Tech investor beating market: Stick with Apple
Paul Meeks is beating the market this year with his "Squawk Box Platinum Portfolio" by relying heavily on Apple's big run. An airline is dragging on his returns, but he's staying with that pick as well. The director of institutional investing at Saturna Capital doesn't believe the skepticism that after a 15 percent gain this year and iPhone 6 sales higher than the most optimistic analysts, Apple needs new products to keep driving gains. The "continued iPhone 6 ramp (will) last a few more quarters," said Meeks. "China's (a) driver and the Apple Watch a potential kicker." The investor, with an expertise in technology investing from running $7 billion worth of funds focusing on that sector at Merrill Lynch, also highlighted Apple's 1.48 percent dividend and monster buybacks as reasons to keep owning the largest company in the world. Apple is currently in a capital distribution program, returning $130 billion back to investors from 2012 to April. With that three-year anniversary approaching, investors are expecting even bigger buybacks and dividends to be announced by the company soon. Read More Meeks: Apple, BorgWarner to ride out correction After nearly doubling in 2014, Delta Air Lines' shares are off 10 percent this year as crude oil prices rebounded from their lows. But Meeks sees still-lower jet fuel prices and a tightly run ship leading to a rebound in the stock. "Fundamentals were fine when oil was over $100 a barrel. I don't know where crude settles, but obviously a lower price is a tailwind." While Delta is down, his third pick, BorgWarner , joins Apple this year with double-digit gains leading his portfolio to a total 5 percent return this year. The S & P 500 is up just over 1 percent. The investor said this about BWA when he bought the shares to start the year: "BWA plays into two critical themes, fuel efficiency and emissions reduction. I calculate that this stock is worth at least $65." To see Meeks' portfolio and the other competitors in the "SquawkBox Platinum Portfolio" click here . —With reporting by Katy Byron

An Apple Store in Tianjin, China. Getty Images