The Motley Fool: The Boring Portfolio

ANN ARBOR, MI (August 28) -- Ouch! The recent bout of weakness in the Boring Portfolio continued, with Boring stocks going 0 for 9 in Wednesday's session, clipping nearly a full percentage point off the Borefolio's net asset value. Yikes! A few more weeks of this and our 1996 gains could end up almost as low as those of the vast majority of mutual funds!

It was another Market-Lite session today, with fewer than 300 million shares changing hands on the NYSE. The Dow rose one whole point. The S&P 500 lost less than two points. The Nasdaq, helped by strength in a number of computer-related issues, managed a decent five-point gain, however.

There is little if any news on Boring stocks today. I see that Borders will be holding a grand opening this week-end at their new store in Beaverton, Oregon. Angelina Ballerina (one of my daughter's childhood favorites) will be there, along with the Portland String Quartet and a variety of other entertainment.

Prime Medical experienced a continuation of yesterday's churning, on heavy volume of 254,000 shares. Like the Noble Duke of York, PMSI has climbed right up to the top of the hill ... and climbed back down again -- nearly back to where I acquired the stock (of what was then a far smaller business) in March. Fair value is $7 or $8 up the hill from here, so I continue to watch and wait for PMSI to find forward gear again. Oy. It's not as painful as having a kidney stone (which I've been told is about the worst pain one can endure), but I admit to having had more enjoyable experiences than watching PMSI's recent skittering.

Cisco lost $ 5/8 today, too. I don't know if traders are concerned about the Fool Port's 3Com muscling in on Cisco's turf or not, what with all the publicity the past couple of days about 3Com's internal restructuring. I suspect there's ample turf for both. And I congratulate Tom and David on a fine selection for their portfolio.

Not even a feature story in today's Investor's Business Daily on Cisco's CEO John Chambers helped the stock. Despite the generally fluffy nature of the article, one quote from it bears repeating: "'My office is 12-by-12 like all the others,' said the boyish Chambers in a small conference room he shares with two other executives. 'We all fly coach, or we all fly business class. We have no reserved parking, except for customers.'" Music to Boring ears.

Man, even Shaw Group got cross-threaded today. And Carlisle -- Carlisle!? -- shed $1 1/4. Yeesh.

Two trading days left in August -- assuming anyone shows up on Friday. A 4.18% return for the month to date is really nothing to complain about, I suppose. But it would be nice to head into the Labor Day holiday on an up note, nonetheless. Would someone please wake up the Borefolio? Those stocks can sleep all through the long week-end, but right now it's time to go to work.

TODAY'S NUMBERS

BGP - 1/4 ...CSL -1 1/4 ...CSCO - 5/8 ...GNT - 1/2 ...OXHP - 1/4 ...PMSI - 1/4 ...SHAW - 1/8 ...SPY -11/64...TXI - 1/8 ...

*Scroll down or expand screen for full portfolio accounting

Day Month Year History

BORING -0.92% 4.18% 9.14% 9.14%

S&P 500 -0.24% 3.88% 6.95% 6.95%

NASDAQ +0.42% 6.79% 10.85% 10.85%

Rec'd # Security In At Now Change

4/12/96 100 The Shaw Gr 18.84 31.88 69.17%

2/28/96 200 Borders Gro 22.51 33.00 46.59%

1/29/96 100 Texas Indus 54.50 66.13 21.33%

2/2/96 200 Green Tree 30.39 36.38 19.70%

3/8/96 400 Prime Medic 10.07 10.88 8.01%

7/23/96 100 S&P Deposit 64.15 66.66 3.91%

8/13/96 100 Carlisle Co 52.65 53.63 1.85%

6/26/96 100 Cisco Syste 53.90 54.38 0.88%

5/24/96 100 Oxford Heal 48.02 46.50 -3.18%

Rec'd # Security Cost Value Change

2/28/96 200 Borders Gro 4502.49 6600.00 $2097.51

4/12/96 100 The Shaw Gr 1884.16 3187.50 $1303.34

2/2/96 200 Green Tree 6077.49 7275.00 $1197.51

1/29/96 100 Texas Indus 5449.99 6612.50 $1162.51

3/8/96 400 Prime Medic 4027.49 4350.00 $322.51

7/23/96 100 S&P Deposit 6414.99 6665.63 $250.64

8/13/96 100 Carlisle Co 5264.99 5362.50 $97.51

6/26/96 100 Cisco Syste 5389.99 5437.50 $47.51

5/24/96 100 Oxford Heal 4802.49 4650.00 -$152.49

CASH $4428.44

TOTAL $54569.07