You may remember that at the first of the year comic Auggie Smith challenged Kiplingers Magazine and a Vanguard Index Fund for the title “stock picker of 2011”.  Auggie threw darts to choose his ten best stocks.  Kiplinger employed several high-powered big-brained money experts for theirs. And Vanguard just tracked an index.  The mark of a good portfolio is not only how it does when the market is strong, but also how it does in more challenging environments like we have had the last week, and I am pleased to report that Auggie’s portfolio is in a solid second place to the Vanguard index fund. Based on an initial investment of $10,000 – the portfolios are now worth:

1. Vanguard World Index Fund – $10,235
2. Auggie’s “I know nothing about investing” fund – $10,092
3. Kiplingers 10 Stocks For 2011 – $10,030

Of course it is early in the year – but smart investors might want to get out their darts, or concentrate on low-cost easy-to-manage index funds!