Ishares Tr (ISTB): Hedge Fund Ownership & Smart Money Signals (Q1 2026)

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

As of today, ISTB has moved +0.4% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +0.2% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of +0.2%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), ISTB gained -0.6% 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 Tr (ISTB)

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

Smart Money Signals — ISTB

Based on 395 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 ISTB 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

395 hedge funds hold ISTB 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.

〰️

Stable — ownership unchanged year-over-year

fund count last 6Q

The number of hedge funds holding ISTB is almost the same as a year ago (+9 funds, +2% change). No significant rush to buy or sell — institutional backing is holding steady.

🟢

More buyers than sellers — 61% buying

225 buying146 selling

Last quarter: 225 funds were net buyers (49 opened a brand new position + 176 added to an existing one). Only 146 were sellers (107 trimmed + 39 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

📈

More new buyers each quarter (+10 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter

Funds opening a new ISTB position: 27 → 30 → 39 → 49. A growing influx of new institutional buyers means the asset is still gathering momentum — the consensus hasn't fully saturated yet.

🔒

67% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 67% conviction (2yr+) ■ 18% medium ■ 14% new

266 out of 395 hedge funds have held ISTB 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.

💎

Buying through price weakness — shares +5%, value -15%

Value

-14%

+4%

Last quarter: funds added +5% more shares while total portfolio value only changed -15%. Institutions were buying while the price was falling — a high-conviction accumulation signal. They're deliberately loading up on the dip.

🚀

Acceleration phase — new buyers rushing in

43 → 27 → 30 → 39 → 49 new funds/Q

New funds entering each quarter: 27 → 30 → 39 → 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.

🏛️

Deep conviction — 69% of holders stayed 2+ years

■ 69% veterans ■ 13% 1-2yr ■ 18% new

Of 395 current holders: 271 (69%) 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.

✅

Strong quality — 21% AUM from major funds

21% from top-100 AUM funds

23 of 395 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 21% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.

3.4

out of 10

Low Exit Risk

Exit risk score 3.4/10 — 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.

Metric	All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)	Prior (2025 Q4)	Change
Funds Holding	393	385	2.08%
13F Shares	70M	68M	2.82%
Total Value	$2.78B	$3.32B	-16.49%
New Positions	48	39	+9
Increased Positions	176	171	+5
Closed Positions	40	33	+7
Reduced Positions	106	113	-7
Total Calls	0	0	-
Total Puts	0	0	-
PUT/CALL Ratio	0.0	0.0	Bullish

Metric

All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)

Prior (2025 Q4)

Change

Funds Holding

393

385

2.08%

13F Shares

70M

68M

2.82%

Total Value

$2.78B

$3.32B

-16.49%

New Positions

Increased Positions

176

171

Closed Positions

Reduced Positions

106

113

-7

Total Calls

Total Puts

PUT/CALL Ratio

0.0

Bullish

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

393 + investors

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

QUARTER:

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

Top 25 ISTB holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
#	Investor	% of Portfolio	Shares	Mkt Value
1	Fpc Investment Advisory, INC.	15.82%	653,483	$31.7M
2	Seven Springs Wealth Group, LLC	15.20%	1,356,366	$65.7M
3	Alexander Randolph Advisory, Inc.	13.15%	314,851	$15.3M
4	Prosperity Planning, Inc.	12.50%	1,017,845	$49.3M
5	Ballast Financial Advisors LLC	11.16%	224,625	$10.9M
6	Fiduciary Advisors, INC.	9.23%	253,484	$12.3M
7	Financial Solutions Advisory Group, Inc.	7.93%	1,183,767	$57.4M
8	Courage Miller Partners, LLC	7.80%	569,876	$27.6M
9	IRON Financial LLC	7.00%	330,572	$16.0M
10	Townsend Financial Planning, LLC	6.24%	133,175	$6.5M
11	Boyd Wealth Management, LLC	5.69%	277,861	$13.5M
12	Wealth Management Resources, INC.	5.57%	330,044	$16.0M
13	Gilbert Capital Group, Inc.	5.49%	146,576	$7.1M
14	Omega Financial Group, LLC	5.13%	325,624	$15.8M
15	Lakeridge Wealth Management LLC	5.11%	245,216	$11.9M
16	Townsend & Associates, Inc	5.05%	1,205,567	$58.5M
17	Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc.	4.84%	298,194	$14.5M
18	Trust Point Inc.	4.60%	1,092,877	$53.0M
19	Opal Wealth Advisors, LLC	4.56%	416,095	$20.2M
20	Strategic Financial Partners, Ltd.	4.49%	214,324	$10.4M
21	Corepath Wealth Partners LLC	4.40%	134,589	$6.5M
22	Clear Wave Wealth Management LLC	4.32%	412,078	$20.0M
23	Cim, LLC	3.87%	551,770	$26.7M
24	Cahaba Wealth Management, INC.	3.71%	1,128,804	$54.7M
25	Spinnaker Trust	3.70%	1,380,236	$66.9M

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 Tr (ISTB)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for ISTB?

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

More buyers than sellers — 61% buying: Last quarter: 225 funds were net buyers (49 opened a brand new position + 176 added to an existing one). Only 146 were sellers (107 trimmed + 39 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

What is the fund quality score for ISTB holders?

Strong quality — 21% AUM from major funds: 23 of 395 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 21% 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 ISTB?

67% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 266 out of 395 hedge funds have held ISTB 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 Tr (ISTB) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, ISTB has moved +0.4% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +0.2% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of +0.2%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), ISTB has gained -0.6% 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.

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	--

Profit Margin	--
Return on Assets (ttm)	--
Return on Equity (ttm)	--

Revenue (ttm)	--
Net Income Avi to Common (ttm)	--
Diluted EPS (ttm)	--
Total Cash (mrq)	--
Total Debt/Equity (mrq)	--
Levered Free Cash Flow (ttm)	--

Ishares Tr (ISTB)

Smart Money Signals — ISTB

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

Stable — ownership unchanged year-over-year

More buyers than sellers — 61% buying

More new buyers each quarter (+10 vs last Q)

67% of holders stayed for 2+ years

Buying through price weakness — shares +5%, value -15%

Acceleration phase — new buyers rushing in

Deep conviction — 69% of holders stayed 2+ years

Strong quality — 21% AUM from major funds

Institutional Sentiment Summary — ISTB

Hedge Fund Ownership: ISTB

Market Analysis: ISTB

Analyst Price Targets

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Company Profile: ISTB

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

Hedge Fund Positioning: ISTB

Statistics: ISTB

Valuation Measures Data as of: --

Financial Highlights

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

Frequently Asked Questions — Ishares Tr (ISTB)

Welcome to 13Foresight!