By: Alex Oleinic

Institutional investors are required to file their 13F forms several weeks after the end of each calendar quarter. In these filings, investors, such as hedge funds, disclose the holdings in their equity portfolios. One of the funds that has recently filed its 13F form is Gamco Investors, managed by the legendary Mario Gabelli. Let's look at billionaire Gabelli's five largest holdings.

See the original 13F here, and it's important to remember that individual investors can successfully piggyback hedge funds and other prominent investors if they know where to look (discover the secrets of this strategy).

A top trio

According to the 13F, DIRECTV (DTV) is the most valuable equity holding in the fund's filing, as it was in the prior quarter. However, Gabelli has increased the position to 4,936,239 shares, from a total of 4,825,837 heading into 2013. The value of the stake

By Alex Oleinic

Billionaire Mason Hawkins is one fund manager we follow very closely. No more than 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter, institutional investors are required to file their 13F forms with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Southeastern Asset Management recently disclosed its holdings; the original 13F can be found here. Our research has shown that retail investors can beat the market significantly by piggybacking hedge funds (discover the secrets of this strategy here).

Number One

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) is the most valuable equity in the 13F portfolio of Southeastern Asset Management. The fund disclosed ownership of 89,428,818 shares, worth $1.8 billion, vs. a $1.4 billion position in the previous 13F. With a year-to-date return of above 24%, Chesapeake Energy has one of the highest YTD returns in the energy sector, which has an aggregate year-to-date return of close to 6%,

By Hioara Dumitru

Sandler Capital Management was founded by Harvey Sandler in 1980 and has been a Registered Investment Advisor since 1988. Andrew Sandler, Harvey's son, has been head of the firm's hedge fund business since 1997. The fund currently manages $1.9 billion in equities alone. Sandler's clients include high net worth individuals, large family offices, funds of hedge funds, pension funds, insurance companies, and sovereign wealth funds.

The fund recently filed its 13F with the SEC, describing some of its main investments during 2013's first quarter. A quick look at the top five equity positions of this new hedge fund might be a good starting point for your own research.

The Q1 13F can be found here. Retail investors can benefit from watching hedge fund sentiment (discover the details of this strategy), as you've become so aware of lately.

Top bet

Generac Holdings Inc. (GNRC)

By Adam Barnett

Clovis Capital Management is a long-short equity hedge fund mainly servicing high net worth individuals and institutions. It is managed by Michael Prober and Scott Scher, former employees of asset management firm Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn. The fund invests across different sectors, including financial services, information technology and retail, using both equities and options. See the original 13F here. Retail investors can benefit from watching hedge fund sentiment, as quantitative analyses have revealed that the best picks of the best money managers can beat the market (discover the details of this strategy).

As of the latest 13F, the fund's largest holding is in Colony Financial Inc. (CLNY), a retail investment and finance company, specializing in real estate debt instruments. A small percentage of the fund's stake was reduced during from the prior quarter. The price action of CLNY has been very impressive over the

By: Adam Barnett

Grisanti Capital Management is a hedge fund managed by Christopher Grisanti serving high net worth individuals and not-for-profit institutions. The fund recently filed its Q1 13F with the SEC, describing some of its main equity investments for the quarter, an interesting mix of value and growth stocks. See the original 13F here. It's important to pay attention, because quantitative analyses have revealed that piggybackers can beat the market if they know where to look (discover the secrets of this strategy here).

Numero uno

Grisanti's biggest position, according to the 13F, is 343,855 shares in the Nasdaq-listed wireless product maker Qualcomm (QCOM), worth $17.4 million at the time of filing. This is a significant rise in holdings as only 176,094 QCOM shares were reported to be held by Grisanti in the prior 13F. Qualcomm has a long history of volatility, which has continued

By: Adam Barnett

Founded by former sell-side analyst John Osterweis, Osterweis Capital Management is a large hedge fund managing the money of high net-worth individuals, endowments and various foundations. A quick look at the top 5 equity positions of the fund can be a good starting point for your own research. See the original first quarter 13F here.

Why this is important

Retail investors can benefit from watching hedge fund sentiment, as quantitative analyses have revealed that the best picks of the best money managers can beat the market by as much as 18 percentage points a year.

Let's get started

Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) is the fund's largest holding, with 694,203 shares directly held at the time of the 13F filing, worth about $52 million. This is a considerable fall from the prior quarter when 788,168 Valeant shares were held. During the first quarter, Valeant posted a

By Adam Barnett

ACK Asset Management, founded and managed by Richard S. Meisenberg, specializes in small-cap and mid-cap equities. A broad economic outlook, a long/short strategy, and an eye for catalysts are the underlying norms of the fund's investment philosophy. The hedge fund recently filed its 13F, describing some of its main investments for the quarter. A quick look at the top 5 equity positions of the fund can be a good starting point for your own research. See the original 13F here, and it's important to note that empirical analyses have revealed that piggybackers can beat the market if they know where to look (discover the secrets of this strategy).

