Money management firms are enduring their first serious slump in memory. Can a superhero save the day? Palo Alto, California, boutique Kelmoore Investment apparently thinks so. It’s trying to drum up some attention with a comic book for potential clients that features a character named Kaptain Kelmoore. Clad in a blue-and-yellow bodysuit, looking like a cross between Captain Marvel and Jay Leno, Kaptain Kelmoore declares himself the “defender of truth, justice and a balanced portfolio.” The premiere issue is titled “Journey to the Land of Calls and Puts.” With Americans watching their retirement savings erode faster than a speeding bullet, is now the best time to take a lighthearted approach? “There’s so much negativity in this market, it’s nice to put out something a little upbeat,” says Kelmoore marketing director Tammy Heiman, who came up with the idea. “This is a new way for brokers to educate their clients about options,” adds the firm’s CIO, Matthew Kelmon, son of co-founder and CEO Ralph Kelmon. (Original partner Norman Moore is retired.) Kelmoore manages a $300 million concentrated portfolio of about 40 blue-chip stocks and uses an options overlay program to generate extra income and hedge risk. But it may take more than the funny pages to win over investors: Kelmoore’s portfolios were down 26 percent this year through the end of July, compared with 22 percent for the Standard & Poor’s 500 index.
