What WhaleScore Means and How to Use It on 13F Insight
WhaleScore is a portfolio quality heuristic on 13F Insight that ranges from 0 to 100. Here is what it measures, how to interpret it, and how to use it for smarter institutional research.
When browsing institutional filers on 13F Insight, you will notice a WhaleScore next to each filer. This metric ranges from 0 to 100 and serves as a portfolio quality heuristic — a quick way to gauge whether a filer's holdings data carries genuine investment signal.
TL;DR
- WhaleScore is a composite metric that reflects how signal-rich a filer's 13F appears.
- It considers scale, concentration, consistency, and filing patterns.
- Berkshire Hathaway scores 85.75 — the highest among major filers.
- Options market makers and custodian banks tend to score lower because their holdings reflect trading/custody, not investment conviction.
What WhaleScore Measures
WhaleScore synthesizes multiple dimensions of portfolio quality:
- Scale: Larger portfolios from established managers score higher.
- Concentration: Portfolios with meaningful position sizes (not thousands of tiny positions) score higher.
- Consistency: Filers with stable, predictable filing patterns score higher than those with erratic reporting.
- Signal density: Holdings that reflect genuine investment decisions rather than hedging, market-making, or custody activities score higher.
WhaleScore Ranges
| Range | Interpretation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 80+ | Exceptional signal quality | Berkshire (85.75), CTC LLC (84.50) |
| 70-80 | High quality, active conviction | Capital World (73.00), Capital Intl (73.50) |
| 60-70 | Solid institutional signal | Goldman Sachs (67.75), Wells Fargo (65.25) |
| Below 60 | Weaker signal (broad/trading-heavy) | Some wealth platforms, market makers |
Practical Uses
- Filter your research: Focus on high-WhaleScore filers when looking for investment ideas.
- Weight position signals: Changes from a 85+ WhaleScore filer carry more weight than from a 60.
- Identify hidden gems: Lesser-known filers with high WhaleScores (like CTC LLC at 84.50) may be worth following.
- Contextualize holdings: Low WhaleScore warns you that holdings may reflect trading activity rather than investment conviction.
FAQ
Related Research
Explore all researchAllianceBernstein kept Nvidia, Microsoft and Amazon on top in Q4 2025, but new exposure to Intuitive Surgical and aggressive increases in Netflix and ServiceNow made the next filing more interesting than another mega-cap recap. Here is what to watch.
Apr 17, 2026
Victory Capital kept mega-cap tech on top in Q4 2025, but the sharper signal was in the secondary moves: large increases in Netflix, Constellation Energy, TSMC and new positions like IQVIA. The next filing will show whether that diversification continues.
Apr 17, 2026
Raymond James used Q4 2025 to keep broad ETF exposure high through VOO, AGG, SPY and IEFA while also adding to sector sleeves such as XLK and XLE. The next filing will show whether that balanced ETF-heavy structure remains the preferred setup.
Apr 17, 2026
Principal’s Q4 2025 filing looked slightly weaker on headline AUM, but the internal rotation was more revealing: Brookfield became a top-ten position, Netflix surged, and the fund cut back in parts of real estate. The next filing will show whether that shift keeps going.
Apr 17, 2026
Nuveen’s Q4 2025 filing stayed large-cap and AI-heavy at the top, but the more revealing addition was a sizable fixed-income sleeve through NXUS and NHYB. The next filing will show whether those credit and bond ETFs remain central or fade back out.
Apr 17, 2026