Skip to main content
Smart Beta Compass

Investor behaviour: Q4 snapshot

Temps de lecture: 5 min
Ryan Reardon profile picture
Senior Equity ETF Strategist

An overview of cross-sectional patterns of institutional equity flows and holdings.

Institutional style positioning

We analyse 10 style dimensions: Market Beta, Idiosyncratic Volatility (further referred to as Idiosyncratic Beta), Dividend Yield, Inflation Exposure, Value/Growth, Relative Value to History, Relative Value to Industry, Low Size (Small Caps), Price Momentum, and Relative Efficiency (further referred to as Relative Quality). See footnotes for full style definitions.

  • High quality stocks are the most overweight exposure.
  • Small cap stocks remain significantly underowned — yet inflows persist. 
  • Dividends and Value are the other most underweight style exposures.

Figure 1: Institutional Style Positioning (Quarter End)

Figure 2: Institutional style positioning (quarter end)

Trend Flows

Alongside investor-positioning data in each significant style dimension, analysis of active flows can offer additional insight into investor sentiment.

Below we detail active flow trends across two time series: the daily change in 60-day trend flows over the past year, and the daily change in 20-day trend flows over the past quarter. Each provides insight on investor flow trends leading up to quarter-end.

60-day trend

Notable dispersion across styles, with a strong acceleration into small caps at quarter end — similar to the start of the year. Market and idiosyncratic beta stocks ended the quarter with robust inflows, supporting already overweight positioning.

Figure 2: Institutional style flows (60d Flow Trend, Last 1 Year)

Institutional style flows (60d Flow Trend, Last 1 Year)

20-day trend

Data shows continued momentum in market beta and idiosyncratic beta exposures, supporting their overweight status.

Figure 3: Institutional Style Flow (20d Flow Trend, Last Quarter)

Institutional Style Flow (20d Flow Trend, Last Quarter)

Trend holdings

Historical holdings trends can provide additional perspective context on investor sentiment.

The time series below details monthly changes in investor holdings over the past year, and adds context on investor holdings leading up to quarter-end.

At quarter end, investors were most overweight in higher Market Beta and Relative Quality, notwithstanding recent outflows and a market retreat. Holdings in higher Dividend Yield, Small Caps, Relative Value, and Value/Growth remain underweight.

Figure 4: Institutional style monthly holdings (last 1 year)

Institutional style monthly holdings (last 1 year)

Figure 5: Institutional style holdings (last quarter)

Institutional style holdings (last quarter)

More on Smart Beta