Boring Portfolio

Boring Portfolio Report
Wednesday, May 1, 1996

(FOOL GLOBAL WIRE)
by Greg Markus (MF Boring)

ANN ARBOR, MI, May 1, 1996 -- The NASDAQ continued its string of record-breaking ... blah, blah, blah. Meanwhile, the Boring Portfolio made it 18 consecutive sessions ... yada, yada, yada.

You know the tune by now. Hey, I am NOT complaining. Heaven's no! This Boring consistency does make it a bit hard to come up with a catchy lead for a nightly update, though. So let's forget the opening and go straight to the stocks, focusing tonight on the Boring Portfolio's three percentage leaders to date.

In front is Prime Medical Services, which actually lost a quarter-point today but has nonetheless racked up better than a 50% gain in less than two months. Today, PMSI achieved one of the marks of entering the big leagues when the CBOE announced that it would begin offering PMSI options. We don't do much in the way of options deals here in The Motley Fool, but some investors (and traders) will certainly find this news to be of interest.

How in the world did I discover PMSI -- this modest little (kidney) stone that transformed itself into a gem virtually overnight? Answer: I didn't. MF Uptrend, our own chief nephrologist here in Fooldom, did. I follow Uptrend's commentary in Foolish Healthcare section most carefully. And when he pointed out that this was among his very best ideas, I studied it a bit more myself, agreed with his conclusion, and snapped up PMSI for the Borefolio. Uptrend (in real life, Dr. Mark Weaver) has plenty more where PMSI came from.

Holding the number two spot in the Borefolio is Borders Group. BGP gained another six-bits tonight and has risen better than 45% in just over two months. Today, Borders announced the grand opening of yet another new superstore, this time in Englewood, Colorado.

How'd I find Borders? I found it approximately 300 yards from my office, thanks. I've been going to Borders ever since they opened their first bookstore here in Ann Arbor back in 1971. If I ever needed an object lesson in Peter Lynch's idea that folks should invest in what they know, Borders is it for me. Bear in mind that it's not enough simply to like the company, however; you've got to research the stock, as well. The Motley Fool helped me learn a lot about how to do that, and it still does.

Moving into third place today is Zytec, which has gained over 27% (figured Foolishly) in the three days in which it has resided in the Borefolio. Wow. No new news on ZTEC today -- unless you want to call today's $3 3/4 gain newsworthy. Well, I suppose it is!

Where did I discover this hot little number? Right here in Fooldom, again. I read the posts by one DoJoWiz and others who joined the discussion in a little folder tucked way at the end of the stocks list. In fact, I enjoyed DoJo's commentary so much that we began our own little email conversation, which concluded with him and his wife visiting us recently when they traveled up from Tarheel country to enjoy Detroit and environs. In real life (as they say), DoJo is a successful lawyer who also happens to be one heck of a stock-picker.

Tomorrow, I'll continue down the list and discuss some of the stocks that are quietly playing their own roles in rounding out the Borefolio. Among that group is LCS Industries, which just so happened to break into the plus column today. Hooray, LCSI!

Transmitted: 5/1/96 7:08 PM

Today's Numbers

TODAY'S NUMBERS
BGP + 3/4 ...GNT + 1/8 ...LRCX - 1/4 ...LCSI + 3/4
...PMSI - 1/4 ...SHAW --- ...TXI - 3/4 ...ZTEC +3  3/4 ...
*Scroll down or expand screen for full portfolio accounting
                   Day   Month    Year  History
        BORING   +1.65%   1.65%   7.60%   7.60%
        S&P 500  +0.06%   0.06%   5.30%   5.30%
        NASDAQ   +0.77%   0.77%  15.24%  15.24%
    Rec'd  #   Security     In At       Now    Change
   3/8/96 400 Prime Medic    10.07     15.38    52.68%
  2/28/96 200 Borders Gro    22.51     32.75    45.49%
  4/29/96 200 Zytec          26.89     34.25    27.37%
  1/29/96 100 Texas Indus    54.52     63.25    16.00%
   2/2/96 200 Green Tree     30.39     33.88    11.48%
  4/12/96 300 The Shaw Gr    18.84     19.38     2.84%
  3/25/96 200 LCS Industr    26.14     26.25     0.42%
  2/23/96 100 Lam Researc    48.02     40.00   -16.70%
    Rec'd  #   Security      Cost     Value    Change
   3/8/96 400 Prime Medic  4027.49   6150.00  $2122.51
  2/28/96 200 Borders Gro  4502.49   6550.00  $2047.51
  4/29/96 200 Zytec        5377.49   6850.00  $1472.51
  1/29/96 100 Texas Indus  5449.99   6325.00   $875.01
   2/2/96 200 Green Tree   6077.49   6775.00   $697.51
  4/12/96 300 The Shaw Gr  5652.49   5812.50   $160.01
  3/25/96 200 LCS Industr  5227.49   5250.00    $22.51
  2/23/96 100 Lam Researc  4802.49   4000.00  -$802.49
                             CASH   $6087.62
                            TOTAL  $53800.12