Published: 2026-09-23 Β· Data: 2026-Q2 13F Filings
Of the 8,732 institutional investors that filed a 13F for Q2 2026, 6,208 reported holding Microsoft β more than any other stock. Amazon and Apple follow closely behind, and three ETFs (SPY, IVV, VOO) also crack the top 25, though this piece focuses on single stocks.
The 25 most widely held names, Q1 2026 vs Q2 2026
These are the stocks and funds held by the most individual 13F filers, ranked by Q2 2026 holder count. "Holders" counts every institution reporting a position, regardless of size. A handful of rows are flagged for a CUSIP change this quarter β for those, the quarter-over-quarter change is not a reliable read on real buying or selling, since a share-class or identifier change can shift how positions get counted rather than reflecting new institutional interest.
| Rank | Name | Holders Q1 | Holders Q2 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft (MSFT) | 6,138 | 6,208 | +70 |
| 2 | Amazon.com (AMZN) | 5,938 | 6,119 | +181 |
| 3 | Apple (AAPL) | 6,026 | 6,113 | +87 |
| 4 | NVIDIA (NVDA) | 5,793 | 5,953 | +160 |
| 5 | Alphabet Class A (GOOGL) | 5,578 | 5,775 | caution β CUSIP remap |
| 6 | Alphabet Class C (GOOG) | 5,086 | 5,233 | caution β CUSIP remap |
| 7 | JPMorgan Chase (JPM) | 5,026 | 5,126 | +100 |
| 8 | Meta Platforms (META) | 5,034 | 5,060 | +26 |
| 9 | Berkshire Hathaway (BRK/B) | 4,803 | 4,897 | +94 |
| 10 | Broadcom (AVGO) | 4,629 | 4,819 | +190 |
| 11 | Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) | 4,584 | 4,675 | +91 |
| 12 | SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) | 4,528 | 4,641 | +113 |
| 13 | Eli Lilly (LLY) | 4,339 | 4,606 | +267 |
| 14 | Visa (V) | 4,427 | 4,564 | +137 |
| 15 | Walmart (WMT) | 4,399 | 4,396 | -3 |
| 16 | Tesla (TSLA) | 4,153 | 4,285 | +132 |
| 17 | Costco (COST) | 4,210 | 4,234 | +24 |
| 18 | AbbVie (ABBV) | 4,061 | 4,204 | +143 |
| 19 | Chevron (CVX) | 4,234 | 4,112 | -122 |
| 20 | iShares Core S&P 500 (IVV) | 3,959 | 4,106 | caution β CUSIP remap |
| 21 | Home Depot (HD) | 4,096 | 4,101 | +5 |
| 22 | Cisco Systems (CSCO) | 3,696 | 4,068 | +372 |
| 23 | Caterpillar (CAT) | 3,708 | 4,036 | +328 |
| 24 | Procter & Gamble (PG) | 3,968 | 4,015 | +47 |
| 25 | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) | 3,809 | 4,002 | +193 |
Stocks vs the ETFs on this list
Three broad-market ETFs made the top 25: SPY (12th, 4,641 holders), IVV (20th, 4,106 holders) and VOO (25th, 4,002 holders). Their presence isn't surprising β they're common building blocks for diversified 13F filers rather than individual stock picks β but they are a reminder that a "most widely held" list isn't purely a ranking of favorite companies. This piece focuses on the individual stocks, since those are where a manager's specific view can actually be read from the data.
A note on the two Alphabet share classes
Alphabet Class A (GOOGL) and Alphabet Class C (GOOG) both land in the top 10, each counted separately since 13F filers report them as distinct securities. Both are flagged for a CUSIP remap this quarter, alongside IVV.
