Orca Investment Management Holds its Own: A Comparison of Q4 2022 vs. Q1 2023

Orca Investment Management, LLC is a hedge fund with a diversified portfolio that invests in various sectors, including technology, healthcare, and finance. This fund's Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 holdings underwent some significant changes. In this article, we will analyze its stock portfolio, compare its holdings' performance, and provide insights into the hedge fund's investment strategy.

The following are the top five stocks in Orca Investment Management's portfolio ranked by their Q4 2022 values:

1. Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY)

2. Microsoft Corp (MSFT)

3. Apple Inc (AAPL)

4. Bristol-Hathaway Inc Del Cl (BRK-B)

5. Alphabet Inc Class C (GOOG)

In Q1 2023, the portfolio's top holdings remain relatively unchanged, with the same top five stocks in slightly different order:

1. Microsoft Corp (MSFT)

2. Apple Inc (AAPL)

3. Alphabet Inc Class C (GOOG)

4. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

5. Bristol-Hathaway Inc Del Cl (BRK-B)

Orca Investment Management's top holdings are all blue-chip stocks with a history of consistent growth. The investment team appears to be convinced that these stocks will continue to perform well in the future, given that they remain the fund's top holdings. However, there have been some significant changes elsewhere in the portfolio.

One of the most interesting moves in the Orca Investment Management's Q4 2022 to Q1 2023 stock turnover was the rise of Coherent Corp (COHR) shares. The company's share value went up by a staggering 34.8%, and its share count increased from 46168 to 57348. This move seems to signify that Orca Investment Management is bullish on the emerging photonics and laser industry where Coherent Corp operates.

Another turnover to note is in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly the decrease in Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) shares' value. Merck & Co. falls by 4.7% in share value, while Bristol-Myers Squibb depreciates by 4.5%. Conversely, Pfizer Inc. (PFE) shares decreased by a staggering 20.3%, while AbbVie Inc's (ABBV) shares were reduced to 1.3%.

The fund's tech holdings, including Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc., seem to have done relatively well. Microsoft Corp's shares remained relatively stable throughout the quarters, while Alphabet Inc's shares went up by 16.9%, which is considerably good for such a large organization.

Financial holdings such as Goldman Sachs Group (GS), Charles Schwab Corp (SCHW), Morgan Stanley (MS), and JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) shares have all faced share value depreciation. JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) and Charles Schwab Corp (SCHW)'s shares lost 2.8% and 37.1%, respectively.

The healthcare and consumer goods sectors experienced minor ups and downs across the portfolio, with Procter & Gamble (PG) shares losing 1.8% of its value, while PepsiCo Inc's (PEP) share value didn't significantly change.

In conclusion, Orca Investment Management's portfolio changes between Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 reflect the fund's optimistic outlook for the tech industry and its interest in emerging industries like photonics and lasers. On the other hand, the decrease in its financial sector shares could mean a shift away from the banking industry and investment in other assets with higher returns.

Note: The data in this article is purely for informative purposes only and shouldn't be taken as investment advice. As always, do proper due diligence before committing any investments.