Based on 70 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q2 · updated quarterly
📉
Selling streak — 3 quarters in a row
For 3 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds reduced or closed their IVOL positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.
🔻
Below peak — only 52% of 3.0Y high
52% of all-time peak
Only 70 funds hold IVOL today versus a peak of 134 funds at 2023 Q4 — just 52% of the maximum. Low institutional ownership can mean the stock is out of favor, but it also means there's a large pool of potential buyers if sentiment turns.
〰️
Stable — ownership unchanged year-over-year
fund count last 6Q
The number of hedge funds holding IVOL is almost the same as a year ago (-1 funds, -1% change). No significant rush to buy or sell — institutional backing is holding steady.
🔴
Heavy selling pressure — only 39% buying
31 buying49 selling
Last quarter: 49 funds sold vs only 31 buyers. This is widespread institutional distribution — not a few funds rebalancing, but a broad exit. High conviction bearish signal.
➡️
Steady new buyers — ~15 new funds per quarter
new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 22 → 14 → 13 → 15. A stable flow of new institutional buyers suggests ongoing interest without signs of either acceleration or slowdown.
🔒
63% of holders stayed for 2+ years
■ 63% conviction (2yr+)
■ 20% medium
■ 17% new
44 out of 70 hedge funds have held IVOL 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.
📊
Peak discovery — momentum slowing
13 → 22 → 14 → 13 → 15 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 22 → 14 → 13 → 15. IVOL is well-known in the hedge fund world, but fresh entries are gradually declining. The explosive phase of institutional discovery is likely behind us.
🏛️
Veteran-anchored — 69% veterans vs 24% newcomers
■ 69% veterans
■ 7% 1-2yr
■ 24% new
Entry-cohort mix of 71 holders: 49 (69%) are 2+ year veterans, 5 entered 1–2 years ago, and 17 (24%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
📋
Smaller funds dominant — 15% AUM from top-100
15% from top-100 AUM funds
9 of 70 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, but together hold only 15% of total institutional value. The stock is held primarily by smaller and mid-sized funds.
Exit risk score 1.6/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.