Investing: survey builds case for 'green' stocks.

• Author: Marshall, Jeffrey
• Position: BusinessBriefs - Brief Article

The notion that environmentally friendly policies are good for shareholders and customers alike often prompts considerable skepticism. But there is mounting evidence that it's true.

Consider a recent study by Winslow Management Co., a Boston-based money manager with just over $200 million in managed assets. Since it was created four years ago, the Winslow Green Index (WGI), an equally weighted index of 100 "green-screened" companies, has had a cumulative increase in value of +98.5 percent. In comparison, the S & P 500 has had a cumulative decrease in value of -10.69 percent, while the Russell 2000 had a cumulative return of +32.77 percent.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The annualized return for the period was +16.78 percent for the Winslow Green Index, in spite of the bear market of 2000...