Sure, billionaires have means and other businesses they earn money from, but they likely rake in big bucks from good investment strategies. However, while many affluent personalities are proven to have made a fortune out of this venture, the industry is extremely volatile, meaning there's really no assurance if the money will grow.
This is why it pays to look at the trends that wealthy individuals have jumped on. No, the market will not probably make you a billionaire overnight, but it could potentially make investors richer. Let's look at the stock picks of well-known hedge funds, which have at least nine figures to their names.
These 50 companies, of various shapes and sizes, are among the top stock picks held by billionaire investors or high-asset hedge funds.
Cisco Systems
Technology has always been evolving, and the demand for advanced gadgets has increased in the past decade. So it isn't surprising to know that big companies and notable names have put their money on brands in Silicon Valley, including Cisco Systems.
London-based advisory Generation Investment Management, which was founded by its chair ex-Vice President Al Gore, has poured in cash for 18 million shares of the tech company in the third quarter of 2020. Founded by computer scientists Sandy Lerner and Leonard Bosack in 1984, Cisco has a market value of around $175 billion.
Delta Air Lines
The airline economy has suffered a major blow because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and even now that travel orders have relaxed, the industry has yet to rise from the debris. So why are billionaires still spewing money on this sector? PAR Capital Management, for instance, has increased its Delta Air Lines shares by 9,450, now totaling over 3.5 million.
Now we're wondering if this boost may have fueled DAL's plans to shell out $12 billion for infrastructure in the United States. Nonetheless, with the COVID-19 vaccines rolling out, it seems that tourism-related sectors will get to soar anew.
Barrick Gold
Interestingly, New South Wales, Australia-based company Platinum Investment Management has invested in another element, gold—that is, Barrick Gold, a mining brand whose list of investors includes Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. The nonagenarian had put a significant amount on the brand in 2020 for over 20 million shares.
In the third quarter, Platinum has increased its stocks to 2.7 million. In February 2021, Barrick Gold reportedly had other earnings beat for the sixth time despite the pandemic. The Toronto-based company said its shares increased, and to accomplish this feat, it decreased costs and increased output.
Johnson & Johnson
Baby necessities and medical needs are often associated with New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson, making it a very profitable brand. Many investors know this, including hedge fund Levin Capital Strategies, which has been buying shares since 2006. The medical company accounts for five percent of the New York firm's portfolio despite only raising its shares by one percent in the third quarter of 2020.
Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine will be up for discussion before February 2021 ends, as vaccine experts weigh in if the single-dose vaccine can be administered for emergency use. The company has yet to receive authorization from the government.
IQVIA Holdings
Previously known as Quintiles IMS Health, IQVIA Holdings is offering health and medical information and technological solutions as well as analyzing data that will be useful for product creation. While this sector caters to the medical field, it was adversely affected by the pandemic when its stocks plummeted to less than $100 in April 2020.
Hedge fund HealthCor Management, however, still believes in IQVIA and increased its stake by 54 percent in the third quarter of 2020. In February 2021, shares ballooned to over $191, outperforming its rivals Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. and Charles River Laboratories International Inc.
McDonald's
It's hard to find a person who can resist McDonald's; even the Oracle of Omaha reportedly loves the fast-food giant so much that he eats the same meals there every day. Advisory firm Capital Wealth Planning is not blind to see the company's profitability as it purchased close to 30K shares, raising its stake by six percent in the third quarter of 2020.
McDonald's shares in 2020 arguably performed better than others, although it faced nosediving numbers in March 2020 when the pandemic started. It did see a massive improvement seven months later.
PayPal Holdings
While many brands reel from the 2020 pandemic, PayPal has come out of the year as a winner after gaining over 20 million active users in its second quarter and another 15.2 million in the third quarter. Since 2016, San Francisco-based Soma Equity Partners has owned shares from the online payment company, and it has decided to add 100K more shares in 2020.
In 2021, PayPal reported its Q4 earnings, topping Wall Street predictions, proving that the e-commerce company continues to reign amid the pandemic. As of December 2020, it has a reported 377 million active accounts.
T-Mobile US
T-Mobile was given a breath of life when it merged with Sprint in April 2020 in a bid to topple its biggest competitors AT&T and Verizon. The fusion proved to be profitable months after the deal, and the German telecommunication company reported a 71-percent increase in revenue by December 2020.
London-based Egerton Capital is not kidding when it comes to investing, especially in T-Mobile now that it's boosted. The John Armitage and William Bollinger hedge fund beefed up its stake by buying 3.5 million shares, showing that the investors saw renewed potential in the company.
