40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026

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38. Vertiv Holdings (VRT)

Number of Hedge Funds: 112 (2025Q4)

Number of Hedge Funds: 102 (2025Q3)

The recent surge in hedge fund interest in Vertiv Holdings Co (VRT) is driven by its emergence as a critical “toll-booth” for the AI data center boom. Based on the latest data from the Insider Monkey page and recent market filings as of late February 2026, here is a breakdown of what is happening:

1. Massive Hedge Fund Accumulation

Institutional and hedge fund ownership has reached approximately 89.92%. While the number of funds held relatively steady at the end of 2025, the conviction and position sizing have skyrocketed:

  • The “Nvidia Partner” Effect: Hedge funds are treating VRT as a primary derivative play on Nvidia. As data centers shift to high-density AI chips, the need for Vertiv’s specialized liquid cooling and power management systems has transformed it from a traditional industrial stock into a high-growth AI infrastructure play.
  • New Entries & Increases: Major players like Vanguard (38.8M shares) and State Street have increased their stakes, while firms like Marshall Wace boosted their holdings in recent cycles. Billionaire Leon Cooperman is also bullish on VRT.

2. The “$15 Billion Backlog” Signal

The most “bullish” data point drawing in professional investors is Vertiv’s massive order backlog.

  • Backlog Growth: The company exited 2025 with a $15 billion backlog, which is more than double the previous year.
  • Organic Orders: In the fourth quarter of 2025, organic orders grew by a staggering 252% year-over-year. This provides hedge funds with rare revenue visibility into 2026 and 2027, making it a favorite for “buy and hold” institutional strategies.

3. Strategic Partnerships (2026 Catalyst)

Hedge funds are also pricing in high-value collaborations that were highlighted in early 2026:

  • Nvidia & Liquid Cooling: Vertiv is co-developing power systems for Nvidia’s next-generation architectures.
  • Nuclear-Powered Data Centers: A new partnership with Oklo to develop thermal solutions for data centers powered by small modular reactors has added a “clean energy” tailwind to the stock.

Summary Verdict

The “skyrocketing” interest from hedge funds reflects a consensus that Vertiv is the dominant winner in the data center cooling space.

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