Sterling Capital Management LLC Q2 2019 vs. Q3 2019 13F Holdings Comparison

In the world of finance, one of the ways to track investment portfolios is through a form called 13F. This report is filed quarterly by institutional investment managers to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Sterling Capital Management LLC has recently filed its Q2 2019 and Q3 2019 reports and we will be comparing the changes in their holdings between these periods.

A 13F form discloses investment information such as the name and class of the security, the CUSIP number, the number of shares and the total value of such shares in the portfolio. This data is shared with the public to provide transparency regarding the investments of institutional investors.

In the Q2 2019 13F report, Sterling Capital Management held 40 different securities. These positions were worth $3,189,014 and accounted for 93.1% of their portfolio value. By Q3 2019, Sterling had increased its holdings to 45 different stocks with a total portfolio value of $3,663,038, which was 93.7% of the portfolio value.

Microsoft Corp (MSFT) was the largest holding in both Q2 and Q3 2019 with holdings of 1,236,116 and 1,231,490 shares, respectively. As the value of MSFT shares increased between Q2 and Q3 2019, Sterling Capital Management's position in the company increased from $165,590 to $171,214, representing an increase of 3.4%.

Another significant holding in Sterling's portfolio was iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value (IWS), an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the Russell Mid-Cap Value Index. The fund, which had 113,907 shares in Q2 2019, was increased to 1,690,638 shares in Q3 2019. The value of the shares also increased from $10,153,000 to $151,650,000, representing a 1393.6% increase.

Not all of Sterling Capital Management's holdings experienced growth, however. Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO), for example, saw a decrease in the number of shares held. In Q2 2019, Sterling held 2,799,687 shares, which decreased to 2,761,086 shares in Q3 2019. The value of the shares also decreased from $153,227,000 to $136,425,000 or 11%.

One of the most interesting changes in Sterling's portfolio was its position in Discover Financial Services (DFS). In Q2 2019, Sterling held 1,628,356 shares, which decreased slightly to 1,622,569 shares in Q3 2019. However, the value of the shares increased from $126,344,000 to $131,574,000, or 4.1%. This indicates that although Sterling Capital Management held fewer shares, the value of these shares increased significantly.

In summary, Sterling Capital Management LLC increased the number of securities in its portfolio between Q2 2019 and Q3 2019, as well as the overall value of these holdings. While some of the positions experienced losses in the value of shares held, others experienced significant increases. It is important to note that these holdings were disclosed in a 13F form, which does not reflect the entirety of the fund's portfolio and should not be used as the sole reference for investment decisions.