BUY: DLX (NYSE), ASEI (NASDAQ), INTX (NASDAQ), CECO (NASDAQ), CRYP (NASDAQ)

• Purchased 112 shares of Deluxe Corp (DLX/NYSE) at $22.06/share = $2,470.72.
• Purchased 49 shares of American Science and Engineering Inc (ASEI/NASDAQ) at $49.41/share = $2,421.09.
• Purchased 265 shares of Intersections Inc (INTX/NASDAQ) at $9.32/share = $2,469.80.
• Purchased 113 shares of Career Education Corp (CECO/NASDAQ) at $21.76/share = $2,458.88.
• Purchased 148 shares of Cryptologic Inc (CRYP/NYSE) at $16.62/share = $2,459.76.

Initial bank account: $37,039.81
Total cost (shares): $2,470.72 + $2,421.09 + $2,469.80 + $2,458.88 + $2,459.76 = $12,280.25
Total cost (transactions): $15 x 5 = $75
Final bank account: $24,684.56

Portfolio:

• PNCL (NASDAQ): 333 (price is up 19.14% since purchase)
• CALL (NASDAQ) : 545 (price is down 38.08% since purchase)
• SGTL (NASDAQ): 271 (price is down 35% since purchase) *
• KG (NYSE): 131 (price is down 3.45% since purchase) *
• ANIK (NYSE): 254 (price is up 32.33% since purchase)
• PPD (NYSE): 78 (price is up 22.37% since purchase)
• HNR (NYSE): 217 (price is down 7.84% since purchase)
• MOT (NYSE): 133 (price is up 16.14% since purchase)
• PWEI (NASDAQ): 90 (price is up 24.53% since purchase)
• PLAY (NASDAQ): 266 (price is up 7.72% since purchase)
• HRB (NYSE): 109 (price is down 3.31% since purchase)
• CLMT (NASDAQ): 79 (price is up 4.68% since purchase)
• FCX (NYSE): 46 (price is up 7.29% since purchase)
• FDG (NYSE): 82 (price is down 16.11% since purchase)
• XJT (NYSE): 378 (price is up 19.14% since purchase)
• DLX (NYSE): 112
• ASEI (NASDAQ): 49
• INTX (NASDAQ): 265
• CECO (NASDAQ): 113
• CRYP (NASDAQ): 148

The general markets have behaved thusly since my last purchase.

• The NASDAQ composite index climbed from 2,163.95 to 2,344.84, a gain of 8.4%. The index is still 1.1% off where it was when I started (2,370.8799).
• The Dow Jones Industrial average climbed from 11,381.47 to 12,127.88, a gain of 6.6%. The average has risen 7.5% from where it was when I started (11,278.7695).
• The S&P 500 index climbed from 1,302.3 to 1,377.38, a gain of 5.8%. The index is now 5.1% above where I started (1,309.93).

Ignoring transaction costs, I paid $37,735.19 for my first three purchases and, in theory, could now sell those stocks for $39,233,90: $1,498.72 or 3.97% above par. Not bad for six months, and better than a loss, but lagging behind the major indices by quite a bit.

In theory, this is a collection of businesses that tend to be more good than bad. So now we dig in and wait! It is early still; I've held the first (most troublesome) batch for only six months now.

I took my note from last time into account and wrote a tiny program to generate a list of "good" random numbers so that I can choose from the "magic" list without bias (from me anyway). I used two simple acceptance tests (yield > 10% and return > 75% or if this test was not satisfied, then yield > 20% and return > 50%), plus whether a cursory glance at MSN Money suggested the company was in decent financial and business shape (looking at stats only, not "analyst" commentary).

My method of organizing my portfolio is now a set of Access tables and queries; if I punch in current prices, I get current valuations as well as percent and actual change in prices for both individual stocks and the whole portfolio. I'll donate to anyone who has Access!

As a side note, the company Westwood One seems likely to get beaten down a bit in the next months. If it's selling appreciably (say $0.75 - $1) below where it was yesterday ($7.51), I should consider buying it next time. It's a good company. Also, might Ford (F) not get beaten down quite a bit in the next months? If the stock cheapens significantly in the next months, might it not eventually end up as a bargain?