yield an interesting result. Since 1978, the S&P 500 posted an average return of 14.3 percent when an American was on the cover of the magazine versus an 10.8 percent increase when a model from another country was selected, according to Bespoke Investment Group.


    The following pages contain the Sports Illustrated covers associated with the best market years.

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    Top Swimsuit Issue Covers by Market Performance

    Cheryl Tiegs
    Source: Sports Illustrated
    Cheryl Tiegs

    1975 - Cheryl Tiegs

    Dow: Up 38.3%

    S&P 500: Up 31.5%

    1995_Daniela.jpg
    Source: Sports Illustrated

    1995 - Daniela Pestova

    Dow: Up 33.5%

    S&P 500: Up 34.1%

    Paulina Porizkova
    Source: Sports Illustrated
    Paulina Porizkova

    1985 - Paulina Porizkova

    Dow: Up 27.7%

    S&P 500: Up 26.3%

    Kathy Ireland
    Source: Sports Illustrated
    Kathy Ireland

    1989 - Kathy Ireland

    Dow: Up 27.0%

    S&P 500: Up 27.3%

    1996_Tyra_Banks_Valeria_Mazza.jpg
    Source: Sports Illustrated

    1996 - Tyra Banks and Valeria Mazza

    Dow: Up 26.0%

    S&P 500: Up 20.3%















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