InsiderFlow › Glossary › What is a 13F filing?

What is a 13F filing?

The 13F is the quarterly document through which big US funds disclose their stock holdings to the SEC: the public map of smart money.

Every manager with over $100 million in US equities must file within 45 days of each quarter's end. Inside is the position list: which stocks, how many shares, what value. That's how the world learns what Berkshire Hathaway, Citadel or Bridgewater bought.

The limits: it only shows long positions in US stocks, with up to a 45-day delay, and no shorts, bonds or derivatives (except equity options). Read it as an underlying trend, not an instant trading signal.

Concrete example

When Berkshire's 13F revealed its Apple stake in 2016, the world learned that Buffett — historically tech-averse — had invested billions: today it's his largest position ever.

How you see it in InsiderFlow

InsiderFlow tracks the big funds' 13Fs and explains every move in plain language: who bought what, and why it matters.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you read 13Fs?

For free on the SEC's EDGAR database — or already translated and explained on InsiderFlow.

13Fs arrive late: are they still useful?

Yes, for underlying trends: big funds' positions last quarters or years, not days.