San Diego stocks--most of which are smaller...

San Diego stocks--most of which are smaller or secondary stocks-- have been outperforming the larger-capitalization blue chips so far this year, according to Irving Katz, director of research for Thomas Green/San Diego Securities.

Since Jan. 1, the NASDAQ composite index of over-the-counter stocks has risen 15.4% as compared to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which has gained just 7.7%, Katz observed.

Despite a general lack of news, many San Diego stocks joined in the action this week with continued gains, according to Katz.

Synbiotics was up $.75 to $10. Molecular Biosystems was up $1 to $13.375. Cohu Inc. was up $.875 to $9.25. Maxwell Laboratories was up $.75 to $11, and IRT Corp. gained $.50 to $3.25.

Companies moving on news included WD-40, up $.50 to $28.50 as it reported second-quarter earnings of $.50 vs. $.40, and six-month earnings of $.96 vs. $.75.

Henley gained $.875 to $24.875 as it announced yet another new restructuring to further enhance shareholder value, Katz said. Henley also dropped its proxy battle against Santa Fe Southern Pacific.

Southwest Bank was up $.125 to $2.875 as it declared a 5% stock dividend.

Advanced Marketing Services continued to gain and was up $1.25 to $14.75 as it was featured in a full-page discussion in Investors Daily.

On the down side, Titan Corp. was down $.25 to $3.625 as it reported fourth-quarter earnings of $.01 vs. $.04, and 1987 net of $.21 vs. $.29.

Katz said there were major downward moves--all unexplained--by Mailboxes Etc., down $1.25; Rohr Industries, down $1.125, and Gen-Probe, down $1.