Danaher
Washington, D.C.-based conglomerate Danaher has been impressing stock analysts, so it doesn't come as a surprise that it attracted Sandler Capital Management, who bet on the company in 2020. The firm has increased its stake in the medical brand by 35 percent.
Wall Street's bullish outlook on Danaher makes sense if one looks at the healthcare brand's recent moves. It acquired General Electric's biopharma business, now called Cytiva, for a whopping $21 billion in March 2020. Apart from that, it is closely working with the government amid the pandemic, receiving $31 million in October to beef up the manufacture of products related to COVID-19 vaccines.
Medtronic
Investing in medical technology company Medtronic, creator of 770G hybrid closed-loop system for diabetes patients, is obviously a lucrative move these days. Folks at HealthCor Management know this and bought over 480K shares, increasing its stake by 53 percent in the third quarter of 2020. This accounts for 5.8 percent of the investor's holdings.
HealthCor's move made sense, considering 2020 was all about the coronavirus that has claimed millions of lives worldwide. In February 2021, Medtronic reported that its third-quarter revenue topped expectations while its profit fell lower than estimates.
UnitedHealth Group
Being included in the Fortune 500 is an accomplishment to be proud of, as it says a lot about a company's success. UnitedHealth Group, with a market value of over $330 billion, not only belongs to that list but is also a blue-chip stock. It is estimated to earn $270 billion in sales in 2021.
United States-based advisory Sanders Capital has been a huge fan of the health insurance provider since 2010, or when they first invested in the company. Recently, it has bought over 178K shares, raising its stake at three percent. This accounts for six percent of the investor's portfolio.
General Electric
Boston-based conglomerate General Electric is an iconic brand founded over 100 years ago, but it now falls behind other more famous names. Tackling different sectors like aviation, healthcare, power, renewable energy, and finance with its creations, there's no doubt that investors are attracted to pouring money into the company.
Southeastern Asset Management has been a strong believer in General Electric, betting six percent of its holdings. Things seem to be looking great for the diversified brand this 2021 as its stocks outperformed competitors Medtronic and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. in February.
Baxter International
Again, because of the global threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, some healthcare industry sectors have never been more alive. Many hedge funds have decided to bet, including London-based Veritas Asset Management, which amped up its stakes in many healthcare holdings.
Veritas has increased its investments in approximately six companies in the third quarter of 2020, including Baxter International. The Illinois-based brand accounts for 6.1 percent of the firm's holdings. However, because of the health problem we are facing today, it still adversely affected the medical supply brand's stock, probably because there was a decrease in demand for things non-coronavirus-related.
Chevron
Clayton, Missouri-based ACR Alpine Capital Research is known for grabbing stocks that offer value. They're not joking when it comes to investing, as their biggest holding is none other than Berkshire Hathaway. In 2020, its renewed trust in energy company Chevron was put on display when it purchased close to 280K shares that spiked its total shares to 1.2 million.
Previously only making up for 5.7 percent, Chevron now accounts for six percent of ACR's holdings. The firm started its position when COVID-19 gravely beat the stock market. Thankfully, the oil company's stocks have increased by 66 percent since its low in 2020.
As of Q3 2020, Twitter boasts 187 million active daily users, including big celebrities and politicians wanting to share their thoughts in limited characters. Its shares have skyrocketed, and not everyone can afford it, but one has again bet on the platform.
SRS Investment Management has been relying on Twitter, having first invested in it in 2018. The move reaped the rewards, so in Q3 2020, it decided to increase its stocks to 4.5 million, which makes up for 6.4 percent of the portfolio, a respectable increase from 1.8 percent in the second quarter of the year.
Starbucks
Starbucks isn't everyone's cup of tea (er, coffee) because of its price point, but many are certainly hooked with its pricey beverage offerings. Magellan Asset Management, which has been investing in the chain since 2016, has raised its stake in the company by buying another 690,989 shares.
This means that Starbucks, which has a market cap of over $117 billion, accounts for 6.5 percent of its portfolio. Experts remain positive and hopeful about the company's stocks as everyone endures the COVID-19 pandemic even though the well-known coffee brand suffered a blow in 2020.
Bristol-Myers Squibb
New York-based company Bristol-Myers Squibb made the news in recent years for its big acquisition decision, specifically in October 2020, when it acquired biopharmaceutical brand MyoKardia for $13.1 billion in a bid to boost its cardiovascular franchise with the drug Mavacamten. This certainly was a good sign for investors, including Blue Rock Advisors.
