13F Filings & Institutional Ownership

13F filings are quarterly reports that institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets under management must file with the SEC. These filings disclose their equity holdings as of the end of each quarter. The reports are filed within 45 days after quarter-end and provide transparency into what major investors like hedge funds, mutual funds, and pension funds are buying and selling.

Hedge funds' stock purchases are revealed through 13F filings each quarter. Popular holdings among hedge funds typically include large-cap tech stocks (AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL), financial stocks (JPM, V, MA), and healthcare stocks (UNH, LLY). However, specific purchases vary by fund strategy and market conditions. Our tracker shows the latest 13F filings to reveal what elite investors like Berkshire Hathaway, Bridgewater, and Citadel are currently buying.

Track institutional ownership by monitoring 13F filings filed quarterly with the SEC, using financial data platforms that aggregate holdings data, or following our institutional ownership tracker. You can see which institutions own a specific stock, how much they own, and whether they increased or decreased their positions. High institutional ownership (above 70%) generally indicates institutional confidence in a stock.

Institutional ownership is important because it shows what professional money managers with extensive research resources are buying. High institutional ownership can provide price stability and suggests thorough due diligence has been done. Changes in institutional holdings can signal shifting sentiment. When elite investors like Warren Buffett or Ray Dalio make significant moves, it often influences market perception and price.

13F filings are quarterly reports of all equity holdings by institutional managers with over $100 million AUM. 13G filings are filed when an investor acquires more than 5% ownership in a company but is considered a passive investor. 13D filings are for active investors acquiring over 5%. All three provide ownership transparency but serve different purposes and have different filing requirements.

13F filings are filed quarterly, within 45 days after the end of each quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31). This means the data is somewhat delayed - a 13F filed in mid-May shows holdings as of March 31. Despite the lag, these filings remain valuable for identifying long-term trends and positions held by elite investors.

While you can see Berkshire Hathaway's holdings through 13F filings, copying the portfolio has limitations: (1) The data is 45+ days old, (2) You don't know when positions were established or at what price, (3) You miss the reasoning behind each position, (4) Berkshire operates businesses beyond stock holdings. That said, studying Buffett's 13F can provide valuable insights into his investment philosophy and sector preferences.

High institutional ownership (typically above 70%) means that a large percentage of a company's shares are held by institutional investors like mutual funds, hedge funds, and pension funds. This can indicate professional confidence in the stock, provide price stability, and ensure thorough research coverage. However, very high institutional ownership (above 90%) can sometimes lead to crowded trades and increased volatility if sentiment shifts.

No, institutional investors are not infallible and can make losing investments just like individual investors. However, they typically have access to better research, professional analysts, and sophisticated tools. Tracking their moves can provide valuable insights, but should be combined with your own research and investment thesis. Some institutional investors consistently outperform (like Berkshire Hathaway), while others underperform market benchmarks.

The "best" stocks with institutional ownership depend on your investment strategy, but institutional favorites often include market leaders with strong fundamentals: Tech giants (AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL, NVDA), payment processors (V, MA), healthcare leaders (UNH, LLY, JNJ), and blue-chip financials (JPM, BRK.B). Look for stocks where top-performing hedge funds have concentrated positions and are increasing holdings.