Based on 3472 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly
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Selling streak — 1 quarter in a row
For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds reduced or closed their IBM positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.
🏔️
At the ownership peak (95% of max)
95% of all-time peak
3,472 hedge funds hold IBM 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.
📶
Steady growth — +9% more funds vs a year ago
fund count last 6Q
+278 new funds entered over the past year (+9% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡
Slight buying edge — 50% buying
1730 buying1740 selling
Last quarter: 1,730 funds bought or added vs 1,740 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.
⚠️
Fewer new buyers each quarter (-237 vs last Q)
new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 332 → 234 → 454 → 217. Each quarter fewer new institutions are entering. This usually means most funds that wanted in are already in — the stock is well-known but the pool of potential new buyers is shrinking.
🔒
69% of holders stayed for 2+ years
■ 69% conviction (2yr+)
■ 18% medium
■ 13% new
2,408 out of 3,472 hedge funds have held IBM 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.
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Buying through price weakness — shares -5%, value -24%
Last quarter: funds added -5% more shares while total portfolio value only changed -24%. Institutions were buying while the price was falling — a high-conviction accumulation signal. They're deliberately loading up on the dip.
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Growing discovery — still being found
312 → 332 → 234 → 454 → 217 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 332 → 234 → 454 → 217. A growing number of institutions are discovering IBM each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.
🏛️
Veteran-anchored — 70% veterans vs 18% newcomers
■ 70% veterans
■ 12% 1-2yr
■ 18% new
Entry-cohort mix of 3,570 holders: 2,502 (70%) are 2+ year veterans, 439 entered 1–2 years ago, and 629 (18%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
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Elite ownership — 48% AUM from top-100 funds
48% from top-100 AUM funds
68 of 3453 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 48% of total institutional value in IBM. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
Exit risk score 3.2/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.