Boring Portfolio Report
Monday, December 30, 1996

by Greg Markus (MF Boring)

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Dec. 30) -- The execution of some late-afternoon "sell" programs sent stocks lower in an otherwise uneventful holiday-season session. The Dow lost 11.5 points, snapping its string of consecutive gains at eight. The S&P 500 fell 0.38%, while the Nasdaq dropped 0.29%.

The Boring Portfolio lost 0.92%, with seven of nine holdings slipping on relatively low trading volume. The Boring "tech" holdings of Cisco, Oracle, and Solectron extended Friday's losses. Cisco slipped $3/4, Oracle lost $1 1/8, and Solectron fell $1 1/2. With today's loss, Solectron joins Oracle as a net loser for the Borefolio, albeit just barely.

The trade newspaper Electronic Buyers' News, unveiled its Hot 25 list of executives "who made their mark on the electronics industry this year." According to the press release, these 25 are the "movers and shakers who distinguished themselves and their companies during a particularly tough year for the computer and electronics industry." The full list may be found at http://techweb.cmp.com/ebn/hot25/.

I mention this because the leaders of all three Boring technology holdings made the list. They are: Cisco Chairman John Chambers, Oracle President and CEO Larry Ellison, and Solectron Chairman Ko Nishimura.

Congratulations, guys. Now if the stocks of your companies are as "hot" in 1997 as you were this year, I'll be a happy man.

There were two winners in the Borefolio today. Despite some mixed reports from the retail sector, Borders continues to click along at the front of the Borefolio. Borders booked a $ 3/8 gain today on comparatively good volume of 114,000 shares.

Carlisle Companies was the other winner. Ahead of a scheduled twofer split on Thursday, CSL rose $ 7/8 to clear the $60 barrier and establish a new all-time high at $60 3/8.

Tomorrow, Boring heads back to the frozen north from San Diego. It's been just wonderful here. Unbeknownst to me when I booked my reservation, the Hyatt where I'm ensconced is also home to the University of Colorado football team and about a zillion Buffaloes and Buffalettes, here in town for tonight's Holiday Bowl football game. They face the Washington Huskies, who mushed their way down from Seattle to thaw out at the Marriott next door.

Anyhow, the big event yesterday afternoon was the appearance on the hotel's front lawn of Colorado's mascot, Ralphie the Buffalo. For those of you who may not know Ralphie, this ain't no guy dressed up in a buffalo suit -- no San Diego Chicken or such. Ralphie is a honest to goodness buffalo. And she (yup, it's a she) didn't appear all that happy penned up in an enclosure about the size of a Honda.

Nevertheless, Ralphie stood there, doing what Buffaloes tend to do in the grass, while folks came up and had their pictures taken with her. Dee-lightful.

Kick-off time is just a couple of hours from now. I hope for the sake of my hotel-mates that Colorado fares better than they did against Michigan earlier this year. (Sorry. I had to work that in here somehow.)

As for myself, I ended up buying the bike I tried out on Saturday. Did you know that aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber cost more than gold? Neither did I. Man, I sure hope this bull market holds together a while longer.

Stock  Change    Bid
--------------------
BGP   +  3/8   36.13
CSL   +  7/8   60.38
CSCO  -  3/4   64.88
GNT   -  7/8   38.75
ORCL  -1 1/8   41.63
OXHP  -  1/8   57.75
PMSI  -  1/4   11.00
SLR   -1 1/2   53.13

                   Day   Month    Year  History
        BORING   -0.92%  -3.50%  15.55%  15.55%
        S&P 500  -0.38%  -0.42%  21.27%  21.27%
        NASDAQ   -0.29%  -0.38%  23.71%  23.71%

    Rec'd   #  Security     In At       Now    Change

  2/28/96  200 Borders Gr    22.51     36.13    60.47%
   2/2/96  200 Green Tree    30.39     38.75    27.52%
  6/26/96  100 Cisco Syst    53.90     64.88    20.36%
  5/24/96  100 Oxford Hea    48.02     57.75    20.25%
  8/13/96  100 Carlisle C    52.65     60.38    14.67%
   3/8/96  400 Prime Medi    10.07     11.00     9.25%
 12/23/96  100Tidewater I    46.52     46.25    -0.59%
 10/15/96  100 Solectron     54.52     53.13    -2.57%
 11/21/96  100 Oracle Cor    48.65     41.63   -14.44%

    Rec'd   #  Security     In At     Value    Change

  2/28/96  200 Borders Gr  4502.49   7225.00  $2722.51
   2/2/96  200 Green Tree  6077.49   7750.00  $1672.51
  6/26/96  100 Cisco Syst  5389.99   6487.50  $1097.51
  5/24/96  100 Oxford Hea  4802.49   5775.00   $972.51
  8/13/96  100 Carlisle C  5264.99   6037.50   $772.51
   3/8/96  400 Prime Medi  4027.49   4400.00   $372.51
 12/23/96  100Tidewater I  4652.49   4625.00   -$27.49
 10/15/96  100 Solectron   5452.49   5312.50  -$139.99
 11/21/96  100 Oracle Cor  4864.99   4162.50  -$702.49

                             CASH   $5999.08
                            TOTAL  $57774.08



Transmitted: 12/30/96