Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

Essent Group Ltd (ESNT)

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

Current Price
-- USD
Analyst Target
-- (0 analysts)
Upside
0.00%
Net Flow Q/Q
↑ +9
Streak
5Q ▲
Buyers last Q
52%

Smart Money Signals — ESNT

Based on 363 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 5 quarters in a row

last 6Q
For 5 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added ESNT 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
363 hedge funds hold ESNT 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 — +10% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q
+32 new funds entered over the past year (+10% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡

Slight buying edge — 52% buying

188 buying177 selling
Last quarter: 188 funds bought or added vs 177 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.
➡️

Steady new buyers — ~54 new funds per quarter

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 43 → 55 → 57 → 54. A stable flow of new institutional buyers suggests ongoing interest without signs of either acceleration or slowdown.
🔒

59% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 59% conviction (2yr+) ■ 24% medium ■ 17% new
215 out of 363 hedge funds have held ESNT 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.
📈

Growing discovery — still being found

68 → 43 → 55 → 57 → 54 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 43 → 55 → 57 → 54. A growing number of institutions are discovering ESNT each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.
🏛️

Deep conviction — 66% of holders stayed 2+ years

■ 66% veterans ■ 11% 1-2yr ■ 24% new
Of 363 current holders: 238 (66%) have held for over 2 years without selling. These are not momentum buyers — they have lived through drawdowns and stayed. A large veteran base acts as a stabilizing force during selloffs.
🏆

Elite ownership — 49% AUM from top-100 funds

49% from top-100 AUM funds
57 of 363 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 49% of total institutional value in ESNT. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
3.6
out of 10
Low Exit Risk
Exit risk score 3.6/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

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.

Institutional Sentiment Summary — ESNT

In 2026 Q1, 188 hedge funds were net buyers of ESNT (54 opened a new position, 134 added to an existing one), while 177 reduced or exited (132 trimmed, 45 sold completely) — a 52% buyer ratio, indicating a slight buying edge. This marks 5 consecutive quarters of net institutional buying — a persistent conviction signal. 49% of total institutional value in ESNT is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting elite-tier ownership quality. Net fund flow last quarter: +9 funds (more new holders than closures). Total institutional holders: 363.

Hedge Fund Ownership: ESNT

How many hedge funds hold ESNT — quarterly history vs. share price
Quarterly hedge fund ownership of ESNT vs. share price

Market Analysis: ESNT

Analyst Price Targets

Avg. Price Target
--

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Real-time

Company Profile: ESNT

-- --

Institutional ownership data sourced from SEC EDGAR Form 13F-HR filings.

Is It Too Late to Buy Essent Group Ltd (ESNT) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Signal Freshness measures how much ESNT has moved relative to its sector benchmark (XLF) since the 2026 Q1 13F filing. A stock that has barely outrun its sector is still a relatively fresh entry point — the fund's thesis has not yet been priced in by the broader market.

Since Quarter End March 31, 2026 · 79d ago
ESNT
+2.0%
XLF
+9.5%

ESNT outperformed XLF by -7.5% since March 31, 2026.

Since 13F Filing Date May 15, 2026 · 34d ago
ESNT
-0.7%
XLF
+5.8%

Since the filing became public, ESNT outperformed XLF by -6.5% .

Interpretation: The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference. Learn more →

Smart Money Signal ?
Limited Smart Money Interest

No strong consensus or elite conviction detected among institutional holders.

28 top-rated funds 2 high-conviction
Consensus
6.3
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
2.2
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: ESNT
361 + Investors

Track Smart Money conviction in ESNT. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Metric All 13F Filers (2026 Q1) Prior (2025 Q4) Change
Funds Holding 361 354 1.98%
13F Shares 87M 93M -6.13%
Total Value $4.99B $6.02B -17.17%
New Positions 53 57 -4
Increased Positions 133 115 +18
Closed Positions 46 47 -1
Reduced Positions 132 146 -14
Total Calls 0 0 -
Total Puts 0 0 -
PUT/CALL Ratio 0.0 0.0 Bullish

Statistics: ESNT

View More

Valuation Measures Data as of: --

Market Cap --
Enterprise Value --
Trailing P/E --
Forward P/E --
PEG Ratio (5yr expected) --
Price/Sales (ttm) --
Price/Book (mrq) --
Enterprise Value/Revenue --
Enterprise Value/EBITDA --
Beta (5Y Monthly) --
Short Ratio (Days to Cover) --
Short % of Float --

Financial Highlights

Profitability
Profit Margin --
Return on Assets (ttm) --
Return on Equity (ttm) --
Income Statement & Cash Flow
Revenue (ttm) --
Net Income Avi to Common (ttm) --
Diluted EPS (ttm) --
Total Cash (mrq) --
Total Debt/Equity (mrq) --
Levered Free Cash Flow (ttm) --

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

361 + investors

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

QUARTER:
Top 25 ESNT holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
# Investor % of Portfolio Shares Mkt Value
1 Renaissancere Holdings Ltd 23.97% 1,666,374 $97.4M
2 Fairman Group, LLC 3.89% 77,921 $4.6M
3 Winmill & CO. Inc 3.62% 214,500 $12.5M
4 Sixth Street Partners Management Company, L.P. 3.29% 400,000 $23.4M
5 Cooke & Bieler LP 1.31% 1,985,798 $116.1M
6 EMG Holdings, L.P. 0.88% 60,000 $3.5M
7 NFC Investments, LLC 0.80% 49,133 $2.9M
8 Sapience Investments, LLC 0.71% 94 $5K
9 Fairvoy Private Wealth, LLC 0.60% 43,041 $2.5M
10 VELA Investment Management, LLC 0.54% 40,242 $2.4M
11 Odyssean, LLC 0.54% 25,160 $1.5M
12 Polar Capital Holdings Plc 0.53% 2,550,000 $149.0M
13 FJ Capital Management LLC 0.49% 75,024 $4.4M
14 Peregrine Capital Management LLC 0.45% 207,822 $12.1M
15 MQS Management LLC 0.38% 9,730 $569K
16 Perbak Capital Partners LLP 0.25% 17,372 $1.0M
17 Edgestream Partners, L.P. 0.25% 129,458 $7.6M
18 Seizert Capital Partners, LLC 0.20% 75,468 $4.4M
19 Scientech Research LLC 0.20% 4,058 $237K
20 Nomura Asset Management International INC. 0.17% 1,674,748 $97.9M
21 Bayforest Capital Ltd 0.15% 2,356 $138K
22 Martingale Asset Management L P 0.15% 101,919 $6.0M
23 iSAM Funds (UK) Ltd 0.14% 4,968 $290K
24 Nebula Research & Development LLC 0.13% 25,736 $1.6M
25 Provident Investment Management, Inc. 0.13% 22,866 $1.3M
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 — Essent Group Ltd (ESNT)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for ESNT?

Buying streak — 5 quarters in a row: For 5 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added ESNT 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 ESNT?

Slight buying edge — 52% buying: Last quarter: 188 funds bought or added vs 177 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.

What is the fund quality score for ESNT holders?

Elite ownership — 49% AUM from top-100 funds: 57 of 363 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 49% of total institutional value in ESNT. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held ESNT?

59% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 215 out of 363 hedge funds have held ESNT 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 Essent Group Ltd (ESNT) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, ESNT has moved -0.7% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +5.8% for the XLF sector ETF — an outperformance of -6.5%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), ESNT has gained +2.0% vs +9.5% for XLF. 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.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Institutional holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings and reflects positions as of the filing date. Past performance of any fund or portfolio is not indicative of future results. 13Foresight is not a registered investment adviser. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.

Full history →