Citadel Advisors' Ken Griffin Bumps Stake by Over 1,500% in These 4 Stocks in Q4

Billionaire investor Kenneth C Griffin runs one of the most successful hedge funds in the world. As the founder and CEO of Citadel Advisors with a majority stake, Griffin has a net worth of £33.24 billion ($43 billion).

Griffin is known for his open-mindedness to diverse asset classes and love for math, evident from his quantitative investing approach, which helped Citadel generate over £57.21 billion ($74 billion) in net gains since its inception in 1990.

While the hedge fund manager could be more vocal about his trades and strategies, his investing approach reveals patterns of high-frequency trades backed by complex algorithms.

In Q4, Griffin made significant changes to Citadel's portfolio, which has £83.62 billion ($108.16 billion) worth of assets under management.

A 1,500% Increase in Automatic Processing Stake

Citadel Advisors increased its stake in Automatic Processing Stake (NASDAQ:ADP) in Q4 by 1,557.77% or 1.19 million shares. The hedge fund now owns ADP shares worth £287.26 million ($371.54 million).

The technology company offers human capital management (HCM) and employment administration outsourcing solutions. For the quarter-ended 31st December, the company recorded revenue growth across verticals, which management said was fueled by a strong 'demand backdrop,' solid new business bookings growth, and higher client funds interest revenue. The company maintained its FY2025 revenue guidance between 6% and 7%. Its adjusted earnings outlook for the period was between 7% and 9%.

Citadel Hikes Stake in Morgan Stanley by 2,000%

Griffin raised Citadel's holdings in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) by 2081.88% or 3.21 million shares. It now owns company shares worth £326.97 million ($422.90 million).

The banking stock has surged by over 259% in the past five years, showcasing resiliency and adaptability throughout the pandemic through strategic expansion in wealth management and integrating evolving technology across verticals. In 2024, the company's net revenue increased by 14% year-over-year amid robust macroeconomic environments and momentum in capital markets. The recovery in the M&A markets also boosted the company's balance sheet as total client assets increased 20% YoY to £6.1 trillion ($7.9 trillion), which is three times more compared to 2018 figures.

Griffin Goes Heavy on Boeing With a 2,200% Rise in Stake

Citadel purchased 5.29 million shares of Boeing (NYSE:BA) in Q4, increasing its stake by 2,261.8% to own a total of 5.52 million company shares worth £755.62 million ($977.31 million).

Boeing has been struggling with safety issues for years, keeping its stock price muted in recent years. In Q4, the company posted a YoY drop in revenue to £11.75 billion ($15.2 billion) and widened its non-GAAP loss per share to £4.56 ($5.90). The aircraft manufacturer attributed the results to work stoppage, charges for some defence programmes, and workforce reductions. However, it finalised the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) agreement and resumed production across the 737, 767 and 777/777X programmes.

For the full-year 2024, the company delivered 348 commercial airplanes and recorded 279 net orders.

'We made progress on key areas to stabilise our operations during the quarter and continued to strengthen important aspects of our safety and quality plan,' said Kelly Ortberg, Boeing president and CEO. 'My team and I are focused on making the fundamental changes needed to fully recover our company's performance and restore trust with our customers, employees, suppliers, investors, regulators and all others who are counting on us.'

A 4,600% Stake Growth in Devon Energy Corp.

Citadel Advisors bought 10.99 million shares of Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN) in Q4, increasing its stake in the company by 4,627.67%. It now owns a total of 11.23 million company shares worth £284.16 million ($367.53 million).

Devon Energy is a hydrocarbon exploration company striving to lower the carbon intensity of its operations. In Q4, it reported core earnings of £0.9 ($1.16) per diluted share and achieved record production of 398,000 barrels of oil per day. The company highlighted that it returned £343.28 million ($444 million) to shareholders during the quarter through fixed dividends and share buybacks.

'During the fourth quarter, our diversified, multi-basin portfolio once again delivered across our assets, with the Rockies and Eagle Ford exceeding estimates due to strong new well productivity and solid base performance. In addition, the company achieved a 154% proved reserve replacement ratio in 2024,' said Rick Muncrief, CEO of Devon Energy.

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