Ishares Inc (ECH): Hedge Fund Ownership & Smart Money Signals (Q1 2026)

Q: Is it too late to buy Ishares Inc (ECH) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, ECH has moved +3.9% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +0.2% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of +3.7%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), ECH gained +2.5% vs +13.9% for SPY. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Ishares Inc (ECH)

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

Smart Money Signals — ECH

Based on 126 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

last 6Q

For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added ECH 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

126 hedge funds hold ECH 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 — +80% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q

+56 new funds entered over the past year (+80% 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.

🟢

More buyers than sellers — 60% buying

84 buying57 selling

Last quarter: 84 funds were net buyers (49 opened a brand new position + 35 added to an existing one). Only 57 were sellers (37 trimmed + 20 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

📈

More new buyers each quarter (+12 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter

Funds opening a new ECH position: 24 → 11 → 37 → 49. A growing influx of new institutional buyers means the asset is still gathering momentum — the consensus hasn't fully saturated yet.

🔒

44% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 44% conviction (2yr+) ■ 16% medium ■ 40% new

55 out of 126 hedge funds have held ECH 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.

🚀

Acceleration phase — new buyers rushing in

30 → 24 → 11 → 37 → 49 new funds/Q

New funds entering each quarter: 24 → 11 → 37 → 49. The pace of institutional discovery is accelerating sharply. This is the 'hot idea' phase — the thesis is being passed from fund to fund. You are not late — the accumulation wave is still building.

🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 55% veterans vs 39% newcomers

■ 55% veterans ■ 6% 1-2yr ■ 39% new

Entry-cohort mix of 134 holders: 74 (55%) are 2+ year veterans, 8 entered 1–2 years ago, and 52 (39%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.

✅

Strong quality — 20% AUM from major funds

20% from top-100 AUM funds

21 of 118 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 20% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.

5.1

out of 10

Moderate Exit Risk

Exit risk score 5.1/10 — some crowding factors present, but no critical concentration. Watch ownership trend over the next 1–2 quarters for direction.

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.

Metric	All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)	Prior (2025 Q4)	Change
Funds Holding	126	97	29.9%
13F Shares	14M	7M	102.88%
Total Value	$564M	$284M	98.82%
New Positions	49	37	+12
Increased Positions	34	26	+8
Closed Positions	20	13	+7
Reduced Positions	34	20	+14
Total Calls	13	6	116.67%
Total Puts	3	2	50.0%
PUT/CALL Ratio	0.23	0.33	Bullish

Metric

All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)

Prior (2025 Q4)

Change

Funds Holding

126

29.9%

13F Shares

14M

102.88%

Total Value

$564M

$284M

98.82%

New Positions

+12

Increased Positions

Closed Positions

Reduced Positions

+14

Total Calls

116.67%

Total Puts

50.0%

PUT/CALL Ratio

0.23

0.33

Bullish

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

126 + investors

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

QUARTER:

FILTER:All New Added To Reduced No Change | Overweight >5%

Top 25 ECH holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
#	Investor	% of Portfolio	Shares	Mkt Value
1	Metlife Inc	27.68%	86,457	$3.4M
2	Owl Creek Asset Management, L.P.	3.02%	1,050,000	$41.7M
3	Whitcomb & Hess, Inc.	2.68%	288,842	$11.5M
4	Florin Court Capital LLP	1.86%	12,375	$492K
5	BlueCrest Capital Management Ltd	1.70%	725,000	$28.8M
6	Seldon Capital LP	1.61%	110,121	$4.4M
7	Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda	1.19%	159,131	$6.3M
8	Sona Asset Management (us) LLC	1.07%	1,275,000	$50.7M
9	Innealta Capital, LLC	0.91%	37,011	$1.5M
10	Lansing Street Advisors	0.66%	65,593	$2.6M
11	Cobblestone Asset Management LLC	0.62%	34,708	$1.4M
12	Mivtachim The Workers Social Insurance Fund Ltd. (Under Special Management)	0.56%	112,000	$4.5M
13	Provida Pension Fund Administrator	0.53%	500,611	$14.7M
14	Private Wealth Advisors, LLC	0.52%	46,440	$1.8M
15	Marotta Asset Management	0.50%	66,488	$2.7M
16	Fore Capital, LLC	0.49%	20,000	$795K
17	Banco BTG Pactual S.A.	0.47%	133,993	$5.3M
18	Massar Capital Management, LP	0.39%	91,698	$3.6M
19	Mount Lucas Management LP	0.36%	24,274	$965K
20	Glenorchy Capital Ltd	0.35%	149,744	$6.0M
21	Es4, LLC	0.33%	12,766	$508K
22	Intrepid Family Office LLC	0.32%	10,000	$398K
23	Peregrine Asset Advisers, Inc.	0.30%	28,436	$1.1M
24	Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co	0.30%	1,294,477	$51.5M
25	Krilogy Financial LLC	0.28%	198,913	$8.8M

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 — Ishares Inc (ECH)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for ECH?

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row: For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added ECH 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.

What is the institutional breadth score for ECH?

More buyers than sellers — 60% buying: Last quarter: 84 funds were net buyers (49 opened a brand new position + 35 added to an existing one). Only 57 were sellers (37 trimmed + 20 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

What is the fund quality score for ECH holders?

Strong quality — 20% AUM from major funds: 21 of 118 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 20% 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 ECH?

44% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 55 out of 126 hedge funds have held ECH 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.

Is it too late to buy Ishares Inc (ECH) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, ECH has moved +3.9% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +0.2% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of +3.7%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), ECH has gained +2.5% vs +13.9% for SPY. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

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.

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Ishares Inc (ECH)

Smart Money Signals — ECH

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

Fast accumulation — +80% more funds vs a year ago

More buyers than sellers — 60% buying

More new buyers each quarter (+12 vs last Q)

44% of holders stayed for 2+ years

Acceleration phase — new buyers rushing in

Veteran-anchored — 55% veterans vs 39% newcomers

Strong quality — 20% AUM from major funds

Institutional Sentiment Summary — ECH

Hedge Fund Ownership: ECH

Market Analysis: ECH

Analyst Price Targets

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Company Profile: ECH

Is It Too Late to Buy Ishares Inc (ECH) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Hedge Fund Positioning: ECH

Statistics: ECH

Valuation Measures Data as of: --

Financial Highlights

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

Frequently Asked Questions — Ishares Inc (ECH)

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