The Wayzata, Minnesota-based hedge fund has been cashing in on several healthcare companies despite the pandemic wreaking havoc on some sectors in the third quarter of 2020. It purchased 126,767 shares in Bristol-Myers Squibb, which accounted for 6.6 percent of the firm's holdings.
Home Depot
People at Chilton Investment Company were one to learn that the home improvement retailer's shares increased by 23 percent. Based in Stamford, Connecticut, the hedge fund increased its stakes in The Home Depot by purchasing over 39K shares in the third quarter of 2020.
This makes for 6.6 of the firm's portfolio and is, in fact, in the top four. Chilton Investment, founded by Richard Chilton Jr. in 1992, seemed to have made a wise decision since Home Depot had seen its stock increase since 2017. Interestingly, the investor is throwing great sums in the housing sector as its biggest holding is Sherwin-Williams (8.5 percent).
Procter & Gamble
There's a high chance that people who stockpiled on basic household cleaning material at the onslaught of the pandemic added tons of Procter & Gamble products to their cart. Although the demand for toilet tissue rolls has diminished, the company known for its home staples is still enjoying huge sales thanks to its other offerings.
Yacktman Asset Management, which has been investing in Procter & Gamble since 2001, increased its shares in the company by three percent, now making up for 6.7 of its holdings, a 0.7 percent increase. Founded by William Procter and James Gamble in 1837, the company is now the firm's second-biggest holding.
Tesla
Tech genius Elon Musk is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear of Tesla. With his eyebrow-raising remarks and claims about the car manufacturer that he founded, the company has certainly attracted generous investors. New York-based hedge fund Coatue Management has bought almost 1.6 million shares in the third quarter of 2020.
The increase has Tesla making for 6.78 percent of Coatue's holdings, trailing behind its largest, PayPal (6.79 percent). In February 2021, however, the stocks of the company known for its electric vehicles began to fall by 25 percent in just a week.
Walt Disney
In November 2020, Walt Disney reported a loss of $2.4 billion after coronavirus forced the company to shut its theme parks, one of its major profitable businesses. To say that the pandemic has affected the entertainment industry is clear, but thankfully, stock experts see the sector's resurrection.
Analysts predict Disney will come back with a bang in 2021, and Matrix Capital Management has bet on the company by adding another 2.2 million shares to its stake in the third quarter of 2020. This accounts for 6.9 percent of Waltham, Massachusetts-based firm's holdings.
Cigna
Cigna, which has a slew of subsidiaries, has been an investor-favorite because of its impressive earnings. With an asset under management of $13.3 billion, New York-based Glenview Capital Management has underscored its strong relationship with the healthcare company by buying an additional 8,277 shares in the third quarter of 2020.
Cigna, therefore, becomes Glenview Capital's fourth stock pick accounting for seven percent of its holdings. The hedge fund first invested in the company in 2007. Meanwhile, the Bloomfield, Connecticut-based brand is set to host the virtual Investor Day on March 8, 2021.
Mondelēz
One of the commodities that will never face zero demand is food. During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, it remained one of consumers' top priorities, so it is safe to say that Mondelēz wasn't as direly affected as other sectors. The Chicago, Illinois-based brand, known for bringing us Cadbury, Oreo, Ritz, and Clorets, was founded in 2012 as a spinoff of Kraft Foods Group.
Verde Servicos Internacionais, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, has been a huge fan of Mondelēz since 2018, slowly owning around 480K shares of the company, including the over 7K stocks it bought in the third quarter of 2020.
Raytheon Technologies
Raytheon and United Technologies completed their merger amid the pandemic in 2020, giving birth to Raytheon Technologies, which is a defense and aerospace company. However, it somehow decreased its luster in the third quarter of 2020 and wasn't so much favored by big investors.
Despite this, Soroban Capital Partners, based in New York, still trusted Raytheon Technologies and bought 1.6 million shares, a 12-percent increase in its stake. This makes up for 8.1 percent of the Waltham, Massachusetts-headquartered brand's portfolio. In January 2021, the conglomerate revealed its fourth-quarter sales of $16.4 billion.
Adobe
Adobe made the headlines in 2020 for announcing that it would kill its iconic Flash Player, the plug-in that was first released in 1996, much to the disappointment of PC geeks. Speaking of which, the next Windows 10 update will officially delete the program. Even so, the reputable computer software company has many impressive offerings, including Premiere Pro and Photoshop.
