The Boring Portfolio

Boring Portfolio Report
Friday, November 29, 1996

by Keith Pelczarski (MF Czar)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., November 29, 1996 -- In today's holiday-shortened trading session, the Boring Portfolio gained 0.19%, capping a 1.12% gain for the week. The Borefolio's gain lagged the performances of the S&P 500 (+0.27) and the Nasdaq Composite (+0.41%). On the week, the S&P was up slightly less (+1.11%) than Boring, while the Nasdaq Composite gained slightly more (+1.44%).

My information-gathering efforts yielded nothing today -- not one word of news regarding Boring stocks was to be found on the wires. The only excitement today was in Oxford Health (Nasdaq: OXHP), which rose $ 1 3/8 to $57 7/8 on no news that this Fool could find. Other than that, there wasn't anything to add the least bit of spice to this recap. While I don't have much to say about the Borefolio today, I do have some things to say about today -- the Friday after Thanksgiving.

It just doesn't get any less exciting than this. In perfect counterpoint to the chaotic, frenzied atmosphere in shopping venues all across the country, the stock market was sluggish and, well, boring. The volume on the NYSE was a mere 149.8 million shares, less than half of what we've come to expect from the big board. The Friday following Thanksgiving is well-known as the highest-volume day for retail shopping; less renowned is the fact that this particular Friday is the lowest-volume day for equity shopping.

It's almost as if this day occupies a spot in the Bizzaro world, where everything is backwards. The usually sedate aisles of retail outlets are teeming with people shouting and jostling for the best deals, while the normally frenetic trading floor on the NYSE probably did business today with muzak piped in to enhance the shoppers', er... traders' experience. Imagine the trading post for Borders Group (NYSE: BGP) -- today it probably resembled one of the bookseller's outlets, with traders sipping coffee and browsing through magazines. The stock ended the day unchanged at $36 1/2.

Now that I think about it, Fool HQ was sucked into the Bizzaro world today, too. The normally crowded and bustling office is eerily quiet, as only a third of us came into the office today. Maybe the others are out shopping. Hey, what a novel idea -- maybe I'll go look for some gifts. On second thought, I think I'll take the Boring route, fluff a pillow and sleep off some of yesterday's turkey -- no need to rush things. Heck, there are still 25 shopping days left.

Boring will be back on Monday, and I, for one, will be very happy to see his return.

Transmitted: 11/29/96

Stock  Change    Bid
--------------------
BGP   ---      36.50
CSL   -  3/8   57.50
CSCO  ---      67.88
GNT   ---      41.88
ORCL  -  1/8   49.00
OXHP  +1 3/8   57.88
PMSI  ---      11.38
SLR   +  1/4   58.50

                   Day   Month    Year  History
        BORING   +0.19%   6.65%  19.74%  19.74%
        S&P 500  +0.27%   7.34%  21.78%  21.78%
        NASDAQ   +0.41%   5.82%  24.17%  24.17%

    Rec'd   #  Security     In At       Now    Change

  2/28/96  200 Borders Gr    22.51     36.50    62.13%
   2/2/96  200 Green Tree    30.39     41.88    37.80%
  6/26/96  100 Cisco Syst    53.90     67.88    25.93%
  5/24/96  100 Oxford Hea    48.02     57.88    20.51%
   3/8/96  400 Prime Medi    10.07     11.38    12.97%
  8/13/96  100 Carlisle C    52.65     57.50     9.21%
 10/15/96  100 Solectron     54.52     58.50     7.29%
 11/21/96  100 Oracle Cor    48.65     49.00     0.72%


    Rec'd   #  Security     In At     Value    Change

  2/28/96  200 Borders Gr  4502.49   7300.00  $2797.51
   2/2/96  200 Green Tree  6077.49   8375.00  $2297.51
  6/26/96  100 Cisco Syst  5389.99   6787.50  $1397.51
  5/24/96  100 Oxford Hea  4802.49   5787.50   $985.01
   3/8/96  400 Prime Medi  4027.49   4550.00   $522.51
  8/13/96  100 Carlisle C  5264.99   5750.00   $485.01
 10/15/96  100 Solectron   5452.49   5850.00   $397.51
 11/21/96  100 Oracle Cor  4864.99   4900.00    $35.01

                             CASH  $10570.94
                            TOTAL  $59870.94



Transmitted: 11/29/96