Average Institutional Ownership of US Public Companies
Average Institutional Ownership
Across 818 sampled public companies
Highest Sector (Healthcare)
Mega Cap Average
Breakdown by Market Cap
Institutional capital tends to gravitate towards larger, more liquid companies. Here is the average ownership percentage broken down by company size.
| Market Cap Segment | Average Inst. Ownership |
|---|---|
| Mega Cap | 69.4% |
| Large Cap | 72.5% |
| Mid Cap | 79.9% |
| Small Cap | 58.7% |
| Micro Cap | 46.2% |
Breakdown by Sector
Different sectors attract varying levels of institutional interest based on their capital requirements, stability, and growth profiles.
| Sector | Avg Ownership |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | 81.9% |
| Consumer Cyclical | 80.5% |
| Industrials | 80.3% |
| Technology | 78.9% |
| Real Estate | 78.6% |
| Energy | 70.9% |
| Consumer Defensive | 67.3% |
| Communication Services | 66.0% |
| Basic Materials | 65.6% |
| Financial Services | 63.6% |
Distribution of Institutional Ownership
How is institutional ownership distributed across the market? This chart shows the frequency of companies falling into specific ownership brackets.
The Extremes: Most and Least Owned
Top 20 Most Institutionally Owned
Note: Values >100% can occur due to short selling, where shares are borrowed and counted multiple times.
| Ticker | Company | Inst. Own |
|---|---|---|
| WING | Wingstop Inc. | 132.7% |
| KRC | Kilroy Realty Corporation | 131.0% |
| SEI | Solaris Energy Infrastructure, | 130.1% |
| CWST | Casella Waste Systems, Inc. | 126.8% |
| TWST | Twist Bioscience Corporation | 122.5% |
| ETSY | Etsy, Inc. | 121.0% |
| YETI | YETI Holdings, Inc. | 120.5% |
| PSN | Parsons Corporation | 119.9% |
| MLYS | Mineralys Therapeutics, Inc. | 118.1% |
| QTWO | Q2 Holdings, Inc. | 117.5% |
| GPK | Graphic Packaging Holding Compa | 117.4% |
| EZPW | EZCORP, Inc. | 117.0% |
| DNTH | Dianthus Therapeutics, Inc. | 116.8% |
| HPP | Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc. | 115.7% |
| DYN | Dyne Therapeutics, Inc. | 115.3% |
| WSO | Watsco, Inc. | 115.0% |
| PTEN | Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. | 114.7% |
| CORZ | Core Scientific, Inc. | 114.4% |
| NOVT | Novanta Inc. | 114.2% |
| NOG | Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. | 114.2% |
Top 20 Least Institutionally Owned (>$500M)
These companies have minimal institutional backing, often due to high insider ownership, recent IPOs, or foreign status.
| Ticker | Company | Inst. Own |
|---|---|---|
| FPS | Forgent Power Solutions, Inc. | 0.0% |
| EMAT | Evolution Metals & Technologies | 0.0% |
| RGC | Regencell Bioscience Holdings L | 0.1% |
| TLX | Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited | 0.3% |
| BSBR | Banco Santander Brasil SA | 0.7% |
| EC | Ecopetrol S.A. | 1.1% |
| AVAL | Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores S | 1.2% |
| KEP | Korea Electric Power Corporatio | 1.8% |
| IX | ORIX Corporation | 2.5% |
| BCH | Banco De Chile | 2.6% |
| GSIW | Garden Stage Limited | 2.7% |
| NMR | Nomura Holdings Inc | 2.8% |
| HCM | HUTCHMED (China) Limited | 3.1% |
| SAN | Banco Santander, S.A. Sponsored | 3.1% |
| WF | Woori Financial Group Inc. | 3.2% |
| LYG | Lloyds Banking Group Plc | 3.5% |
| WIT | Wipro Limited | 3.7% |
| ENIC | Enel Chile S.A. | 4.2% |
| HMC | Honda Motor Company, Ltd. | 4.2% |
| CEPU | Central Puerto S.A. | 4.4% |
How to Interpret Institutional Ownership
What does high institutional ownership signal?
High institutional ownership (typically >80%) signals that the "smart money"—mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds, and endowments—has confidence in the stock. These institutions perform rigorous due diligence and have massive research budgets. High ownership also provides strong liquidity. However, when ownership approaches or exceeds 90-100%, the trade is considered crowded. If a negative catalyst occurs, institutions may all rush to the exits simultaneously, leading to a violent price crash.
What does low institutional ownership signal?
Low institutional ownership (typically <20% for established companies) can signal a lack of confidence, high risk, poor liquidity, or simply that the company is "undiscovered." However, for retail investors, a solid company with low institutional ownership can be a goldmine. If the company performs well and begins attracting institutional capital, the massive influx of fund buying can drive the stock price up significantly. Note that low ownership can also artificially occur in companies with massive insider or family ownership (e.g., controlling stakes).
How to use institutional ownership in stock screening
- The Sweet Spot: Look for mid-cap or small-cap stocks with accelerating earnings but institutional ownership in the 30% - 60% range. This leaves room for institutional accumulation.
- Red Flags: Be cautious of micro-caps with >90% institutional ownership. They are often propped up by a few large holders and susceptible to massive dumps.
- Trend Analysis: Static ownership percentages are less useful than the change in ownership. An increase from 20% to 40% over two quarters is a powerful bullish signal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average institutional ownership across all US public companies?
Based on 2026 data, the average institutional ownership across US public companies is approximately 73.5%. This varies significantly by market capitalization and sector.
What does a high institutional ownership percentage signal?
High institutional ownership (typically >80%) signals strong confidence from major funds and banks, implying stability, rigorous analysis backing the stock, and liquidity. However, extremely high levels (>95%) can mean the stock is 'crowded,' leaving fewer marginal buyers to drive the price up further and increasing the risk of sharp selloffs if institutions simultaneously exit.
What does low institutional ownership signal?
Low institutional ownership (often <20%) could mean the company is undiscovered, too small, lacks a proven track record, or operates in a highly speculative space. It can also indicate a high insider or founder ownership structure. For investors, it may present an opportunity to 'get in early' before institutional money drives up the price, albeit with higher risk and lower liquidity.
Which sectors have the highest institutional ownership?
Our 2026 analysis shows that sectors like Healthcare (81.9%) and Consumer Cyclical (80.5%) tend to attract the highest institutional capital due to reliable cash flows or strong growth characteristics.
How does market cap affect institutional ownership?
There is a direct correlation between market cap and institutional ownership. Mega-cap and large-cap stocks typically see higher average institutional ownership because large funds require massive liquidity to build positions without moving the market. Small and micro-cap stocks have noticeably lower institutional ownership.
Cite This Page
Westmount Fundamentals. "Average Institutional Ownership of US Public Companies." westmountfundamentals.com/average-institutional-ownership-2026, 2026.