Suvretta Capital Management, with $5.8 million assets under management, has stuck with Adobe since 2013. It added 1,300 shares in the third quarter of 2020, making the San Jose, California-based brand its largest holdings with 8.5 percent.
Lowe's
Although many people prefer Home Improvement to its staunch rival Lowe's, experts predict that it would see its stock growing. Boasting 2K stores across the United States, the company has seen dividends steadily increasing in the past decades.
Interestingly, the housing sector and home improvement sellers have endured the pandemic and even impressively gained profit. Brazil-based fund Verde Servicos Internacionais wasn't deaf not to hear the demands. Hence, it purchased 205,361 shares during the third quarter, making Lowe's its largest holding at 8.6 percent, followed by Microsoft (8.5 percent).
Exxon Mobil
Oil company Exxon Mobil has suffered a lot of beating in recent years, worsened by the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, its 2020 shares were down by 42 percent, which was enough to drive away investors. It saw a 23-percent decrease in advisories initiating positions in the third quarter.
Although this trend turned off some potential billionaires, Holowesko Partners did the otherwise: the Nassau, Bermuda-based hedge fund increased its stake in the energy brand by 3 percent when it bought 61K shares. It must have seen something in Exxon, which now makes for 9.3 percent of the firm's portfolio.
Netflix
With lockdown and quarantine restrictions put in place, most people have found comfort in streaming platform Netflix, which expands its library to add films and series. Many people think now is the time to get profits, but others, like Tiff Advisory Services, feel it's the moment to invest aggressively.
The Radnor, Pennsylvania-based hedge fund began its Netflix position in early 2020 until its third quarter, increasing its stakes by 31 percent. The Los Gatos, California-based company now accounts for ten percent of Tiff's holdings. As of January 2021, the platform boasts over 200 million subscribers.
Apple
Forbes declared tech giant Apple as the most valuable brand of 2020, followed by search engine Google. Worth a whopping $2.1 trillion, it isn't surprising that many investors flock to buy stocks. El Segundo, California-based Camden Capital, increased its stake by 5 percent in the third quarter of 2020 after buying close to 11K shares.
Now, the hedge fund has 226,3888 shares in Apple, which makes for 10.4 percent of its holdings. Camden Capital has been an avid believer of Apple, first pouring money on the company in the latter of 2019.
Mastercard
No less than the Warren Buffett-founded holding conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway believes in payment tech company Mastercard. It has also found another ally in Rivulet Capital, which boosted its stake in the Harrison, New York-based brand by 5 percent.
Specifically, the firm purchased 30,900 shares in Mastercard, accounting for 10.8 percent of Rivulet Capital's portfolio. It first invested in the payment network processor in 2020. Meanwhile, the $334.1-billion company reported an almost 7-percent decrease in revenue ($4.12 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2020, although it still exceeded FactSet's estimate of $4 billion.
Charter Communications
Next to Comcast, Charter Communications is the leading cable provider in the United States. The Stamford, Connecticut-based company, which offers internet and TV services too in its Spectrum line, acquired Time Warner Cable in a $56.7-billion deal and Bright House for $10.4 billion in 2016.
Warren Buffett has been a firm backer of Charter Communications, being an investor of the company since 2014. Gladstone Capital Management, worth at least $1.81 billion as of February 2021, has allocated big money for the cable company, now almost accounting for 1.9 percent of its portfolio.
HCA Healthcare
London-based hedge fund Cryder Capital Partners has been betting big in different healthcare companies, including HCA Healthcare, which has a market value of more than $51 billion and has over 150 clinics. The firm purchased an additional 144,607 shares (17 percent), which now raised its total stakes at 952,090.
HCA Healthcare accounts for 11 percent of Cryder Capital's portfolio, ranking sixth among its nine holdings. Although the list is relatively short, it might just be avoiding risky investments and opting for those that can provide gains. Its largest position is Thermo Fisher Scientific.
PepsiCo
Founded by Caleb Bradham in 1965 in New Bern, North Carolina, one needs to live under a rock not to know about PepsiCo, which doesn't only offer beverages but also food and snacks. Valued at close to $200 billion, the brand has faced sluggish demand because the pandemic had halted food chains, restaurants, bars, and cinemas' operations.
Lindsell Train, however, wasn't dissuaded and had, in fact, boosted its stake in the soft drinks company. The hedge fund had bet big on PepsiCo, buying 40,500 shares more in 2020, bringing its total shares to nearly five million. This accounts for 11.2 percent of the firm's portfolio value.
