Email this page Format for printing Reuse/Reprint

The stocks below are the ones selected as Foolish Four stocks by the RP process for each year that our database covers. Total returns for each stock are listed as well as the Foolish Four's total return (the average of the four stocks) and the Dow and S&P 500 returns for comparison. All returns include dividends and are adjusted for splits, spin-offs, mergers, etc. The stocks are listed in RP order, higher ratio first.

Things to notice:

1. Not all selected stocks are winners
   
2. The Foolish Four doesn't beat the market every year -- just most years.
   
3. On average, two-three stocks stay on for a second year -- some stay on for several years.

1999
Caterpillar	CAT	5.28%
International Paper	IP	34.12%
Morgan, J.P.	JPM	17.00%
MN, Mining & Man.	MMM	29.47%
Average Returns
Foolish 4		21.47%
S&P500		+21.04%
Dow 30		+20.57%
1997				1998
Philip Morris	MO	26.22%		General Motors	GM	19.47%
Chevron	CHV	21.77%		Eastman Kodak	EK	14.65%
Int'l Paper	IP	10.63%		Chevron	CHV	8.42%
Morgan, J.P.	JPM	19.32%		Exxon Corp	XON	20.02%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		19.49%		Foolish 4		15.64%
S&P500		33.36%		S&P500		28.70%
Dow 30		22.33%		Dow 30		15.99%
1995				1996
Philip Morris	MO	65.79%		Texaco	TX	30.70%
Morgan, J.P.	JPM	49.00%		Philip Morris	MO	26.15%
Texaco	TX	35.45%		Morgan, J.P.	JPM	23.49%
Exxon Corp	XON	37.94%		Exxon Corp	XON	25.89%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		47.05%		Foolish 4		26.56%
S&P500		37.43%		S&P500		23.07%
Dow 30		36.69%		Dow 30		24.32%
1993				1994
IBM	IBM	18.11%		Westinghouse	WX	-6.73%
Union Carbide	UK	38.52%		Union Carbide	UK	27.07%
American Express	AXP	22.50%		American Express	AXP	12.78%
Eastman Kodak	EK	41.90%		Texaco	TX	-2.75%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		30.26%		Foolish 4		7.59%
S&P500		9.99%		S&P500		1.31%
Dow 30		17.91%		Dow 30		3.73%
1991				1992
Sears	S	57.00%		American Express	AXP	24.10%
General Motors	GM	-4.82%		Union Carbide	UK	63.10%
Union Carbide	UK	31.34%		General Motors	GM	10.56%
Allied Signal	ALD	55.71%		Sears	S	22.01%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		34.81%		Foolish 4		29.94%
S&P500		30.55%		S&P500		7.67%
Dow 30		30.36%		Dow 30		11.00%
1989				1990
USX, Inc.	X	27.86%		Allied Signal	ALD	-15.76%
Chevron	CHV	57.21%		Union Carbide	UK	-27.18%
Texaco	TX	37.69%		Sears	S	-28.06%
AT&T	T	66.64%		Eastman Kodak	EK	0.58%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		47.35%		Foolish 4		-17.61%
S&P500		31.49%		S&P500		-3.17%
Dow 30		31.95%		Dow 30		-9.14%
1987				1988
Texaco	TX	3.40%		Primerica	PRM	16.65%
USX, Inc.	X	49.49%		Allied Signal	ALD	13.93%
AT&T	T	16.63%		General Motors	GM	37.94%
General Motors	GM	2.06%		Sears	S	19.79%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		17.89%		Foolish 4		22.08%
S&P500		5.23%		S&P500		16.81%
Dow 30		15.72%		Dow 30		13.78%
1985				1986
Union Carbide	UK	107.16%		Chevron	CHV	29.07%
Chevron	CHV	31.36%		AT&T	T	7.41%
AT&T	T	34.16%		Goodyear Tire	GT	43.47%
Goodyear Tire	GT	26.60%		Exxon Corp	XON	38.72%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		49.82%		Foolish 4		29.67%
S&P500		32.16%		S&P500		18.47%
Dow 30		30.98%		Dow 30		21.87%
1983				1984
Texaco	TX	24.90%		Texaco	TX	4.96%
American Can	AC	60.24%		Standard Oil, CA	SD	-3.96%
Woolworth	Z	44.85%		AT&T	T	26.13%
Standard Oil, CA	SD	16.88%		American Can	AC	14.07%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		36.72%		Foolish 4		10.30%
S&P500		22.51%		S&P500		6.27%
Dow 30		35.35%		Dow 30		-0.12%
1981				1982
Goodyear Tire	GT	16.12%		Woolworth	Z	50.96%
American Can	AC	24.27%		Sears	S	81.39%
Johns Manville	JM	-32.48%		Exxon Corp	XON	3.64%
AT&T	T	30.74%		Goodyear Tire	GT	91.52%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		9.66%		Foolish 4		56.88%
S&P500		-4.91%		S&P500		21.41%
Dow 30		-3.30%		Dow 30		19.80%
1979				1980
Texaco	TX	25.50%		US Steel	X	51.25%