The biggest holder-count gainers, excluding flagged rows
Setting aside the three CUSIP-flagged names, these are the five stocks in the top 25 that added the most net 13F holders between Q1 2026 and Q2 2026. All five were already among the most widely held stocks in Q1, so the gains reflect an already-broad base of institutional ownership getting broader still, not a name breaking into the list from nowhere.
| Rank in gainers | Stock | Holders Q1 | Holders Q2 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cisco Systems (CSCO) | 3,696 | 4,068 | +372 |
| 2 | Caterpillar (CAT) | 3,708 | 4,036 | +328 |
| 3 | Eli Lilly (LLY) | 4,339 | 4,606 | +267 |
| 4 | Amazon.com (AMZN) | 5,938 | 6,119 | +181 |
| 5 | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) | 3,809 | 4,002 | +193 |
Two of the five biggest holder-count gains in this top-25 list β Cisco and Caterpillar β aren't the mega-cap tech names that usually anchor these rankings. Both were already inside the top 25 in Q1 2026, and both added more net holders quarter over quarter than NVIDIA or Apple did. Readers curious whether that reflects a broader move into industrials and networking names can cross-check it against the sector heatmap.
Why the CUSIP-flagged rows come with a caution
Three rows in this table β GOOGL, GOOG and IVV β are marked with a CUSIP remap caution in the underlying data. When a security's identifier changes (from a share-class change, a re-domicile, or a similar corporate action), the quarter-over-quarter holder count can shift for reasons unrelated to institutions actually buying or selling. We show the Q1 and Q2 holder counts for these rows but don't interpret the change, and readers should treat any apparent gain or loss in these three names with that caveat in mind.
What this data does and doesn't show
13F filings are due up to 45 days after quarter end, so this Q2 2026 snapshot reflects positions reported by mid-August. The filings cover US long equity positions only β no short positions, no cash, no bonds β and options are excluded from all counts here. Holder count measures breadth of ownership, not size of position or dollar value. For a sector-level view of where holder counts are shifting the most, see the sector heatmap; for which of these widely-held names carry the most concentrated risk, see the crowding score.
How to Use This Data
- See the flows by sector: where institutional capital moved this quarter. Smart Money heatmap β
- Check crowding risk: stocks held by many of the same funds can unwind together. Crowding score β
- Follow managers, not headlines: find funds whose picks actually beat the market. Fund rankings β
Frequently Asked Questions
Which stock is held by the most institutions in Q2 2026?
Microsoft (MSFT), with 6,208 of the 8,732 total 13F filers reporting a position, up from 6,138 in Q1 2026.
Do ETFs count as "stocks" in this ranking?
SPY, IVV and VOO appear in the top 25 by holder count because 13F filers report them the same way they report individual stocks, but they are index funds, not companies. This article focuses on the individual stocks in the list.
What does the CUSIP remap caution mean?
It flags a security whose identifier changed this quarter (for example due to a share-class or re-domicile event). For GOOGL, GOOG and IVV, that means the reported change in holder count from Q1 to Q2 may reflect the identifier change rather than real buying or selling, so it should not be read as a straightforward increase or decrease in institutional interest.
Which stock lost the most institutional holders in Q2 2026?
Among the non-flagged rows in this top-25 list, Chevron (CVX) saw the largest decline, dropping from 4,234 to 4,112 holders, a loss of 122.
How many total 13F filers were there in Q2 2026?
8,732 institutions filed a 13F for Q2 2026, up from 8,702 in Q1 2026. Of those, 8,521 filed in both quarters.
Methodology: Counts include every 13F filer (hedge funds, asset managers, banks, advisers). New/closed positions compare only managers that filed both Q1 and Q2 2026. Options (puts/calls) excluded. Conviction is the position as % of the manager's own reported portfolio. Stocks whose CUSIP changed this quarter (spin-offs, re-domiciles) are excluded from buy/sell rankings. Source data: SEC EDGAR 13F filings, processed by 13Foresight.
Explore Q2 2026 institutional flows βSource: 13Foresight analysis of SEC Form 13F filings. 13F data reflects long US equity positions held at quarter-end and is filed up to 45 days after quarter close. This article is for information only and is not investment advice.