Masco Corporation Message Board

This stock a disaster? How can you say that? Look below at its extraordinary record.

Here's how Masco outsiders, the real Masco investors - who bought their stock with their own real money - and held it - have done over the last 10 years (February 7 closing prices):

Year $ Price

2003 $ 17.79
2002 $ 25.50
2001 $ 23.48
2000 $ 18.75
1999 $ 30.75
1998 $ 25.47
1997 $ 17.19
1996 $ 14.50
1995 $ 12.44
1994 $ 18.88
1993 $ 17.31

In ten years, Masco stock is ahead by $0.48 (forty-eight cents) - that's nearly 3%. Isn't that just great! The Dow, after the pounding it has taken, is ahead by 130%. In other words, the Dow is 2.3 times what it was in 1993 (7864 vs 3437). And Masco is ahead by 3%.

I think most of us would settle for growth equal to the "depressed Dow" - or a price of $40.19 a share for Masco - (2.3x$17.79).

Masco insiders sure have shown a lot better judgement (and market timing) than most of us Masco long term investors. And those clever insiders have dumped rather often - and as Forbes recently pointed out - at high prices.

Look for highs, and around them you'll find Masco insiders dumping - bigtime. Dumping stock they got for peanuts via the lush options they awarded themselves.

Stay tuned, and I will cover Insider Triumphs that took place around the times of the Great Split of '98, the Great Acquisition Binge of '99, the short-lived Great Last Fling of '99, the Great In-and-Out of '00, and the Semi-Great Pump Job of early '02.

All of what I write, sc2a19, my optimistic friend, is the result of "fascination". It is, as I have said before, my fascination with Masco that has caused me to continue to own Masco stock for a very long time. I can afford to hold a couple of losers. How many companies do you know of that have done what Masco has done - to so many - for so long.

I don't watch many TV dramas or films - other than Law & Order - instead, I watch Masco - and I watch carefully the extraordinarily profitable, self-serving, award-deserving performances of its group of insiders.

As you say, there are 2 sides to every story - but until recently only the sanitized and revisionist Masco side was being aired - or should I say touted. But now, through a variety of sources, the other side (the facts and the truth) is being exposed for consideration and further analysis by stockholders and potential stockholders (and others who may be interested).