The Daily Workshop Report
by Robert Sheard (TMF Sheard)

LEXINGTON, KY. (August 7, 1997) -- Technology, technology, technology. Without question, large-cap technology stocks have blown away market expectations in 1997, even while smaller-cap tech stocks have trailed the major market indices.

My experimental technology fund (which includes the fifteen largest tech stocks using a handful of selected sector groups from the S&P 500 Index) is now up an eye-popping 75% for the year. And if we limited the field to the top five based on Relative Strength in January (Microsoft, Intel, Compaq, Dell, and Seagate Technology), the returns are even more mouthwatering -- 92%. Year to date, the S&P 500 is up 29%.

Here is the return breakdown by stock:

213% Dell Computer (DELL)
160% Applied Materials (AMAT)
109% Compaq Computer (CPQ)
101% Texas Instruments (TXN)
94% Sun Microsystems (SUNW)
90% Lucent Technologies (LU)
74% Microsoft (MSFT)
54% Intel (INTC)
43% Int'l Business Machines (IBM)
39% Hewlett-Packard (HWP)
38% Computer Associates (CA)
37% Oracle (ORCL)
33% Motorola (MOT)
25% Cisco Systems (CSCO)
11% Seagate Technology (SEG)

Today the same stocks are still on the list with one potential alternative. TELLABS (TLAB) carries a higher market-cap than does SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY (SEG) right now, but as a telecommunications equipment company, it's open to debate whether Tellabs should be in such a group. The next stock down the list (if you're looking for an alternative to any of the entries in our field) is MICRON TECHNOLOGY (MU), another big winner in 1997, up 102%.

Ah, if only investing were this simple every year. (Don't get any illusions. It's not!) Fool on!

Monthly Growth Screens
(Jan. 3 to present)
63.63%  Relative Strength  
31.25%  Investing for Growth  
27.17%  S&P 500 Index  
24.23%  YPEG Potential  
20.26%  Low Price/Sales  
20.08%  EPS Plus RS  
14.21%  Unemotional Growth  
 3.69%  Formula 90  

Annual Value Screens
(Jan. 1 to present)
26.98%  Dow Jones Ind Avg  
23.96%  Beating the S&P  
22.22%  Dogs of the Dow  
18.81%  Dow Combo  
18.62%  Unemotional Value  
18.62%  Beating the Dow  
 9.85%  Foolish Four