Let's get started

At the time of the 13F filing, the fund's largest holding was in glass tableware manufacturer Libbey Inc. (LBY). The fund held a stake of 852,000 shares of common stock valued at about

By Adam Barnett

Longview Asset Management is an employee owned Chicago-based investment manager, run by James Star. As their recent 13F filing indicates, the fund does indeed take a "long view," focusing on a small number of equity positions. Only four equity positions are reported in the current 13F, and these have been carried across from the prior quarter, although as we shall see some adjustments to the size of the fund's positions have been made. See the original 13F here, and discover the secrets of why it's important to pay attention to hedge fund sentiment on Insider Monkey.

Three out of four ain't bad

In the latest 13F, the fund's largest holding is in the aerospace and defense giant General Dynamics Corporation (GD), with a 33,399,076 common stock stake worth about $2.3 billion at the time of filing, with no significant change in the size of the

By Andrei Braghis

Harvard Management Company is a fully owned subsidiary of Harvard University. The fund, run by Jane Mendillo, has been very active during the first three months of 2013. Of the fund's five largest positions, three have been newcomers to the equity portfolio, according to its latest 13F filing with the SEC. The original filing can be seen here. It's important to track hedge fund sentiment because it has been found that for investors who know where to look can benefit.

Top dog

The top pick of Harvard Management is Hudson City Bancorp (HCBK), a local bank based in Paramus, NJ. Jane Mendillo has more than doubled the fund's stake in the bank, taking it to a reported value of $137 million. The stock price is not moving in a trend, fluctuating in the range of $8-$8.8. Hudson City stock has a beta of 1.21 and pays

By Andrei Braghis

Tontine Asset Management has suffered notable losses in the aftermath of the financial crisis, but manager Jeffrey Gendell has managed to turn it around. He is a macro trader, that is, he invests in stocks that he believes will advance thanks to macroeconomic trends. In the most recent quarter, Gendell has made a significant addition to the fund's investment in Citigroup (C) and has also added to the investment in Bank of America (BAC).

The original 13F can be seen here. Retail investors can capitalize on this phenomenon, but they have to know where to look first (learn the secrets of this strategy here).

The tippy top

The fund's top position, Patrick Industries (PATK), has been slightly diminished. Jeffrey Gendell has decreased the investment in the manufacturer of building products and materials by 6%. The reported value of the remaining 3.9 million shares

By Andrei Braghis

Richard Rubin, the founder and manager of Hawkeye Capital, has made some important changes to the fund's top equity positions. A new entrant made the top five, and the remaining four are some intriguing investments as well. The original 13F can be seen here. It's important to track hedge fund sentiment because it has been found that for investors who know where to look, market outperformance is possible (discover the secrets here).

Number one

The top pick of Hawkeye is KapStone Paper and Packaging Corp. (KS), constituting almost a third of the fund's equity portfolio. During the first quarter of 2013, Rubin has slightly decreased the fund's stake in the paper products manufacturer. The reported value of the remaining investment is $84,6 million. The stock has been in an uptrend in 2013, advancing 28% to a current price of approximately $29. It is

By: Alex Oleinic

Michael Hintze's hedge fund CQS Cayman recently disclosed its holdings in a 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Generally, 13Fs are filed several weeks after the end of each calendar quarter. We follow CQS Cayman, so looking into its 13F filings is one of the best ways to see which equities it holds nearest and dearest to its heart. The original 13F can be found here, and our research has shown that those who follow specific hedge fund activity can benefit greatly (discover this strategy's secrets here).

A top trio

CQS Cayman reported holding 4,184,246 shares of News Corp (NWSA) Class B stock, the value of the stake being $128.7 million. In the previous 13F, the fund disclosed a $104.7 million position, which contained 3,989,633 shares. The total revenue of News Corp advanced by 14% on the year to $9.54 billion in

By: Alex Oleinic

One of the hedge funds we track is Pacifica Capital Investments. Even though it is not a big fund, having an equity portfolio worth $149.4 million, it is important to follow its latest moves. Between 1998 and 2010, Steve Leonard, the founder of Pacifica Capital, managed to post returns of 12.2% each year, while the S&P 500's annual return was 1.8%. One of the ways to follow the activity of Pacifica Capital is by looking at the fund's 13F filings with the SEC. Let's look at the first quarter holdings. See the original 13F here.

This is important because...

Why do we follow the activity of different hedge funds? The answer is simple: it can benefit average investors by watching hedge fund sentiment (learn the secrets of this strategy here).

Pole Position

Goldman Sachs (GS) is the largest holding in terms of value in

By: Alex Oleinic

Several weeks after the end of each calendar quarter, hedge funds are required to file their 13F forms with the Securities and Exchange Commission, where they disclose all of their equity holdings from the previous three-month period. One of these funds is the New York-based Levin Capital Strategies managed by John A. Levin. We'll take a look at the hedgie's 5 most valuable positions at the end of Q1.

