Boring Portfolio Report
Tuesday, March 25, 1997
by Jeff Fischer (MF
BudFox)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (March 25, 1997) -- The Dow lost 29.08 points on Tuesday, closing at 6876. The S&P 500 followed suit, losing 0.23 %. The Nasdaq, marching to the beat of a different drummer, climbed 0.44%.
In other words, the market closed "mixed" today as traders fretted about today's Federal Reserve Board meeting. For its part, the Boring Portfolio was also "mixed" with 4 issues up and 5 down resulting in a net gain of 0.78%.
Today started out okay. I figured that it would be a great day to write a Boring porfolio recap with it being virtually certain that Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan would raise interest rates. Well, Mr. Greenspan was glad to oblige as he raised the federal-funds rate by a quarter percent. But since the stock market expected this move, nothing really happened in the stock market, though the bond market had its share of fireworks.
Drat.
I sure can't say that I am dissapointed though -- I'll throw away the "stock market crashed today" recap I wrote last night, content in the knowledge that nobody will have to read through my elegant prose about how "it is only money".
There was some Boring news today, but not much.
OXFORD HEALTH PLANS (Nasdaq: OXHP) announced new initiatives in specialty care by reorganizing certain key products and services. In nine areas from obstetrics to oncology, Oxford will now establish teams of medical professionals to take care of patients from initial diagnosis to conclusion.
This is a different approach from their old method of doing things where Oxford simply paid physicians for the procedure times rather than the outcomes. Under the new plan, Oxford will now have a "case-based" approach that will emphasize healing and solutions.
Oxford has also announced that they will now provide a "patient profile" for consumers to compare the success rates for the procedures they are preparing to undergo.
Great idea. I wish all healthcare providers would supply "patient profiles".
Oxford closed up 1-3/4 today.
In other Boring news, two Montgomery Securities Inc. analysts said that they "liked" technology stocks. Specifically, they think that Borefolio holdings, CISCO SYSTEMS (Nasdaq: CSCO) and ORACLE CORP. (Nasdaq: ORCL) are "undervalued" -- whatever that means.
Hey, vaguer comments than these have been known to throw Wall Street traders into feeding frenzies, so I thought I'd mention it.
Finally, Cisco systems is helping the Chelmsford Massachusetts school system with Mass NetDay97, a state-wide initiative to connect K-12 schools to the Internet. Cisco's is doing its part through a volunteer program called "Cisco Citizens", where Cisco employees are encouraged to wire schools, design networks and help teachers integrate the Internet into their lesson plans.
This sort of thing may not immediately affect the bottom line at Cisco, but certainly being a good corporate citizen buys them the sort of favorable publicity that could be worth millions. All things being equal, if I were buying new network equipment, I think I would rather buy from the nice company which helped wire my school up to the Internet free of charge.
Just remember, it is only money.
(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.
Today's Numbers
Stock Change Bid -------------------- ATLS +1 1/8 25.50 BGP -1 38.88 CSL - 1/8 31.00 CSCO + 3/4 47.75 GNT --- 37.63 ORCL - 3/4 39.00 OXHP +1 3/4 63.25 PMSI --- 10.88 TDW + 3 1/4
Day Month Year History
BORING +0.78% -0.41% -0.44% 14.57%
S&P: -0.23% -0.22% 6.52% 26.94%
NASDAQ: +0.44% -4.66% -3.33% 19.90%
Rec'd # Security In At Now Change
2/28/96 200 Borders Gr 22.51 38.88 72.68%
5/24/96 100 Oxford Hea 48.02 63.25 31.70%
2/2/96 200 Green Tree 30.39 37.63 23.82%
8/13/96 200 Carlisle C 26.32 31.00 17.76%
3/5/97 150 Atlas Air 23.06 25.50 10.59%
3/8/96 400 Prime Medi 10.07 10.88 8.01%
6/26/96 100 Cisco Syst 53.90 47.75 -11.41%
11/21/96 100 Oracle Cor 48.65 39.00 -19.84%
12/23/96 100 Tidewater 46.52 49.50 6.39%
Rec'd # Security In At Value Change
2/28/96 200 Borders Gr 4502.49 7775.00 $3272.51
5/24/96 100 Oxford Hea 4802.49 6325.00 $1522.51
2/2/96 200 Green Tree 6077.49 7525.00 $1447.51
8/13/96 200 Carlisle C 5264.99 6200.00 $935.01
3/5/97 150 Atlas Air 3458.74 3825.00 $366.26
3/8/96 400 Prime Medi 4027.49 4350.00 $322.51
6/26/96 100 Cisco Syst 5389.99 4775.00 -$614.99
11/21/96 100 Oracle Cor 4864.99 3900.00 -$964.99
12/23/96 100 Tidewater 4652.49 4950.00 $297.51
CASH $7660.41
TOTAL $57285.41
