Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

ELLSWORTH GROWTH & INCOME FD (ECF)

50 + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in ECF. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Current Price
-- USD
Analyst Target
-- (0 analysts)
Upside
0.00%
Net Flow Q/Q
↓ -3
Streak
2Q ▼
Buyers last Q
49%

Smart Money Signals — ECF

Based on 50 hedge funds · latest filing: 2025 Q4 · updated quarterly

📉

Selling streak — 2 quarters in a row

last 6Q
For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds reduced or closed their ECF positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.
📊

High ownership — 85% of 3.0Y peak

85% of all-time peak
50 funds currently hold this stock — 85% of the 3.0-year high of 59 funds (reached 2024 Q1). Ownership is elevated but not yet at maximum concentration. Room to grow, but watch if the trend reverses.
📉

Outflows — 4% fewer funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q
2 fewer hedge funds hold ECF compared to a year ago (-4% decline). When institutions consistently reduce their exposure, it's worth exploring the underlying fundamental reasons driving them away.
🟠

More sellers than buyers — 49% buying

23 buying24 selling
Last quarter: 24 funds reduced or exited vs 23 that bought or added. When more than half of active funds are selling, it's a caution flag — especially if the stock price hasn't moved down yet.
➡️

Steady new buyers — ~6 new funds per quarter

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 5 → 6 → 3 → 6. A stable flow of new institutional buyers suggests ongoing interest without signs of either acceleration or slowdown.
🔒

62% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 62% conviction (2yr+) ■ 16% medium ■ 22% new
31 out of 50 hedge funds have held ECF for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
📊

Peak discovery — momentum slowing

7 → 5 → 6 → 3 → 6 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 5 → 6 → 3 → 6. ECF is well-known in the hedge fund world, but fresh entries are gradually declining. The explosive phase of institutional discovery is likely behind us.
🏛️

Deep conviction — 60% of holders stayed 2+ years

■ 60% veterans ■ 8% 1-2yr ■ 32% new
Of 50 current holders: 30 (60%) have held for over 2 years without selling. These are not momentum buyers — they have lived through drawdowns and stayed. A large veteran base acts as a stabilizing force during selloffs.
✅

Strong quality — 24% AUM from major funds

24% from top-100 AUM funds
9 of 50 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 24% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.
2.8
out of 10
Low Exit Risk
Exit risk score 2.8/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Institutional Sentiment Summary — ECF

In 2025 Q4, 23 hedge funds were net buyers of ECF (6 opened a new position, 17 added to an existing one), while 24 reduced or exited (15 trimmed, 9 sold completely) — a 49% buyer ratio, indicating roughly balanced activity. Net selling has persisted for two consecutive quarters. 24% of total institutional value in ECF is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting strong institutional quality. Net fund flow last quarter: -3 funds (more exits than new entries). Total institutional holders: 50.

Hedge Fund Ownership: ECF

How many hedge funds hold ECF — quarterly history vs. share price
Quarterly hedge fund ownership of ECF vs. share price

Market Analysis: ECF

Analyst Price Targets

Avg. Price Target
--

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Real-time

Company Profile: ECF

-- --

Institutional ownership data sourced from SEC EDGAR Form 13F-HR filings.

Loading signal freshness…
Smart Money Signal ?
Limited Smart Money Interest

No strong consensus or elite conviction detected among institutional holders.

6 top-rated funds 0 high-conviction
Consensus
3.7
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
0.4
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: ECF
2026 Q1 Stats Unlock in 1 days 50 + Investors

Track Smart Money conviction in ECF. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Metric All 13F Filers (2025 Q4) Prior (2025 Q3) Change
Funds Holding 50 53 -5.66%
13F Shares 6M 7M -1.29%
Total Value $75M $76M -1.04%
New Positions 6 3 +3
Increased Positions 17 16 +1
Closed Positions 9 5 +4
Reduced Positions 15 18 -3
Total Calls 0 0 -
Total Puts 0 0 -
PUT/CALL Ratio 0.0 0.0 Bullish

Statistics: ECF

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Financial Highlights

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Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

50 + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in ECF. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:
Top 25 institutional holders of ECF — 2025 Q4 · Source: SEC Form 13F
# Investor % of Portfolio Shares Mkt Value
1 Bulldog Investors, LLP 0.57% 228,613 $2.5M
2 Saba Capital Management, L.P. 0.49% 1,604,273 $17.9M
3 BLUE BELL PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.33% 208,201 $2.3M
4 PMG Family Office LLC 0.23% 18,359 $205K
5 SIT INVESTMENT ASSOCIATES INC 0.21% 933,053 $10K
6 Shaker Financial Services, LLC 0.09% 23,431 $261K
7 Beckerman Institutional, LLC 0.08% 12,794 $143K
8 Advisors Asset Management, Inc. 0.08% 405,352 $4.5M
9 Institute for Wealth Management, LLC. 0.06% 52,756 $588K
10 UHLMANN PRICE SECURITIES, LLC 0.05% 68,718 $766K
11 EVOLVE PRIVATE WEALTH, LLC 0.04% 68,777 $767K
12 Aviance Capital Partners, LLC 0.04% 30,754 $343K
13 GILPIN WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.04% 4,000 $45K
14 Old Port Advisors 0.03% 12,416 $138K
15 MERIDIAN INVESTMENT COUNSEL INC. 0.03% 11,100 $124K
16 K2 PRINCIPAL FUND, L.P. 0.02% 24,619 $275K
17 GUGGENHEIM CAPITAL LLC 0.01% 166,514 $1.9M
18 Pathstone Holdings, LLC 0.01% 247,149 $2.8M
19 Basepoint Wealth LLC 0.01% 1,081 $12K
20 Waverly Advisors, LLC 0.00% 42,499 $474K
21 NewEdge Advisors, LLC 0.00% 64,650 $65K
22 Baird Financial Group, Inc. 0.00% 135,153 $1.5M
23 WELLS FARGO & COMPANY/MN 0.00% 947,639 $10.6M
24 AdvisorNet Financial, Inc 0.00% 3,041 $34K
25 CAPSTONE INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC 0.00% 81,490 $909K
Investor Ownership
History 		% of Portfolio Prev % Rank Conviction Avg Buy Price 13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y Sell Timing Shares Mkt Value Change Change % Source Quarter Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — ELLSWORTH GROWTH & INCOME FD (ECF)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for ECF?

Selling streak — 2 quarters in a row: For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds reduced or closed their ECF positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.

What is the institutional breadth score for ECF?

More sellers than buyers — 49% buying: Last quarter: 24 funds reduced or exited vs 23 that bought or added. When more than half of active funds are selling, it's a caution flag — especially if the stock price hasn't moved down yet.

What is the fund quality score for ECF holders?

Strong quality — 24% AUM from major funds: 9 of 50 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 24% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.

How long have hedge funds held ECF?

62% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 31 out of 50 hedge funds have held ECF for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Institutional holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings and reflects positions as of the filing date. Past performance of any fund or portfolio is not indicative of future results. 13Foresight is not a registered investment adviser. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.