Faithward's Aggressive Sector Push
Faithward Advisors Ramps Up Q1 Holdings Across Transportation, Utility, and Industrial Sectors
Key Points
Amphenol CEO Richard Adam Norwitt sold 61,072 shares on May 1, at an average price of $143.90, for a total value of about $8.7 million, despite Faithward Advisors' increased stake in the company.
Beyond Faithward, other hedge funds and institutions were active in Amphenol during the quarter, with CENTRAL TRUST Co increasing to 2,322 shares ($293,000), Burns J W & Co. NY owning 10,019 shares ($1,266,000), and Krilogy Financial LLC raising to 37,404 shares ($4,726,000), highlighting broad sector interest.
Cisco Systems saw a major institutional move with Norges Bank purchasing a new position in the company during Q4, valued at roughly $4.47 billion, underscoring strong international investor interest.
NewJersey Resources also drew attention from large investors, as Norges Bank established a new position in the stock in Q4 valued at about $60.1 million, indicating continued interest in the utility sector.
Republic Services featured a similar theme of increased institutional activity, with Norges Bank taking a new stake in Q4 valued at about $617.2 million, aligning with other major investors boosting exposure to the waste-management firm.
Faithward Advisors LLC made some of its biggest bets ever in Q1 2026, pouring money into transportation, utilities, and industrial stocks. The Lancaster, PA-based firm — which manages over $1 billion and applies Christian-values screens to its picks — grew its Republic Services position by a staggering 2,991% to 35,949 shares, worth about $7.87 million, according to Watchlist News.
The moves signal a clear strategic tilt. Faithward also expanded its Amphenol stake by 639% to 116,345 shares ($14.7 million), boosted Union Pacific by 170.5% to 6,608 shares ($1.6 million), and raised New Jersey Resources by 308% to 19,771 shares ($1.09 million). Even its smaller Cisco Systems increase — just 30.3% — brought that holding to 21,761 shares worth $1.69 million.
Faithward's 'Biblically Responsible' Strategy Drives Big Bets
Faithward Advisors calls its approach "Biblically Responsible Investing" — screening stocks through a Christian-values lens while still chasing market returns. CEO Adrian E. Young frames the firm's mission as maximizing "stewardship of God's resources." Its Q1 moves show that philosophy is no barrier to aggressive growth plays, according to Radient Analytics.
The firm's assets under management jumped to roughly $1.05 billion after a Form ADV filing on March 27, 2026. Analysts at Radient Analytics note that Faithward's values-based screens are increasingly overlapping with mainstream ESG trends — especially in waste management and clean energy, two sectors where the firm just made its largest moves.
Amphenol Insider Sells While Faithward Loads Up
The most striking contrast in Faithward's Q1 report involves Amphenol. While the firm bought in aggressively — up 639% — Amphenol CEO Richard Adam Norwitt sold 61,072 shares on May 1 at an average price of $143.90, pocketing about $8.7 million in a single day. Over May 1–5, he sold 130,775 shares totaling roughly $18.7 million, according to Investing.com.
Amphenol is not a struggling company. It reported record 2025 full-year sales of $23.1 billion — up 52% year-over-year — on January 28, 2026. But technical analysts at Investing.com warn the stock may be overvalued after a 71.7% climb, calling the insider selling a sign of "executive-level profit-taking at peak valuations." Other institutions are still buying: Krilogy Financial LLC holds 37,404 shares worth $4.73 million.
Norges Bank's Billion-Dollar Moves Validate Faithward's Picks
Faithward is not alone. Norway's sovereign wealth fund — the world's largest — made enormous entries into the same stocks during Q4 2025. Norges Bank bought a new Cisco Systems position worth about $4.47 billion and a Republic Services stake worth $617.2 million, according to MarketBeat. It also took a new $60.1 million position in New Jersey Resources.
Cisco added fuel to that confidence on May 13, 2026, reporting record Q3 revenue of $15.8 billion — up 12% year-over-year — and raising its AI-infrastructure order target to $9 billion, according to Futurum Research. Republic Services also beat expectations, with CEO Jon Vander Ark saying the firm is "off to a strong start" for 2026 despite lower commodity prices.
AI Demand and Onshoring Fuel the Infrastructure Play
Faithward's bets are riding a broader wave. Data center growth is straining U.S. power grids hard. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a "State of Emergency" over electricity demand in early 2026, which is pushing money into utility stocks like New Jersey Resources, according to NJ.gov. Record energy transition investment — $2.3 trillion globally in 2025 — is adding more tailwinds, per BloombergNEF.
Union Pacific and Amphenol reflect a separate but related trend: U.S. manufacturers bringing production back home. Union Pacific reiterated a $3.3 billion capital spending target at an investor conference in June 2026. Morgan Stanley Senior Portfolio Manager Andrew Slimmon says Q1 results across the industrial sector are "forcing analysts to raise future earnings estimates" — a sign Faithward may have timed its moves well.
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