Woolworth	Z	33.81%		du Pont	DD	12.93%
Owens Illinois	OI	22.91%		General Motors	GM	-1.62%
U S Steel	X	-11.41%		Bethlehem Steel	BS	34.22%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		17.70%		Foolish 4		24.20%
S&P500		18.44%		S&P500		32.42%
Dow 30		15.63%		Dow 30		25.29%
1977				1978
Westinghouse	WX	8.41%		Goodyear Tire	GT	1.01%
Int'l Harvester	HR	-4.07%		Woolworth	Z	12.30%
American Can	AC	5.62%		Texaco	TX	-5.45%
Goodyear Tire	GT	-21.79%		Int'l Harvester	HR	31.73%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		-2.96%		Foolish 4		9.89%
S&P500		-7.18%		S&P500		6.56%
Dow 30		-12.58%		Dow 30		2.53%
1975				1976
Woolworth	Z	136.20%		Texaco	TX	23.56%
Westinghouse	WX	41.70%		Int'l Harvester	HR	49.68%
Goodyear Tire	GT	73.64%		American Can	AC	33.47%
Anaconda Co.	A	23.28%		Standard Oil, CA	SD	45.00%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		68.71%		Foolish 4		37.93%
S&P500		37.20%		S&P500		23.84%
Dow 30		44.25%		Dow 30		29.36%
1973				1974
US Steel	X	24.82%		Johns Manville	JM	26.02%
General Foods	GF	-9.74%		Goodyear Tire	GT	-7.84%
American Brands	AMB	-16.56%		American Can	AC	18.88%
Allied Chemical*	ACD	71.63%		United Aircraft	UA	42.95%
Bethlehem Steel*	BS	16.26%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		17.28%		Foolish 4		20.00%
S&P500		-14.66%		S&P500		-26.47%
Dow 30		-10.86%		Dow 30		-15.64%
1971				1972
Bethlehem Steel	BS	35.33%		American Can	AC	-1.24%
US Steel	X	0.78%		US Steel	X	7.30%
Int'l Harvester	HR	13.64%		AT&T	T	25.03%
Allied Chemical	ACD	29.20%		Int'l Harvester	HR	35.29%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		19.74%		Foolish 4		16.59%
S&P500		14.31%		S&P500		18.98%
Dow 30		9.10%		Dow 30		16.69%
1969				1970
US Steel	X	-14.60%		Bethlehem Steel	BS	-10.41%
Int'l Harvester	HR	-24.78%		US Steel	X	-0.29%
American Brands	AMB	-3.53%		Anaconda Co.	A	-25.12%
Int'l Paper	IP	9.28%		Chrysler	C	-20.99%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		-8.41%		Foolish 4		-14.20%
S&P500		-8.50%		S&P500		4.01%
Dow 30		-9.27%		Dow 30		5.04%
1967				1968
Chrysler	C	86.40%		US Steel	X	8.96%
Int'l Paper	IP	27.00%		Int'l Harvester	HR	9.26%
Am. Tobacco	AT	7.24%		Int'l Paper	IP	22.31%
US Steel	X	15.65%		Woolworth	Z	32.84%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		34.07%		Foolish 4		18.34%
S&P500		23.98%		S&P500		11.06%
Dow 30		21.75%		Dow 30		10.11%
1965				1966
Bethlehem Steel	BS	18.21%		Am. Tobacco	AT	-12.86%
American Can	AC	32.28%		Bethlehem Steel	BS	-19.31%
Woolworth	Z	16.29%		Woolworth	Z	-33.73%
Int'l Paper	IP	-3.42%		Allied Chemical	ACD	-25.67%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		15.84%		Foolish 4		-22.89%
S&P500		12.45%		S&P500		-10.06%
Dow 30		17.31%		Dow 30		-15.08%
1963				1964
Am. Tobacco	AT	1.28%		Bethlehem Steel	BS	12.31%
Int'l Paper	IP	27.99%		United Aircraft	UA	54.07%
Anaconda Co.	A	23.17%		American Can	AC	3.71%
Johns Manville	JM	22.02%		Westinghouse	WX	28.53%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		18.62%		Foolish 4		24.66%
S&P500		22.80%		S&P500		16.48%
Dow 30		22.98%		Dow 30		17.94%
1961				1962
Bethlehem Steel	BS	10.73%		United Aircraft	UA	27.51%
United Aircraft	UA	17.22%		Int'l Harvester	HR	0.29%
Int'l Harvester	HR	26.07%		American Can	AC	2.70%
Standard Oil, NJ	J	28.00%		Standard Oil, NJ	J	21.04%
Average Returns				Average Returns
Foolish 4		20.50%		Foolish 4		12.89%
S&P500		26.89%		S&P500		-8.73%
Dow 30		22.74%		Dow 30		-7.25%

* In 1973, Allied Chemical and Bethlehem Steel had identical dividends and closing prices, and thus identical RP ratios. Since there was no way to distinguish between the two stocks, both were included, making that year's Foolish Four a Foolish Five.

A complete performance listing of all Dow stocks is in the the Dow Dividend Spreadsheet, available in Foolmart. The spreadsheet also shows the returns of a number of other popular and/or new Dow Investing Strategies.