The Daily Dow
Friday, October 24, 1997
by Robert Sheard

LEXINGTON, KY. (Oct. 24, 1997) -- Today's a bit of an administrative paper-shuffling day. Specifically, I've altered the format of the two files we archive in the Dow Statistics Center. Use the links in this column to visit these two files and place them in your favorite places (or bookmarks) so that you can visit them regularly.

The first file is the Current Dow Order. In the past, I've updated this file only once per week, but I'm going to see if it's feasible to do so daily from now on. Included in this file are two lists for the top yielders, one sorted in order by yield, the other by stock price (that is, in Beating the Dow order). In addition, I list all thirty Dow stocks with their current prices, annual dollar dividends, and dividend yields. On any evening, then, you will be able to pick up the current rankings as of that day's closing bell. (One caution, though. Occasionally a stock price will move a fraction after I've downloaded "final" quotes for the day. You may find a stock listed in this file with a slightly different price than you find on your own quote service later in the evening.)

The second file is our 1997 Dow Returns file. This is the one whose format I've revised the most today. Each Friday afternoon, I'll update this file using data through Wednesday's close. (I get the data from an electronic database which is why it's current through Wednesday.) This file includes the 1997 year-to-date returns for the list of High Yield and Beating the Dow stocks from January 1, the three major market indices (DJIA, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite), thirteen Dow Dividend Approach variations, and all thirty individual Dow stocks. In addition, I've provided a shorthand explanation of the thirteen model variations included in the results. If you ever get confused about what those acronyms mean (just what is UV4+, anyway?), click this file and refresh your memory with the explanations there.

I hope you enjoy the new format and find the material useful. And for those of you who are Foolish Workshop followers as well, I've made some revisions to the Database and ranking system there today, too. Check them out and Fool on!

(c) Copyright 1997, The Motley Fool. All rights reserved. This material is for personal use only. Republication and redissemination, including posting to news groups, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of The Motley Fool. ________________________________


1997 Foolish Four Model
Stock  Change   Last
--------------------
T    +1  5/16  50.38
GM   -2  3/16  68.06
CHV  ---       83.50
MMM  -3 13/16  95.75

           Day   Month    Year
                  Day   Month    Year
        FOOL-4   -0.36%   6.31%  23.49%
        DJIA     -1.69%  -2.89%  19.65%
        S&P 500  -0.95%  -0.60%  27.12%
        NASDAQ   -1.22%  -2.06%  27.88%

    Rec'd   #  Security     In At       Now    Change
   1/2/97  153 Chevron       65.00     83.50    28.46%
   1/2/97  179 Gen. Motor    55.75     68.06    22.09%
   1/2/97  479 AT&T          41.75     50.38    20.66%
   1/2/97  120 3M            83.00     95.75    15.36%


    Rec'd   #  Security     In At     Value    Change
   1/2/97  479 AT&T       19998.25  24129.63  $4131.38
   1/2/97  153 Chevron     9945.00  12775.50  $2830.50
   1/2/97  179 Gen. Motor  9979.25  12183.19  $2203.94
   1/2/97  120 3M          9960.00  11490.00  $1530.00


                             CASH   $1167.51
                            TOTAL  $61745.82