Friday, March 27, 1998

The Daily Workshop Report
by Robert Sheard (TMF Sheard)

LEXINGTON, KY. (March 27, 1998)

For those of you still following the fortunes of the original Unemotional Growth model, which updates a portfolio of five to ten stocks each month, I'd like to provide a brief update today.

This portfolio is renewed on the first Friday of each month, so next Friday concludes our March holding period, but so far it's been steady, along with the Standard & Poor's 500.

The five-stock version is up 3.37% since March 6, the ten-stock version a little better at 3.97%, while the S&P 500 is up 3.86%.

For the year to date, however, Unemotional Growth is outpacing the market handsomely. In January, the UG5 gained 4.83%, then gained 12.14% in February, and now the 3.37% so far in March. For the year, that represents a 21.52% compounded return.

The UG10 is also ahead of the market. In January, it gained 6.07%, then in February 7.10%, and now 3.97% so far in March, for a year-to-date return of 18.11%. The S&P 500 is up less than 13% over the same period.

The following list includes the March 6 list of stocks and their returns since (excluding dividends):

-1.71% Dell Computer <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: DELL)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: DELL)") end if %>

9.57% PeopleSoft <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: PSFT)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: PSFT)") end if %>

-5.17% Anchor Gaming <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: SLOT)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: SLOT)") end if %>

1.30% HBO & Co. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: HBOC)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: HBOC)") end if %>

12.87% AirTouch Communications <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: ATI)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: ATI)") end if %>

-9.67% CKE Restaurants <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: CKR)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: CKR)") end if %>

5.84% Cambridge Technology <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CATP)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CATP)") end if %>

3.86% Varco Int'l <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: VRC)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: VRC)") end if %>

3.08% Quintiles Transn'l <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: QTRN)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: QTRN)") end if %>

19.78% AccuStaff Inc <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: ASI)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: ASI)") end if %>

As we learned last year, Unemotional Growth can suffer some pretty wild swings up and down, but so far in 1998, it's been a steady performer at somewhat-better-than-market rates. Each month I post the updated Unemotional Growth history here in the Workshop. Stay tuned and next Friday's UG rankings will be our holdings from April 3 through May 1. Have a Foolish weekend.

Go Kentucky!

Check out the latest file updates for the Workshop:
New Rankings | 1998 Returns | New Database

[Robert Sheard is the author of the forthcoming book, The Unemotional Investor, due out from Simon & Schuster on May 12. To pre-order your copy, please visit Amazon.com, where it's available at a discounted price.]