Nowhere to go but up.

Stephen Humphrey's picks may have been beaten, but they are still keepers

In last year's Private Screening, Stephen Humphrey, manager of the Lord Abbett Large-Cap Growth fund (LALCX), said that he liked to own companies that "beat the socks off the competition." Instead, many of his picks took a beating. The Lord Abbett Large-Cap Growth fund lost 18.61% year-to-date as of March 31, and the power portfolio Humphrey offered to BLACK ENTERPRISE lost 27.39%. What happened to these former Wall Street darlings?

Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW). This fiber optic pioneer and world leader lost 61.35% of its shareholder value last year. It's main arm, telecommunications, has gotten caught up in the market's mood swings--investors' love-hate relationship with the sector. Slowing sales of big-ticket items caused this maker of glass products for televisions, VCRs, and flat-panel displays to lose money. Investors were rewarded last October with a 3-for-1 stock split, but the stock is still going nowhere.

General Electric (NYSE: GE). General Electric gained 0.79% for investors' portfolios. In one effort to increase shareholder value, GE teamed with AT&T Corp. to offer financial services to 60 million residential long distance customers. The Fairfield, Connecticut-based firm's financial arm sells products ranging from private-label credit cards to loans for companies seeking to lease equipment.

EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC). Referred to as a "dominant integrated-storage solution firm," this titan dipped 31.93%. The Hopkinton, Massachusetts-based company announced it would buy back 50 million of its shares (about $2 billion) in an effort to reassure investors that the business is healthy despite recent sales slowdowns. Still the No. 1 provider of software and hardware computer data storage, EMC is expected to double from its current $37 price by next year.

Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO). The tech giant plunged 59.87%, taking shareholders' profits with it. The San Jose, California-based firm recently moved into the service-provider area. However, last year's tech slump forced Cisco to cut 8,500 jobs--17% of its workforce.

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT). Microsoft gained 15.41%. The Redmond, Washington-based firm isn't afraid to battle Uncle Sam and it's not afraid to take on new markets. The software maker has decided to break into the game industry with the Xbox device that will rival Sony's PlayStation2. Xbox is expected to go on sale in November for $299. Microsoft has also partnered with Nintendo Co. to release new games as well. Microsoft, while it languishes at $70, could climb back up to $85 again.

Stephen Humprehy's Portfolio Performance

Total Return: -27.39%

Current Value of $5,000 Investment: $3,630.62

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