Quantitative studies have demonstrated that those who follow specific hedge fund activity have the potential to beat Mr. Market significantly (learn the secrets of this strategy here), so it's important to pay attention.

Pfizer in the lead

Levin Capital has announced a $239 million position in Pfizer Inc. (PFE). The fund currently owns 8,280,579 shares of Pfizer, down from 8,849,557 shares disclosed at the end of December. The previous value of the stake was $221.9 million.

By: Alex Oleinic

Tracking 13Fs is important because they reveal the latest moves made by hedge funds each quarter. Usually, institutional investors are required to file their 13F forms with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Emerging Sovereign Group, managed by J Kevin Kenny Jr, is one of the hedgies we track, and we'll focus in on their top five equity positions. The original 13F can be seen here. We are looking into the five largest holdings in terms of value because it can benefit retail investors by watching hedge fund sentiment (learn the secrets of this strategy here).

The leader

Yum! Brands (YUM) is a new position in the 13F portfolio of Emerging Sovereign. The fund disclosed owning 1,970,750 shares, worth $141.8 million. The EPS of Yum! Brands declined by an annual 24% to $0.72. The company

By Andrei Braghis

Tom Gayner's Markel Gayner Asset Management made some interesting tweaks to its equity portfolio in the first quarter. For starters, it ever so slightly reduced its investment in Berkshire Hathaway. The only newcomer among the fund's top five was Diageo (DEO); we'll give you the details below. See the original 13F here.

Why Pay Attention?

It's important to track hedge fund sentiment because, on the whole, their best picks have been shown to outperform the market by 18 percentage points a year. Best of all, retail investors can capitalize on this phenomenon, but they have to know where to look first (learn the secrets of this strategy here).

Top Dog

Markel's top pick is CarMax (KMX). The fund has slightly decreased its stake in the retailer of used vehicles, but that did not jeopardize its position as the top dog. The total value

By Hioara Dumitru

Prescott Group Capital Management is a registered investment advisor founded in 1992 by Phil Frohlich. The firm invests in small and mid-cap publicly traded securities through private limited partnerships, and has an equity portfolio worth around $450 million under its control. As a legal SEC requirement, institutional investors have to present quarterly 13F forms within a period of 45 days after the end of each quarter. Retail investors can capitalize on this phenomenon, but they have to know where to look first (learn the secrets of this strategy).

According to the data available, Prescott Group's 13F portfolio has grown by $80 million since the end of 2012, with a particular penchant for tech stocks.

Number 1

Phil Frohlich's big bet in the first quarter was Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), as the fund's 5.7 million share-stake stayed constant from the previous three-month period. Prescott

By Adam Barnett

Peconic Partners, founded and still run by William Harnisch, uses a mixture of macro analysis of the economy and micro analysis of individual companies and sectors to determine its investment selection process. It is named after the wealthy Native American tribe from Long Island. See the original 13F here.

Why Do We Pay Attention?

It's important to track hedge fund sentiment because, on the whole, their best picks have been shown to outperform the market by as much as 18 percentage points a year. Best of all, retail investors can capitalize on this phenomenon, but they have to know where to look first (learn the secrets of this strategy here).

The 'Tippy Top'

In the latest 13F, the fund's largest holding is in construction and engineering company Mastec (MTZ), with approximately 2.1 million shares worth around $62 million. A similar amount was held during

By: Andrei Braghiş

Realm Partners, managed by Robert Millard, is one of the 500 hedge funds we track at Insider Monkey, and while this number seems large, keep in mind that over 8,000 hedge funds are active today. Tracking the best of the best investors is what we do, and each quarter digging into their equity portfolios (via 13F filings) is essential. Retail investors can capitalize on this phenomenon, but they have to know where to look first (learn the secrets of this strategy here).

Number 1

Millard's top pick is still TW Telecom (TWTC). The fund has increased its stake in the provider of network services by 9.5% quarter over quarter, and its holding is now worth nearly $13 million. TW Telecom did post a first quarter profit of 2013, but missed market estimates, registering earnings of $0.09 per share and revenues of $381.21 million. Still,

By: Adam Barnett

Traxis Partners is a boutique hedge fund founded by former Morgan Stanley global strategist Barton Biggs, who passed away in July 2012. It is currently managed by Adam Jaffe. During the first quarter of 2013, the fund has made a number of adjustments to its equity portfolio, which can be estimated via the latest 13F filing with the SEC. According to this latest 13F, the fund's portfolio continues to have significant exposure to healthcare and its related sectors. We will now examine the performance of the top five largest holdings of the fund. The original 13F is here.

Why do we pay attention?

It is important to track hedge fund sentiment, because on the whole, the best picks have been shown to outperform the market by as much as 18 percentage points a year. Best of all, retail investors can capitalize on this phenomenon, but