Playboy model beats top mutual funds in Q1

At the end of the first quarter (Q1), the S&P 500 is up just over 4%. Top mutual funds fared slightly better. According to Morningstar.com, the average performance of 9806 U.S. stock mutual funds is +6.84%.

...and Playboy model Amy Sue Cooper is up +32.24%.

2005 Cyber Girl of the Year Amy Sue Cooper is the leader in the TradingMarkets/Playboy 2006 Stock Picking Contest, which started on January 1st and runs to year-end. TradingMarkets.com will give $50,000 to the charity of the winner's choice.

"I did my research and picked companies that I knew about or understood what they did." says Amy Sue. As far as beating the top mutual funds, "I'm very surprised," she says. "It's been really interesting following the contest; I check the standings all the time."

Amy Sue's picks this year include: Amgen (AMGN | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating), Pacific Ethanol (PEIX | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating), (click here for the remaining picks). She was just edged out by the Frontier Microcap Fund (FEFPX | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating), with a stellar +33.34% year-to-date performance. On outperforming a Playboy model, fund manager Joel Blumenschein says: "It goes to prove she's an intelligent woman, as well as being beautiful. Congratulations on the fine performance; I hope she can keep it up for her charity."

Amy Sue Cooper is playing for The National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Asked if she would consider running a top mutual fund, Amy Sue laughed and said: "I'm pretty happy with the choices I've made in my life so far but who knows what the future holds."

Ashton Dorkins
Editor-in-Chief
editor@tradingmarkets.com