Fool.com: Dow Performance Numbers (Foolish Four) August 12, 1998

<THE FOOLISH FOUR>

Dow Performance Numbers
by Robert Sheard

LEXINGTON, KY. (August 12, 1998) -- Let's look at some performance numbers for the thirty Dow stocks, for all of you who are relative strength fans like I am. Unfortunately, the Dow stocks haven't performed particularly well as a group for relative strength investing this year, outside of Wal-Mart <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") end if %>, at least not in our Dozens model (see today's Workshop report).

All of the returns listed here are through August 5, 1998, and include dividends.

Previous Quarter
Average Stock: -5.46%
Best Stock: 22.31% Wal-Mart <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") end if %>
Worst Stock: -28.79% Hewlett-Packard <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: HWP)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: HWP)") end if %>

Previous Six Months
Average Stock: 5.52%
Best Stock: 42.27% Wal-Mart <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") end if %>
Worst Stock: -22.62% Boeing <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: BA)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: BA)") end if %>

Previous Year
Average Stock: 10.75%
Best Stock: 69.40% Wal-Mart <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") end if %>
Worst Stock: -33.13% Boeing <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: BA)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: BA)") end if %>

Previous Three Years (Annualized)
Average Stock: 25.13%
Best Stock: 62.31% Travelers Group <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: TRV)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: TRV)") end if %>
Worst Stock: 4.20% International Paper <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: IP)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: IP)") end if %>

Previous Five Years (Annualized)
Average Stock: 23.34%
Best Stock: 44.62% Int'l Business Machines <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: IBM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: IBM)") end if %>
Worst Stock: 9.45% International Paper <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: IP)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: IP)") end if %>

Previous Ten Years (Annualized)
Average Stock: 18.93%
Best Stock: 34.65% Coca-Cola <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: KO)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: KO)") end if %>
Worst Stock: 9.78% Goodyear <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: GT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: GT)") end if %>

If you're following a relative strength method based on the past 6-month returns, here are the current top ten Dow stocks, sorted on that factor:

42.27% Wal-Mart Stores <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") end if %>
31.47% Int'l Business Mach. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: IBM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: IBM)") end if %>
27.27% McDonald's Corp. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: MCD)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: MCD)") end if %>
25.80% Eastman Kodak <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: EK)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: EK)") end if %>
24.71% Amer. Express <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: AXP)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: AXP)") end if %>
20.32% Coca-Cola <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: KO)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: KO)") end if %>
18.44% Travelers Group <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: TRV)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: TRV)") end if %>
13.66% Gen'l Electric <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: GE)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: GE)") end if %>
12.26% Morgan (J.P.) & Co <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: JPM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: JPM)") end if %>
12.12% Gen'l Motors <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: GM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: GM)") end if %>

Current Dow Order | 1998 Dow Returns

[Robert Sheard is the author of the The Unemotional Investor (Simon & Schuster, 1998) available now at Amazon.com and your local bookseller.]

08/12/98 Close

Stock Change Last -------------------- UK + 3/8 47.31 IP + 1/2 43.13 MO + 3/16 42.06 EK - 11/16 81.81

Day Month Year FOOL-4 +0.30% -2.70% 10.90% DJIA +1.06% -3.72% 8.15% S&P 500 +1.43% -3.25% 11.73% NASDAQ +1.83% -2.50% 16.25% Rec'd # Security In At Now Change 12/31/97 206 Eastman Ko 60.56 81.81 35.09% 12/31/97 291 Union Carb 42.94 47.31 10.19% 12/31/97 289 Int'l Pape 43.13 43.13 0.00% 12/31/97 276 Philip Mor 45.25 42.06 -7.04% Rec'd # Security In At Value Change 12/31/97 206 Eastman Ko 12475.88 16853.38 $4377.50 12/31/97 291 Union Carb 12494.81 13767.94 $1273.13 12/31/97 289 Int'l Pape 12463.13 12463.13 $0.00 12/31/97 276 Philip Mor 12489.00 11609.25 -$879.75 CASH $754.73 TOTAL $55448.42