We don’t often offer stock market and stock picking advice — that’s better left to the experts.

But sometimes we see read about opportunities we’re just aching to take advantage of — or, more accurately, wish we already had.  Just to make a point.
One example is something called the Vice Fund.

Back in September 2004 Business Week ran an article on the Vice Fund:

The Wages of Sin Stocks: The Vice Fund’s Dan Ahrens says shares in alcohol, tobacco, gaming, and defense outfits have many virtues for investors’ portfolios

Are “sin stocks” a good bet for risk-free investing? Dan Ahrens thinks so — and he launched the Vice Fund (VICEX ) two years ago to focus on stocks in alcohol, tobacco, gaming, and defense. The strategy has worked: In the year ended Aug. 31, the fund was up 21.06%, against 11.45% for the Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

No matter what the market’s doing, no matter who wins the election, people continue to drink, people continue to gamble, continue to smoke,” says Ahrens. He first noticed the relatively better showings of stocks in those areas during the downturn of 2001 and 2002, and that led to establishing the fund.

The stock market, of course, has been throwing temper tantrums nonstop for the last several years.

So it was fascinating to see in the brand new issue of Business Week (April 1, 2008) another mention of the Vice Fund.  How’s it doing?  Here’s what the magazine reports:

Vice vs. Virtue

The Vice Fund, specializing in “sin” sectors such as tobacco and alcohol, is outpacing a leading socially responsible investing fund.

Business Week compares the Vice Fund (blue) with the Neuberger Berman Socially Responsible Fund (orange) and S&P 500 Index (black).   Looks like a solid investment — and a great cause.