Hedge funds are selling Big Tech, Tesla remains a net short: Jefferies

Investing.com -- Hedge funds have recently made changes to their equity portfolios, with significant reductions in exposure to Big Tech stocks, while Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) remains a prominent net short, as per Jefferies. 

Analysts at Jefferies indicate that hedge funds have trimmed their positions in major growth-oriented sectors and reallocated their focus toward bond proxies and cyclicals.

Hedge funds have been scaling back their exposure to secular growth sectors, particularly Big Tech. 

Jefferies flags that for the second consecutive month, the weight in sectors like information technology and communication services which is home to many Big Tech names, has declined. 

“Hedge Funds lowered their weighting to Secular Growth, and now Cyclicals are a larger portion of the portfolio at 49.6% vs. 47.7%,” the analysts said. 

This trend marks a shift in investor sentiment, as hedge funds increasingly favor cyclicals and bond proxies.

Several prominent big tech names have seen reduced allocations. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) both saw cuts in their hedge fund weighting by over 2.5%. 

Although these companies still represent significant positions within hedge fund portfolios, their reduced weight is indicative of broader bearish sentiment toward the sector. 

Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) also saw its weight reduced, but remains a stronghold in the portfolios.

Interestingly, while Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) saw a slight increase in weighting, it remains underweight relative to its benchmark, the S&P 500, suggesting that hedge funds are still cautious about fully committing to the stock. 

The reduction in big tech exposure aligns with broader market concerns about elevated valuations, regulatory pressures, and decelerating growth.

Tesla continues to be one of the few big tech names that hedge funds are net shorting. 

“The short weighting in TSLA fell, but its still net short by 0.7%, while AAPL saw more interest, however is still significantly UW relative to the S&P 500,” the analysts said.

Jefferies mentions that despite Tesla's dominant market presence, hedge funds are skeptical about its near-term growth prospects and valuation. 

The electric vehicle maker faces competitive pressures and macroeconomic headwinds, further reinforcing its status as a target for short sellers.

The overall hedge fund exposure to equities has seen a reduction. Long exposure has fallen from 240% to 159% over the past month, marking the lowest risk exposure since September 2023. 

At the same time, short exposure has also declined from -140% to -59%, reflecting a more cautious stance in the market. 

Hedge funds have shifted their portfolios toward bond proxies, which saw their weight rise to 2.7%, a move from a net short position in prior months.

The reduction in secular growth positions, combined with increased exposure to bond proxies, indicates that hedge funds are positioning themselves defensively, likely in anticipation of potential economic downturns or market corrections. 

Bond proxies, typically characterized by their lower volatility and stable returns, have become a more attractive option amid uncertain market conditions.