Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE): Hedge Fund Ownership & Smart Money Signals (Q1 2026)

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

As of today, LEE has moved +6.5% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to -5.7% for the XLC sector ETF — an outperformance of +12.2%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), LEE gained +7.8% vs -1.3% for XLC. The stock has meaningfully outrun its sector. The trade has partially played out; entry is at a premium to the fund's implied reference.

Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE)

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

Smart Money Signals — LEE

Based on 37 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row

last 6Q

For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds added LEE 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 (95% of max)

95% of all-time peak

37 hedge funds hold LEE 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 LEE is almost the same as a year ago (+0 funds, +0% change). No significant rush to buy or sell — institutional backing is holding steady.

🟢

More buyers than sellers — 64% buying

21 buying12 selling

Last quarter: 21 funds were net buyers (12 opened a brand new position + 9 added to an existing one). Only 12 were sellers (4 trimmed + 8 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

📈

More new buyers each quarter (+8 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter

Funds opening a new LEE position: 4 → 7 → 4 → 12. A growing influx of new institutional buyers means the asset is still gathering momentum — the consensus hasn't fully saturated yet.

🔒

54% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 54% conviction (2yr+) ■ 14% medium ■ 32% new

20 out of 37 hedge funds have held LEE 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.

💰

Value +179% but shares only +57% — price-driven

Value

+179%

+57%

Last quarter: the total dollar value of institutional holdings rose +179%, but actual share count only changed +57%. The gap is explained by the stock's price rising — not new buying. Strong value growth with weak share growth means the rally is price momentum, not fresh institutional demand.

📈

Growing discovery — still being found

4 → 4 → 7 → 4 → 12 new funds/Q

New funds entering each quarter: 4 → 7 → 4 → 12. A growing number of institutions are discovering LEE each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.

🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 65% veterans vs 27% newcomers

■ 65% veterans ■ 8% 1-2yr ■ 27% new

Entry-cohort mix of 37 holders: 24 (65%) are 2+ year veterans, 3 entered 1–2 years ago, and 10 (27%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.

📋

Smaller funds dominant — 10% AUM from top-100

10% from top-100 AUM funds

14 of 37 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, but together hold only 10% of total institutional value. The stock is held primarily by smaller and mid-sized funds.

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.

Metric	All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)	Prior (2025 Q4)	Change
Funds Holding	37	33	12.12%
13F Shares	4M	3M	57.12%
Total Value	$34M	$12M	178.95%
New Positions	12	4	+8
Increased Positions	9	8	+1
Closed Positions	8	5	+3
Reduced Positions	4	5	-1
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

12.12%

13F Shares

57.12%

Total Value

$34M

$12M

178.95%

New Positions

Increased Positions

Closed Positions

Reduced Positions

-1

Total Calls

Total Puts

PUT/CALL Ratio

0.0

Bullish

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

37 + investors

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

QUARTER:

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

Top 25 LEE holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
#	Investor	% of Portfolio	Shares	Mkt Value
1	Solas Capital Management, LLC	8.02%	1,684,486	$13.9M
2	Cannell Capital LLC	2.29%	433,281	$3.7M
3	Teton Advisors, LLC	0.10%	17,000	$146K
4	Gamco Investors, INC. Et Al	0.05%	585,376	$5.0M
5	Murphy Pohlad Asset Management LLC	0.04%	11,400	$98K
6	Redhawk Wealth Advisors, Inc.	0.02%	22,425	$193K
7	Gabelli Funds LLC	0.01%	219,199	$1.9M
8	Central Pacific Bank - Trust Division	0.01%	5,000	$43K
9	Truist Financial Corp	0.00%	219,966	$1.9M
10	Westport Asset Management Inc	0.00%	540	$5K
11	Private Advisor Group, LLC	0.00%	50,000	$430K
12	Centiva Capital, LP	0.00%	31,382	$270K
13	Clayton Financial Group LLC	0.00%	200	$2K
14	Millennium Management LLC	0.00%	102,248	$880K
15	Marshall Wace, LLP	0.00%	23,561	$203K
16	Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Co	0.00%	46,881	$404K
17	Susquehanna International Group, LLP	0.00%	83,903	$722K
18	Vanguard Capital Management LLC	0.00%	252,159	$2.2M
19	Farther Finance Advisors, LLC	0.00%	570	$5K
20	Royal Bank of Canada	0.00%	29,902	$257K
21	Citadel Advisors LLC	0.00%	26,739	$230K
22	BlackRock, Inc.	0.00%	48,640	$419K
23	Caitong International Asset Management Co., Ltd	0.00%	3	—
24	Morgan Stanley	0.00%	7,996	$69K
25	Advisory Services Network, LLC	0.00%	30	—

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 — Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for LEE?

Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row: For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds added LEE 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 LEE?

More buyers than sellers — 64% buying: Last quarter: 21 funds were net buyers (12 opened a brand new position + 9 added to an existing one). Only 12 were sellers (4 trimmed + 8 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

What is the fund quality score for LEE holders?

Smaller funds dominant — 10% AUM from top-100: 14 of 37 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, but together hold only 10% of total institutional value. The stock is held primarily by smaller and mid-sized funds.

How long have hedge funds held LEE?

54% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 20 out of 37 hedge funds have held LEE 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 Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, LEE has moved +6.5% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to -5.7% for the XLC sector ETF — an outperformance of +12.2%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), LEE has gained +7.8% vs -1.3% for XLC. The stock has meaningfully outrun its sector. The trade has partially played out; entry is at a premium to 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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Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE)

Smart Money Signals — LEE

Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row

At the ownership peak (95% of max)

Stable — ownership unchanged year-over-year

More buyers than sellers — 64% buying

More new buyers each quarter (+8 vs last Q)

54% of holders stayed for 2+ years

Value +179% but shares only +57% — price-driven

Growing discovery — still being found

Veteran-anchored — 65% veterans vs 27% newcomers

Smaller funds dominant — 10% AUM from top-100

Institutional Sentiment Summary — LEE

Hedge Fund Ownership: LEE

Market Analysis: LEE

Analyst Price Targets

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Company Profile: LEE

Is It Too Late to Buy Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Hedge Fund Positioning: LEE

Statistics: LEE

Valuation Measures Data as of: --

Financial Highlights

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

Frequently Asked Questions — Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE)

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