Nike
Gladstone Capital Management probably listened to Nike's slogan, Just Do It, when it boosted its stake in the sports brand. It increased its shares by 15 percent, making it in the hedge fund's top three holdings. The athletic clothes company also makes for 11.5 percent of the firm's holdings.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Nike's stocks didn't seem to be overly affected as it had a reported 35-percent increase in 2020. Gladstone is probably glad that it has invested in the brand for years now since nothing stops the brand from innovating. In 2021, it released the Go FlyEase shoes that won't require hands when putting on.
Comcast
Comcast is one of the leading cable companies in the United States, and just like most businesses, it has evolved in time, expanding to broadband, theme parks, movies, and content. So it makes sense that many investors like to spend for this Pennsylvania-based giant.
Trian Fund Management upgraded its Comcast share in 2020, raising its stocks to 8.5 million. This accounted for 11.6 percent of the firm's portfolio, a massive increase from its 5.1 percent. Although this was its biggest buy, it is worth noting that its founder, Nelson Peltz, previously made controversial comments after purchasing shares in the second quarter of 2020.
Merck
George Merck-founded pharmaceutical company Merck has found a serious backer in Warren Buffett because, during the third quarter of 2020, his Berkshire Hathaway bought 22.4 million shares. Another firm, SRB Corp., has been putting money in this New Jersey-based company.
The hedge fund has been sticking with Merck since 2011 and had purchased shares in the third quarter of 2020. Merck makes for SRB Corp.'s 13 percent of holdings, or 1.7 percent higher than its previous position. One of Merck's greatest stockholder magnets is its promising drug for cancer called Keytruda.
Goldman Sachs
In the third quarter of 2020, Greenhaven Associates bulked up its investment in Goldman Sachs by purchasing 26,750 shares, raising its stakes to nearly three million shares. The bank accounts for 13.1 percent of the hedge fund's holdings, making it the second biggest pick.
Greenhaven Associates has been faithful to Goldman Sachs, starting its position in the investment-bank in 2014. In February 2021, the New York company's CEO David Solomon said that he wants his employees to go back to the office, just as the debate on whether it is safe for people to go back to the office was up in the air.
CME Group
Sydney, Australia hedge fund VGI Partners boosted its position in CME Group in the third quarter of 2020 by purchasing 11,505 more shares, thereby bringing it to a total of 625,550. This makes for 13.8 percent of the company's portfolio value, a 2.1 percent increase from the second quarter.
CME became VGI's third stock pick, trailing behind Mastercard and Amazon. The derivatives marketplace, located in Chicago, Illinois, claims it beats other exchanges, namely COMEX, CME, NYMEX, and CBOT. In February 2021, CME announced that it exceeded fourth-quarter revenue and earnings predictions.
Salesforce.com
Salesforce, known for providing customer solutions service, revealed in December 2020 that it would acquire communication software company Slack Technologies for $27.7 billion. However, just days after announcing the deal, many weren't impressed, and it caused the stock price of the San Francisco, California-based brand to decrease.
New York hedge fund Kirkoswald Asset Management has placed a lot of trust in Salesforce, though, as it made it its second-largest stock pick. In February 2021, Salesforce revealed it beat fourth-quarter expectations. Subscription revenues of $5.48 billion were a year-over-year increase of 20 percent.
Bausch Health Companies
Valeant Pharmaceuticals had suffered a lot of road bumps in the past that caused its stocks to nosedive. Apart from huge debts, the brand also faced criticism and centered on accounting controversies, which was probably why it changed its name to Bausch Health Companies in 2018.
After an intricate facelift, Bausch Health's stock has greatly improved in recent years. It had found an ally in Permian Investment Partners, a New York hedge fund that increased its position by 17 percent when it purchased 775K shares in the third quarter of 2020.
SPDR Gold Shares
Considered one of the biggest exchange-traded funds, the SPDR Gold Shares had 36.49 ounces in the vaults in June 2020. Unlike the typical shares, this is a cost-efficient means to buy gold without facing complexities. Arnhold has been investing in this company since 2018 and has become bullish since.
In the third quarter of 2020, Arnhold bought over 27,800 shares, upgrading its stake by four percent. SPDR Gold Shares remains the firm's top stock pick as it accounts for 16.1 percent of its holdings. It now has more than 615K shares in the gold ETF company.
Berkshire Hathaway
When it comes to conglomerates, Berkshire Hathaway is probably the first that comes to mind. Some of its holdings include Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft Heinz Co., Mastercard, and Visa. In the third quarter of 2020, Check Capital Management raised its position in the Warren Buffett company by three percent or buying an additional 43,987 shares, now totaling 1.3 million shares.
