Anheuser-Busch (NYSE:BUD) stock is back in the green today after falling last week on political controversy. The prominent brewing company recently faced significant blowback after partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
As conservative media personalities railed against the company last week, BUD stock plunged. While shares initially dipped to start this week, today they are rising again, demonstrating that the company is well-equipped to shake off negative campaigns against it. As InvestorPlace reported yesterday:
“For all the criticism that Anheuser-Busch is facing now, this fad isn’t likely to last long. It is even less likely to impact the company’s long-term growth prospects. Even the people who purchased Bud Light to make a protest video still had to spend money on it. Additionally, BUD stock is the type of company that can withstand unfavorable market conditions. The far-right will soon find something else to be angry with, and when they do, shares will likely bounce back into the green.”
With the stock safely rebounding and the conservative backlash likely behind it, BUD stock is in a good position to keep rising. But that isn’t the only good news for the company. Institutional investment has also been rising since the previous quarter, further suggesting that better days are ahead for Anheuser-Busch.
Here’s what investors need to know about the large-scale investors who remain bullish on BUD.
Top 5 Investors Betting Big on BUD Stock
According to data from Whale Wisdom, Q4 2022 was an excellent quarter for Anheuser-Busch on the institutional investment front. The number of funds holding BUD stock jumped from 444 to 492, an increase of more than 10%.
While the number of 13F shares fell, percentage ownership rose by more than 5%. The number of new positions surged by 162%, rising from 39 to 102. While the number of increased positions is down slightly, the number of closed positions has fallen by more than 42%. The stock’s PUT/CALL ratio is also declining and currently sits at 0.76, indicating that bearish sentiment toward BUD is falling.
Let’s take a look at the top investors maintaining high positions in the company.
- BRC S.A.R.L.: 1,145,374,617 shares. Based out of Luxembourg, this firm is Anheuser-Busch’s top shareholder, though it recently offloaded 1,790,976 shares.
- Altria Group (NYSE:MO): 1,128,173,833 shares. This big tobacco giant recently decreased its BUD stock holdings by 6,245,202 shares.
- Dodge & Cox: 25,339,671 shares. This mutual-fund-management firm recently sold 34,075 shares of BUD.
- The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company: 11,088,566 shares. This Canadian-based firm recently added 1,162,780 shares.
- Fisher Asset Management: 9,458,353 shares. This wealth management firm has recently increased its BUD stock holdings by 184,847 shares.
