Viking Global Investors LP Q3 2022 vs. Q4 2022: A Deep Dive Into the Fund's Latest Holdings

Viking Global Investors LP, one of the prominent hedge funds in the world, just released its 13F filing for Q4 2022, and the results are garnering attention. With significant increases in holdings for companies like Visa and Amazon, and decreases for companies like General Electric and Boston Scientific, investors are taking notice of the fund's movements.

Let's dive deeper into the Q3 2022 vs. Q4 2022 13F holdings comparison of Viking Global Investors LP and explore the possible reasons behind the fund's investment decisions.

Visa Inc

Visa Inc, one of the world's leading payment processing companies, saw a 26.5% increase in Viking Global's holdings from Q3 2022 to Q4 2022, with the number of shares jumping from 5346584 to 5784971.

One reason for this increase could be the continued growth of digital payment systems and mobile wallets, which will likely see a sustained uptick in demand in the coming years. The pandemic has also accelerated the shift from cash to digital payments as more people opted for contactless transactions.

Amazon.com Inc

Amazon.com Inc, the e-commerce giant, was another major gainer in Viking Global's portfolio. The fund increased its holdings by 34.6%, jumping from 9286956 shares in Q3 2022 to 12481958 shares in Q4 2022.

The increase in holdings could be due to the company's continued dominance in e-commerce, as the pandemic saw more people shop online. Amazon has also expanded its offerings in recent years, including AWS, streaming services, and advertising, making it an attractive long-term investment.

General Electric Co

General Electric Co, a multinational conglomerate that operates in aviation, healthcare, renewable energy, and finance sectors, saw a major decrease of 18.3% in Viking Global's holdings. The fund went from 12874144 shares in Q3 2022 to 7775177 shares in Q4 2022.

The reasons for this reduction are unclear, but some speculations are GE's underperformance in recent years, or Viking Global's shift towards higher-growth tech stocks. GE has been restructuring in recent years, selling off non-core assets and trying to recover from the pandemic's effects, but its share price has been falling.

Boston Scientific Corp

Boston Scientific Corp, a medical device company that produces devices for cardiology, urology, and endoscopy, also saw a significant drop in Viking Global's holdings. The fund went from 16162921 shares in Q3 2022 to 9528593 shares in Q4 2022, a decrease of 29.6%.

One possible reason for the decrease could be the company's weak sales performance due to the pandemic's disruption. Boston Scientific also faced FDA approval issues in recent years, which could have impacted investors' confidence.

Final Thoughts

Viking Global Investors LP's Q3 2022 to Q4 2022 13F holdings comparison shows a shift towards tech stocks and digital payment systems while reducing positions in traditional industries such as healthcare and electrical manufacturing.

As always, investors should conduct their research before making any investment decisions. It's worth noting that 13F filings are a snapshot of a fund's position at a particular moment and may not reflect their current position or long-term investment strategy. Thus, we suggest investors should not rely on 13F filings blindly.