Fidelity’s biggest stock picks leading into 2011: Apple #1

“Fidelity literally means ‘loyalty,’ and that’s what the largest U.S. mutual-fund company paid to its top two stock picks in 2010, as indicated by the combined $25 billion invested in Apple and Google,” Frank Byrt reports for TheStreet. “Last year, Apple was the biggest, and in 2009 it was Google, according to data collected on Fidelity’s 177 equity mutual-fund portfolios, based on reports issued by the privately held firm as recently as Oct. 30, and summarized by Morningstar.”

“Apple had a portfolio value of $15 billion, representing 2.6% of Fidelity’s investable equity assets, up 66% from 2009, an increase aided by stock purchases and Apple’s 54% share-price appreciation last year. Fidelity owns 5.6% of Apple’s outstanding shares, making it the largest shareholder,” Byrt reports. “Google’s combined current $10 billion allocation is down 1% from 2009 to 1.7% of the portfolio, due in part to Google shares’ 3.4% decline as well as some minor selling. Fidelity owns 4.5% of Google’s shares and is the biggest shareholder.”

Byrt reports, “A review of the top 50 stocks owned by Fidelity funds shows, most notably, that there has been big buying of a handful of high-tech firms, including Salesforce.com, Oracle, eBay, Broadcom and NetApp, as well as of two big oil companies, Exxon Mobil and Chevron… Among the companies that lost their top 10 status are: software giant Microsoft, ranked No. 5 in 2009, but 16th now, due to a 44% tumble in its investment, to $2.8 billion, including an 8.6% decline in its stock… Hewlett-Packard, sixth in 2009, down to 48th last year, on a 38% drop in value to $2.6 billion, dragged down by the company’s 18% share-price slide.”

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]