On Wall Street, few names command as much attention as Goldman Sachs, whose annual Hedge Fund Trend Monitor and Mutual Fundamentals reports are eagerly awaited by institutional investors and market watchers alike. This year’s edition, released on March 2, 2026, offers a sweeping view of how the world’s most influential investors are positioning themselves—and which stocks are capturing their collective imagination. According to 24/7 Wall St., the report analyzed a staggering $9 trillion in equity positions at the start of the first quarter, spanning 1,029 hedge funds with $4.4 trillion in gross equity and 524 large-cap mutual funds totaling $4.1 trillion.
The headline takeaway? Both hedge funds and mutual funds are making bold moves in 2026, with a notable consensus on several key sectors and stocks. The research shows that Health Care and Industrials are favored by both groups, while Financials and Consumer Discretionary sectors reveal some divergence: mutual funds are overweight in Financials, whereas hedge funds are underweight; meanwhile, hedge funds are more bullish on Consumer Discretionary, a sector mutual funds are trimming. Recent trading also saw both sides adding to their Energy and Consumer Discretionary holdings, while Communication Services saw a cutback.
Yet, it’s the five “shared favorite” stocks—Boeing, Citigroup, Mastercard, Vertiv, and Visa—that are truly stealing the spotlight. These companies are overweighted in both hedge fund and mutual fund portfolios this quarter, and their collective performance is turning heads: they’ve outperformed the S&P 500 by 2 percentage points year-to-date and by 6 percentage points in just the last month, according to the Goldman Sachs analysis.
Of these, Boeing stands out not only for its recent resurgence but also for the intense interest it’s drawing from institutional investors. Fisher Asset Management LLC, for instance, increased its stake in Boeing by 3.3% during the third quarter of 2025, acquiring an additional 177,597 shares and bringing its total to 5,505,040 shares—valued at a hefty $1.19 billion as of the most recent SEC filing. Other institutional names like Blue Barn Wealth LLC, N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC, Motco, Encompass Wealth Advisors LLC, and Jacobsen Capital Management also upped their holdings in Boeing over the same period. In total, hedge funds and institutional investors now own 64.82% of Boeing’s stock, underscoring the confidence the market’s biggest players have in the aerospace giant’s prospects.
Boeing’s business is as multifaceted as ever. The company’s core segments—Commercial Airplanes (BCA), Defense, Space & Security (BDS), and Global Services (BGS)—span everything from the iconic 737, 767, 777, and 787 commercial jets, to cutting-edge military aircraft, surveillance systems, and a global suite of maintenance and logistics services. The BCA segment remains a pillar, serving airlines worldwide, while BDS is focused on research and development of manned and unmanned military systems. BGS, meanwhile, provides everything from supply chain management and engineering to pilot training and spare parts, ensuring Boeing’s platforms are supported throughout their lifecycle.
The company’s recent financial performance has caught the attention of analysts and investors alike. On January 27, 2026, Boeing reported quarterly earnings that surprised the market: earnings per share (EPS) came in at $9.92, a full $10.32 above consensus estimates, with revenue soaring to $23.95 billion—an eye-popping 57.1% increase year-over-year. The market responded accordingly, with the stock opening at $227.66 on March 2, 2026, and maintaining a 50-day moving average of $234.75 and a 200-day average of $219.86. Boeing’s market capitalization now stands at $178.79 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 113.26 and a beta of 1.15, reflecting both its volatility and its potential for growth.
Analysts have been quick to adjust their outlooks in light of Boeing’s recent results. UBS Group raised its price target from $275 to $285 on January 28, 2026, while Jefferies Financial Group bumped its target from $290 to $295 just days later. Citigroup reaffirmed its Buy rating on February 5, 2026. In total, one analyst has issued a Strong Buy, 17 have assigned Buy ratings, five have offered Hold recommendations, and three have rated the stock as Sell. According to MarketBeat.com, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy,” with an average price target of $246.14. Jefferies, notably, maintains a Buy rating and a $295 target, while Oppenheimer has an Outperform rating for Citigroup at $145, and Goldman Sachs is bullish on Mastercard with a $739 target. Morgan Stanley, meanwhile, is overweight on both Vertiv ($285 target) and Visa ($411 target).
Insider activity has also been brisk in early 2026. SVP Ann M. Schmidt sold 6,281 shares on February 17 at an average price of $243.37, while EVP Howard E. McKenzie sold 10,497 shares on February 5 at $233.99. These moves represent significant reductions in their respective ownership stakes—31% and 41.67%—and over the past three months, insiders have sold a total of 21,012 shares worth nearly $5 million. Still, corporate insiders retain a small fraction of the stock, at 0.09% of shares outstanding.
Boeing’s profile as an American multinational corporation is well established. Founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, the company has evolved into a global aerospace and defense powerhouse, now headquartered in Arlington, Virginia since its 2022 relocation. Its engineering, manufacturing, and service operations span the United States and the world, with Commercial Airplanes, Defense, Space & Security, and Global Services forming the backbone of its operations. Whether it’s producing next-generation jetliners, developing military surveillance and reconnaissance systems, or offering digital analytics and logistics support, Boeing’s reach is far and wide.
The broader context of the market’s current enthusiasm for Boeing and its fellow “shared favorites” can’t be ignored. As highlighted by 24/7 Wall St., these five stocks are not only outperforming the benchmark S&P 500 but are also benefiting from the strategic shifts of the world’s most sophisticated investors. Both hedge funds and mutual funds have recently increased their exposure to sectors like Energy and Consumer Discretionary, while paring back on Communication Services—a sign of how quickly sentiment can shift in response to macroeconomic and sector-specific developments.
Meanwhile, the other “shared favorites” are making waves in their own right. Citigroup, for example, continues to offer a 2.01% dividend yield and a broad suite of financial services, from treasury and trade solutions to branded cards and wealth management. Mastercard and Visa, the global payments behemoths, are riding the tide of electronic payments growth, with Mastercard paying a 0.61% dividend and Visa facilitating transactions across more than 200 countries. Vertiv, perhaps the least known of the bunch, is quietly powering the digital infrastructure behind data centers and industrial environments, with its stock rated overweight by Morgan Stanley.
For investors and market observers, the latest Goldman Sachs report offers more than just a snapshot of current trends—it’s a window into the strategies and convictions of the world’s most influential market participants. As Boeing and its peers continue to outperform, all eyes will be on whether these “shared favorites” can maintain their lead in a market that never stands still.