80% of equity market cap held by institutions

Institutional ownership is the amount of a company's available stock owned by mutual or pension funds, insurance companies, investment firms, private foundations, endowments or other large entities that manage funds on behalf of others.

 

Institutions own about 78% of the market value of the U.S. broad-market Russell 3000 index, and 80% of the large-cap S&P 500 index. In dollars, that is about $21.7 trillion and $18 trillion, respectively. By comparison, institutions hold about 58% of the companies in the S&P Euro index.

 

Of the 10 largest U.S. companies, institutions own between 70% and 85.8%. Investment advisers are the largest institutional owner of equities through mutual funds and other investment vehicles. Apple, the largest company by market cap, is the most widely held company by institutions, with Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street the largest holders.