A recent analysis of portfolio allocations reveals the stocks most favoured by top-performing equity managers globally. The report, produced by Citywire, ranks the popularity of shares based on holdings data from high-conviction investors.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, ranks first among the world’s most highly-rated stocks. Microsoft, which has sustained strong demand across its cloud computing and productivity tools, holds the second position. Both companies maintained their rankings compared to the previous quarter.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, a critical supplier in global technology production, is ranked third. Its position reflects continued investor confidence in semiconductor demand despite geopolitical uncertainties affecting the supply chain.
Allison Transmission, a provider of propulsion systems for commercial and military vehicles, saw a rise in interest among elite managers and ranks fourth. State Bank of India, which has experienced significant growth amid India’s expanding economy, follows in fifth place.
Nvidia, known for its leadership in graphics processing units and artificial intelligence technology, occupies the sixth spot. Cisco Systems, a networking and communications technology company, is in seventh place after climbing in the rankings.
Sanofi, a French healthcare company focused on pharmaceuticals and vaccines, holds the eighth position. Amazon, a leader in e-commerce and cloud computing, ranks ninth, buoyed by increasing demand for its services.
Rounding out the list is Larsen & Toubro, an Indian multinational with activities in engineering and construction. Its inclusion reflects heightened infrastructure investment activity in Asia.
The rankings are derived from Citywire’s analysis of portfolio disclosures and focus on shares classified with an AAA rating. This system identifies stocks backed by less than 5 percent of the world’s 10,000 elite equity managers, based on the size and conviction of their positions.
Asia sharing growing
According to the report, the geographic distribution of AAA-rated stocks has shifted over the past year, with Asia accounting for a growing share. Indian companies in particular, such as Larsen & Toubro and State Bank of India, feature prominently. This trend contrasts with a decline in the number of top-rated stocks based in the Americas.
The report also highlighted the industries attracting significant interest. Technology remains the dominant sector, with companies like Alphabet, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing leading investor preferences.
The findings suggest that elite investors are aligning their portfolios with long-term themes such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and infrastructure development, while maintaining positions in core sectors like healthcare and financial services.
Citywire compiles these rankings quarterly.
The 10 most bought stocks
as per the Citywire Elite report for Q1 2025.
