Innovator Etfs Trust (QBUF): Hedge Fund Ownership & Smart Money Signals (Q1 2026)

Q: Is it too late to buy Innovator Etfs Trust (QBUF) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, QBUF has moved +0.5% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +1.1% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of -0.6%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), QBUF gained +5.3% vs +14.9% 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.

Innovator Etfs Trust (QBUF)

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

Smart Money Signals — QBUF

Based on 57 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 3 quarters in a row

last 6Q

For 3 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added QBUF 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

57 hedge funds hold QBUF right now — the highest count in 2.0 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 — +68% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q

+23 new funds entered over the past year (+68% 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 — 73% buying

43 buying16 selling

Last quarter: 43 funds were net buyers (12 opened a brand new position + 31 added to an existing one). Only 16 were sellers (12 trimmed + 4 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

➡️

Steady new buyers — ~12 new funds per quarter

new funds entering per quarter

Funds opening this position for the first time: 4 → 9 → 12 → 12. A stable flow of new institutional buyers suggests ongoing interest without signs of either acceleration or slowdown.

🔄

Mostly new holders — 47% entered in last year

■ 0% conviction (2yr+) ■ 53% medium ■ 47% new

Only 0 funds (0%) have held >2 years. The majority of current holders are relatively new to the position. New holders tend to sell faster when prices drop — a shallow conviction base that could amplify any sell-off.

📈

Growing discovery — still being found

15 → 4 → 9 → 12 → 12 new funds/Q

New funds entering each quarter: 4 → 9 → 12 → 12. A growing number of institutions are discovering QBUF each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.

🌱

Early stage — 68% of holders entered in last year

■ 2% veterans ■ 30% 1-2yr ■ 68% new

Of 57 current holders: 39 (68%) entered in the past year, only 1 (2%) are 2+ year veterans. This is an early-phase institutional idea — still being discovered. High upside potential if the thesis plays out, but thin conviction base.

📋

Smaller funds dominant — 2% AUM from top-100

2% from top-100 AUM funds

4 of 57 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, but together hold only 2% of total institutional value. The stock is held primarily by smaller and mid-sized funds.

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	57	49	16.33%
13F Shares	5M	4M	7.89%
Total Value	$139M	$129M	7.64%
New Positions	12	12	-
Increased Positions	31	26	+5
Closed Positions	4	4	-
Reduced Positions	12	8	+4
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

16.33%

13F Shares

7.89%

Total Value

$139M

$129M

7.64%

New Positions

Increased Positions

Closed Positions

Reduced Positions

Total Calls

Total Puts

PUT/CALL Ratio

0.0

Bullish

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

57 + investors

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

QUARTER:

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

Top 25 QBUF holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
#	Investor	% of Portfolio	Shares	Mkt Value
1	Central Valley Advisors, LLC	3.41%	427,688	$12.5M
2	Prasad Wealth Partners, LLC	2.53%	318,818	$9.3M
3	SMART Wealth LLC	1.79%	208,773	$6.1M
4	Hollencrest Capital Management	1.48%	1,369,091	$40.0M
5	PlanVest Financial, Inc	1.32%	59,351	$1.7M
6	Optima Capital LLC	0.69%	51,180	$1.5M
7	Red Crane Wealth Management, LLC	0.61%	25,427	$743K
8	Sugar Maple Asset Management, LLC	0.43%	24,516	$716K
9	Crux Wealth Advisors	0.40%	35,423	$1.0M
10	Bright Futures Wealth Management, LLC.	0.39%	19,347	$565K
11	Sovran Advisors, LLC	0.35%	145,899	$4.4M
12	Pitti Group Wealth Management, LLC	0.22%	9,484	$277K
13	Crown Wealth Group, LLC	0.22%	25,959	$758K
14	Centaurus Financial, INC.	0.20%	144,611	$4.2M
15	Mutual Advisors, LLC	0.19%	299,219	$8.7M
16	Triumph Capital Management	0.13%	22,013	$643K
17	Arq Wealth Advisors, LLC	0.12%	23,369	$683K
18	TrustBank	0.10%	8,657	$253K
19	Cary Street Partners Financial LLC	0.07%	102,612	$3.0M
20	Keating Financial Advisory Services, Inc.	0.06%	13,009	$380K
21	Independent Financial Group, LLC	0.06%	69,140	$2.0M
22	CreativeOne Wealth, LLC	0.05%	68,070	$2.0M
23	Calton & Associates, INC.	0.04%	9,070	$265K
24	Farther Finance Advisors, LLC	0.03%	108,620	$3.2M
25	Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC	0.02%	66,287	$1.9M

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 — Innovator Etfs Trust (QBUF)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for QBUF?

Buying streak — 3 quarters in a row: For 3 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added QBUF 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 QBUF?

More buyers than sellers — 73% buying: Last quarter: 43 funds were net buyers (12 opened a brand new position + 31 added to an existing one). Only 16 were sellers (12 trimmed + 4 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

What is the fund quality score for QBUF holders?

Smaller funds dominant — 2% AUM from top-100: 4 of 57 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, but together hold only 2% of total institutional value. The stock is held primarily by smaller and mid-sized funds.

How long have hedge funds held QBUF?

Mostly new holders — 47% entered in last year: Only 0 funds (0%) have held >2 years. The majority of current holders are relatively new to the position. New holders tend to sell faster when prices drop — a shallow conviction base that could amplify any sell-off.

Is it too late to buy Innovator Etfs Trust (QBUF) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, QBUF has moved +0.5% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +1.1% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of -0.6%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), QBUF has gained +5.3% vs +14.9% 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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Innovator Etfs Trust (QBUF)

Smart Money Signals — QBUF

Buying streak — 3 quarters in a row

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

Fast accumulation — +68% more funds vs a year ago

More buyers than sellers — 73% buying

Steady new buyers — ~12 new funds per quarter

Mostly new holders — 47% entered in last year

Growing discovery — still being found

Early stage — 68% of holders entered in last year

Smaller funds dominant — 2% AUM from top-100

Institutional Sentiment Summary — QBUF

Hedge Fund Ownership: QBUF

Market Analysis: QBUF

Analyst Price Targets

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Company Profile: QBUF

Is It Too Late to Buy Innovator Etfs Trust (QBUF) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Hedge Fund Positioning: QBUF

Statistics: QBUF

Valuation Measures Data as of: --

Financial Highlights

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

Frequently Asked Questions — Innovator Etfs Trust (QBUF)

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