UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 5
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
[ ] Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue.
[ ] Form 3 Holdings Reported
[ ] Form 4 Transactions Reported
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person(s)
Sherman, Michael P.
4400 Baker Road
Minnetonka, MN 55343
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Fingerhut Companies, Inc. (FHT)
3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (Voluntary)
4. Statement for Month/Year
12/98
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
[ ] Director [ ] 10% Owner
[X] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President,
General Counsel & Secretary
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
[X] Form filed by One Reporting Person
[ ] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Table I Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
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1)Title of Security 2)Trans- 3.Trans- 4.Securities Acquired(A) 5)Amount of 6) 7)Nature of
action action or Disposed of (D) Securities Indirect
Date Code A Beneficially D Beneficial
(Month/ or Owned at or Ownership
Day/Year) Code Amount D Price End of Year I
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C><C> <C> <C><C>
Common Stock 10/29/98 J 25,000.00 A (1) 76,259.00 D Direct
<CAPTION>
Table II (PART 1) Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (Columns 1 through 6)
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1)Title of Derivative 2)Conversion 3)Trans- 4)Trans- 5)Number of Derivative 6)Date Exercisable and
Security or Exercise action action Securities Acquired (A) Expiration Date
Price of Date Code or Disposed of (D)
Derivative
Security Code A D Exercisable Expiration
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Incentive Stock Option (right $8.520000 09/25/98 A 46,948.00 09/25/99 (2) 09/25/08
to buy)
Non-Qualified Stock Option $8.520000 09/25/98 A 153,052.00 09/25/99 (2) 09/25/08
(right to buy)
<CAPTION>
Table II (PART 2) Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (Columns 1,3 and 7 through 11)
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1)Title of Derivative 3)Trans- 7)Title and Amount 8)Price 9)Number of 10) 11)Nature of
Security action of Underlying of Deri- Derivative Indirect
Date Securities vative Securities D Beneficial
Amount or Security Beneficially or Ownership
Number of Owned at I
- Title Shares End of Year
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Incentive Stock Option (right 09/25/98 Common Stock 46,948.00 46,948.00 D Direct
to buy)
Non-Qualified Stock Option 09/25/98 Common Stock 153,052.00 153,052.00 D Direct
(right to buy)
<FN>
Explanation of Responses:
(1)
Award of restricted stock pursuant to Fingerhut Companies, Inc. 1995 Long-Term Incentive and Stock Option Plan and subject to
forfeiture.
(2)
These options vest in 4 equal annual installments beginning one year from the date of grant.
</FN>
</TABLE>
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/S/ Sherman, Michael P.
DATE 02/03/99
