Based on 105 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly
📈
Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row
For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds added ESOA than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️
At the ownership peak (100% of max)
100% of all-time peak
105 hedge funds hold ESOA right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
🚀
Fast accumulation — +38% more funds vs a year ago
fund count last 6Q
+29 new funds entered over the past year (+38% YoY). That's a rapid rush of institutional money. Fast accumulation often signals a major thesis — but it also means the stock could fall quickly if that thesis breaks.
🟡
Slight buying edge — 58% buying
62 buying44 selling
Last quarter: 62 funds bought or added vs 44 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
📈
More new buyers each quarter (+20 vs last Q)
new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening a new ESOA position: 30 → 17 → 13 → 33. A growing influx of new institutional buyers means the asset is still gathering momentum — the consensus hasn't fully saturated yet.
📌
Mixed — 25% long-term, 35% new
■ 25% conviction (2yr+)
■ 40% medium
■ 35% new
Of the 105 current holders: 26 (25%) held >2 years, 42 held 1–2 years, and 37 entered in the last year. A mixed base — the stock has long-term believers but also recent buyers who haven't been tested by a downturn yet.
💰
Value +104% but shares only +33% — price-driven
Last quarter: the total dollar value of institutional holdings rose +104%, but actual share count only changed +33%. The gap is explained by the stock's price rising — not new buying. Strong value growth with weak share growth means the rally is price momentum, not fresh institutional demand.
➡️
Steady discovery — ~33 new funds/quarter
23 → 30 → 17 → 13 → 33 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 30 → 17 → 13 → 33. Consistent flow of new institutional buyers without clear acceleration or slowdown.
📊
Mixed cohorts — 28% veterans, 49% new entrants
■ 28% veterans
■ 24% 1-2yr
■ 49% new
Of 105 current holders: 29 (28%) held 2+ years, 25 held 1–2 years, 51 (49%) entered in the past year. Balanced distribution — some institutional memory, some recent momentum buyers.
✅
Strong quality — 23% AUM from major funds
23% from top-100 AUM funds
29 of 105 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 23% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.
4.2
out of 10
Moderate Exit Risk
Exit risk score 4.2/10 — some crowding factors present, but no critical concentration. Watch ownership trend over the next 1–2 quarters for direction.