Hedge funds cut stakes in Magnificent Seven to invest in broader AI boom (2024)

By Louis Goss

Hedge funds started cutting their stakes in the Magnificent Seven in the first quarter of 2024 and investing in broader artificial intelligence stocks instead, a new Goldman Sachs analysis shows.

Money managers trimmed their positions in mega-cap stocks as they piled into power and infrastructure companies that could benefit from an AI boom, the analysis of 707 hedge funds with $2.7 trillion in equity positions shows.

Those funds increased their positions in Apple (AAPL) but cut their positions in Magnificent Seven stocks including Google (GOOG), Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), and Nvidia (NVDA), while keeping their Tesla (TSLA) holdings roughly the same.

Investment funds instead looked to capitalize on growth in the wider AI sector, by investing in firms that supply the broader AI universe, including chip makers Marvell Technology (MRVL) and Micron Technology (MU) and utilities including AES Corp (AES).

Money managers also piled into companies that make electrical components, including Littelfuse (LFUS), technology distribution companies like TD Synnex (SNX), and companies that mine the metals needed by the AI sector, including copper miner Freeport-McMoRan (FCX).

At the same time, they upped their stakes in companies that could benefit from AI technologies themselves, including software maker Adobe (ADBE), pharmacy owner Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) and insurance company First American Financial Corporation (FAF) - as well as tech giant Apple.

Hedge funds' investments in utilities and financials companies saw them make their biggest tilts towards the two sectors compared to any point in the past 10 years, as power generators Vistra Corp (VST) and NextEra Energy (NEE) also joined Goldman Sachs' VIP list of the 50 most popular stocks.

The hedge fund push into utilities followed a bumper performance from the sector that saw it take third-place position as the highest-returning industry in 2024, with gains of +15%, behind those offered by information technology companies (+16%) and communication services firms (+21%).

All the Magnificent Seven stocks, apart from Tesla, nonetheless, held their positions as hedge funds' six most popular holdings, as the ongoing rally boosted their weightings in money managers portfolios - even as those same funds lowered their stakes.

The strong performance posted by chip makers in the first quarter also boosted the semiconductor industry's weighting in hedge funds' portfolios to record-highs of 6.5%.

Hedge funds' portfolios remained heavily concentrated, with the typical money manager holding 70% of its long portfolio in its top 10 positions, as the most popular stocks continued making outsized gains of 16% in the year-to-date 2025 versus 7% for the equal-weight S&P 500 SPX.

-Louis Goss

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Hedge funds cut stakes in Magnificent Seven to invest in broader AI boom (2024)

FAQs

Hedge funds cut stakes in Magnificent Seven to invest in broader AI boom? ›

Hedge funds started cutting their stakes in the Magnificent Seven in the first quarter of 2024 and investing in broader artificial intelligence stocks instead, a new Goldman Sachs analysis shows.

What stock is held by the most hedge funds? ›

The most popular stocks at hedge funds
Company (ticker)Total value heldTotal hedge funds
Microsoft (MSFT)$1.01 trillion939
Amazon (AMZN)$500.1 billion855
NVIDIA (NVDA)$423.6 billion684
Alphabet (GOOGL)$307.8 billion795
7 more rows
May 10, 2024

What are the top hedge funds using AI? ›

Man AHL and Two Sigma are leading hedge funds that employ machine learning technology to extract valuable signals from alternative data sources. For example, they use ML to detect patterns in satellite images that may indicate economic activity changes.

Which hedge funds are the most successful? ›

  • Citadel.
  • Bridgewater Associates.
  • AQR Capital Management.
  • D.E. Shaw.
  • Renaissance Technologies.
  • Two Sigma Investments.
  • Elliott Investment Management.
  • Farallon Capital Management.

How many hedge funds go bust? ›

It shows that liquidated and all defunct single-manager hedge funds account for less than a quarter and almost half of all single-manager hedge funds in the database respectively. Moreover, the increase in cumulative liquidation and attrition rates slows down significantly after funds become more than ten years old.

