cramer is using a very selective memory in this latest email pitch that i just got from him. he has no shame: "I am writing to you to share some extremely big news â I wanted you to be among the first to know: The Q1 Mutual Fund ratings are out â you can find them in this weekend's Barron's and Wall Street Journal. And my Action Alerts PLUS Portfolio beat 9 out of the 10 largest mutual funds in the country. I trumped the S&P 500. And I even beat the average returns of all the major funds in my category.* But here's the important part: I want your portfolio to be doing just as well as mine. I know the market's tough, but that's no excuse. Trade with me, starting today, and you'll get access to my every trade, 100% of my portfolio moves, and exclusive messages from me â so you can get returns just like mine. The market is moving right now, so there is absolutely no reason to wait. In fact, for the next 48 hours only, I will make you a special discount offer and take $100 off the regular annual price. I can only make this offer to selected investors like you, and the offer only lasts for 48 hours, so I need to ask you to start right now. So, lets take on the market together...join me now to discover where we can make some money! Booyah!" lets look at cramers performance from last year: Action Alerts PLUS - Performance Original Cost $3,804,570.00 Performance results listed here reflect values of stocks as of the close of the most recently completed trading day, and take into account dividends paid, interest earned and actual commissions paid. Results are updated overnight and posted prior to the market open the following business day. The YTD Return figures reflect changes since the first trading day of the current year. The Total Average Return figures reflect changes since 1/1/2002. Current Value $2,321,953.00 Total Average Return -14.57% 2008 YTD Return -38.97%
SPY on dec 31, 2007: 146.21 SPY, dec 31, 2008: 90.24 difference = 55.97, (divided by) 146.21 = -38.2% so not only does it not "trump" the s&p, it doesn't even beat it. cramer: worse than sticking your cash in a tin can and burying it under boards in the shed.