Berkshire Hathaway's CEO is one of the world's wealthiest, with a current fortune of $85.6 billion. He and fellow philanthropist Microsoft founder Bill Gates have founded the Giving Pledge, which encourages the affluent to commit their fortune to those in need.
Microsoft
Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft has remained widely used to this day. Its operating system Windows, is also regarded as the most popular option, so it doesn't come as a shocker that the brand is one of investors' top picks. Skye Global Management, for instance, has increased its stake in the computer company by 66 percent, buying around 1.5 million shares.
This brings Skye Global's investment in the tech giant to a total of 3.4 million shares or around 20 percent of its holdings. Microsoft is the top stock pick of the hedge fund, which started its position in the company in 2017.
Amazon.com
New York-based firm Spark Investment Management has aggressively invested in several big companies in 2020, including in the Jeff Bezos-founded Amazon. The hedge fund started a position in the e-commerce brand by buying 4,559 shares (worth $14.4 million).
Amazon now accounts for almost 20 percent of Spark Investment's portfolio value, making it its second pick. Its founder is the world's richest man with an estimated net worth of $193 billion, although he revealed in February 2021 that he would be stepping down as the e-commerce's CEO. Other fresh positions were in Facebook, Netflix, Square, and Salesforce.com.
Alphabet
Google's parent company, Alphabet, is a silver lining in the stock market in the time of the pandemic. It's hard to imagine life without the search engine as it has become a part of our lives through different gadgets like smartphones, computers, and smart devices.
For the next years, it is predicted to grow 16 percent annually, an impressive forecast that may not be surprising for investors at all. Altarock Partners, which has been investing in Google since 2019, has added several shares, now accounting for 25 percent of its holdings. Other brands that Alphabet owns are Waze, Fitbit, YouTube, DoubleClick, and Nest.
Himalaya Capital Management has a tightly packed stock portfolio with only four companies on the list. But make no mistake, the Seattle-based hedge fund is not joking when it comes to investing. In the third quarter of 2020, the firm upgraded its stake significantly by 188 percent when it purchased an additional 722,100 shares.
Facebook now accounts for 26.5 percent of the firm's holdings. However, the Mark Zuckerberg-founded platform isn't Himalaya Capital's biggest investment; its largest pick is computer memory maker Micron Technologies, which makes for 40 percent of its portfolio.
Walmart
Investors got the shock of their lives when the pandemic started in March 2020, shutting almost all businesses across the world. However, one company that mightily survived the difficult year was Walmart, as hoarders flocked to the superstores to fill up their pantries. Shareholders of the giant retailer surely celebrated.
Louisville, Kentucky-based firm Cullinan Associates decided to raise its stakes in the superstore by purchasing 95,760 additional shares, making Walmart the firm's largest holding. It also accounts for 27.4 percent of its diverse portfolio value. The advisory's total position is over three million.
Visa
Payment processor Visa's appeal to investors is undeniable, what with the rise of digital mobile payments across the globe in years. When the pandemic started in March 2020, cashless transactions became more popular as people avoided frequently touched surfaces and things.
In 2020, London-based Odey Asset Management Group heavily invested in Visa by buying 1.5 million shares, increasing its stake by at least 9K percent! This significant move also meant that the company now makes for 42.1 percent of the firm's holdings, its largest position. Its second pick is Barrick Gold, which is only 5.2 percent of its portfolio.
PG&E
PG&E or Pacific Gas and Electric Company isn't likely the most attractive for investors despite it being a utility brand. This is because it made the news in recent years for the wrong reasons. In 2019, it was reported that over the course of six years, it had caused plenty of fires, the reason it now faces a string of lawsuits.
Silver Point Capital, however, remained a staunch supporter of the company and has even bought 1.3 million shares in 2020. PG&E now makes for 46.3 percent of the Greenwich, Connecticut firm's holdings.
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust accounts for 52.5 percent of the New York-based Castle Hook Partners' portfolio value after its 2020 purchase. However, as of February 2021, it was reported that the fund had sold its four million shares. Its other holdings include Microsoft, Amazon, Thermo Fisher, Avantor, and Uber.
It is worth noting that even Berkshire Hathaway also has a position in the S&P 500 ETF. Castle Hook Partners also recently started a position in Capital One Finl Corp by purchasing over 600K shares and has increased its stake in the Bill Gates-founded company by buying an additional 1.2 million shares.