Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP) was in 14 hedge funds’ portfolio at the end of the fourth quarter of 2012. IOSP shareholders have witnessed an increase in support from the world’s most elite money managers in recent months. There were 13 hedge funds in our database with IOSP positions at the end of the previous quarter.
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With these “truths” under our belt, let’s take a gander at the recent action encompassing Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP).
What have hedge funds been doing with Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP)?
At the end of the fourth quarter, a total of 14 of the hedge funds we track were bullish in this stock, a change of 8% from the third quarter. With hedgies’ capital changing hands, there exists a few notable hedge fund managers who were boosting their holdings considerably.
When looking at the hedgies we track, Royce & Associates, managed by Chuck Royce, holds the largest position in Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP). Royce & Associates has a $44 million position in the stock, comprising 0.1% of its 13F portfolio. Sitting at the No. 2 spot is D. E. Shaw of D E Shaw, with a $17 million position; the fund has 0% of its 13F portfolio invested in the stock. Remaining hedge funds that are bullish include Jeffrey Gendell’s Tontine Asset Management, Alexander Mitchell’s Scopus Asset Management and Cliff Asness’s AQR Capital Management.
As aggregate interest increased, key hedge funds have been driving this bullishness. Citadel Investment Group, managed by Ken Griffin, initiated the largest position in Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP). Citadel Investment Group had 1 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Neil Chriss’s Hutchin Hill Capital also made a $1 million investment in the stock during the quarter. The other funds with brand new IOSP positions are Mike Vranos’s Ellington and Peter Rathjens, Bruce Clarke and John Campbell’s Arrowstreet Capital.
Insider trading activity in Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP)
Insider trading activity, especially when it’s bullish, is at its handiest when the company we’re looking at has experienced transactions within the past half-year. Over the latest half-year time period, Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP) has experienced zero unique insiders purchasing, and 6 insider sales (see the details of insider trades here).
Let’s also examine hedge fund and insider activity in other stocks similar to Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP). These stocks are Quaker Chemical Corp (NYSE:KWR), Flotek Industries Inc (NYSE:FTK), WD-40 Company (NASDAQ:WDFC), Innophos Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:IPHS), and Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KOP). All of these stocks are in the specialty chemicals industry and their market caps are closest to IOSP’s market cap.
| Company Name | # of Hedge Funds | # of Insiders Buying | # of Insiders Selling |
| Quaker Chemical Corp (NYSE:KWR) | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| Flotek Industries Inc (NYSE:FTK) | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| WD-40 Company (NASDAQ:WDFC) | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Innophos Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:IPHS) | 12 | 0 | 5 |
| Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KOP) | 10 | 0 | 7 |
With the returns shown by the aforementioned strategies, retail investors must always watch hedge fund and insider trading activity, and Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP) is no exception.
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