Which companies are hedge funds buying? ›

Most Bought by Hedge Funds
  • WMT65.380.54% Walmart Inc.
  • BAC39.700.53% Bank of America Corporation.
  • PFE28.880.19% Pfizer Inc.
  • T17.500.03% AT&T Inc.
  • FCX51.530.33% Freeport-McMoRan Inc.
  • NU11.730.16% Nu Holdings Ltd.
  • F12.160.05% Ford Motor Company.
  • PCG18.460.08% PG&E Corporation.

Who are the main investors in hedge funds? ›

Therefore, an investor in a hedge fund is commonly regarded as an accredited investor. This means that they meet a required minimum level of income or assets. Typical investors are institutional investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies, and wealthy individuals.

What is the most promising AI stock? ›

7 best-performing AI stocks
TickerCompanyPerformance (Year)
NVDANVIDIA Corp200.69%
PRCTProcept BioRobotics Corp100.36%
AVAVAeroVironment Inc.79.59%
HLXHelix Energy Solutions Group Inc69.47%
3 more rows
May 22, 2024

Who are the big investors in AI? ›

Here are some of the big players funding AI:
  • Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is taking a significant step to secure its place as a leader in the industry. ...
  • SoftBank. Masayoshi Son, the leader of SoftBank Group, has said he is committed to intensifying his investments in AI. ...
  • Google. ...
  • Meta. ...
  • Microsoft. ...
  • Intel. ...
  • Insight Partners. ...
  • Nvidia.
Mar 21, 2024

What percentage of hedge funds use AI? ›

High adoption rate: 86% of hedge fund managers surveyed now grant their staff access to various Gen AI tools to bolster their work, representing a widespread embrace of this transformative technology.

Who is the king of hedge funds? ›

Ken Griffin is the founder and CEO of Citadel, the largest hedge fund in the world as of 2024.

Who is the richest hedge fund manager? ›

Who Is the Richest Hedge Fund Manager? Ken Griffin of Citadel is both the richest hedge fund manager and the highest paid. In 2022, he earned $41. billion, and by the beginning of 2023 his net worth was estimated at $35 billion.

Who are the best performing hedge funds right now? ›

Top Hedge Funds List
Fund Manager3-Year Performance MWTop 20 Conc.
SIR Capital Management Vince Maddi116.87% (29.44% Ann.)60.11%
RR Advisors Robert Raymond95.69% (25.08% Ann.)99.06%
Lodge Hill Capital Clinton Murray91.86% (24.26% Ann.)100.00%
Donald Smith Donald Smith90.02% (23.86% Ann.)67.38%
18 more rows

Do hedge funds hurt the economy? ›

The influence of hedge funds on the global economy is undeniable. Their investment decisions can affect asset valuations, stock prices, and market stability. Furthermore, their ability to invest in a wide range of assets and markets can translate into a unique perspective on the world's economic health.

Will hedge funds exist in 10 years? ›

Hedges are not likely to go away, and it seems increasingly likely that the 1980s- and 1990s-style hedge fund management will adapt to survive more volatile times.

What is the biggest hedge fund loss in history? ›

Some, on the other hand, have defrauded investors of billions of dollars and even nearly brought down the global financial system.
  1. Madoff Investment Scandal. ...
  2. SAC Capital. ...
  3. The Galleon Group. ...
  4. Long-Term Capital Management. ...
  5. Pequot Capital. ...
  6. Amaranth Advisors. ...
  7. Tiger Funds. ...
  8. Aman Capital.

What do hedge funds mostly invest in? ›

Hedge funds are not an asset class on their own. They are funds invested in listed equity, listed bonds, private markets, and commodities, meaning grouping them together is inappropriate when trying to build them into your portfolio.

What percentage of the stock market is owned by hedge funds? ›

Believe it or not, hedge funds do not run the stock market. In fact, they own only 3 percent of the market. "Hedge funds and ETFs represent small but growing shares of the equity market," wrote Goldman Sachs' David Kostin in a new report to clients.

Which stocks are most bought by mutual funds? ›

India's largest AMC SBI Mutual Fund, which owned equity assets worth over Rs 6.45 lakh crore at the end of March, added 61.30 lakh shares of Kotak Mahindra Bank, 56.85 lakh shares of TCS, 47.61 lakh shares of ITC, 30.45 lakh shares of Reliance and 28.33 lakh shares of HDFC bank in its portfolio.

Who is the largest hedge fund company? ›

Bridgewater Associates

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