Apple Reports Strong Earnings, Raises Dividend and Announces $100B Buyback

The major averages were higher near noon following the latest slate of corporate earnings results. First quarter results are coming in strong and big tech continues to carry the tape. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are coming off their best monthly gains since 2020 and are sitting at or near all-time highs. Apple's latest beat and bullish outlook are reinforcing that narrative, while AI spending continues to anchor investor enthusiasm. Meanwhile, oil prices were slipping after Iran reportedly issued a response through Pakistan mediators to the latest U.S. amendments to a draft agreement to end the war.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Applereported, gave a better-than-expected forecast, raised its quarterly dividend, and announced an additional $100B stock repurchase programSanDiskand Western Digitalboth reportedwith upbeat outlooksExxon Mobiland Chevronboth reportedMultiple analysts downgraded RobloxRedditreported2. WALL STREET CALLS:Robloxat Raymond James, BofA and BTIG after a guidance resetHersheyto Buy at TD CowenCaterpillarto Equal Weight at Morgan StanleyParamount Skydanceat Overweight from Underweight at Morgan StanleyElf Beautyto Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley3. AROUND THE WEB:Versant Mediahas agreed to sell its youth-sports app SportsEngine to competitor PlayMetrics and a deal could be announced as soon as today, Bloomberg reportsKKRhas secured over $10B to launch Helix Digital, a company that will design, build, own and run infrastructure for AI, Bloomberg saysMetasold $25B of investment-grade bonds, with nearly all six portions of the sales priced at higher premiums than the company's October sale, Bloomberg reportsLululemon'sboard members have been under pressure, with directors dealing with a proxy fight from the company's estranged founder, a big-name activist investor waiting for its opportunity, and the board being pushed to recruit a new CEO, WSJ saysBP (BP is reviewing possible sale of North Sea assets, Bloomberg says4. MOVERS:Esperiongains after entering an agreement to befor $3.16 per shareFive9increases afterand providing guidance for FY26 and Q2Cerusand Atlassianhigher afterSummit Therapeuticsand Ryan Specialtylower afterAlignment Healthcarefalls afterand providing guidance for Q25. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Gates Industrial, with CEO Ivo Jurek commenting, "We executed well in the first quarter"Moderna, with EPS and revenue beating consensusTerexwith CEO Simon Meester commenting, "We are off to a good start and executing to plan"AutoNation, with EPS beating consensusColgate-Palmoliveand backed its guidance for FY26INDEXES:Near midday, the Dow was up 0.08%, or 39.58, to 49,691.72, the Nasdaq was up 1.15%, or 287.46, to 25,179.77, and the S&P 500 was up 0.67%, or 48.56, to 7,257.57.