Exploring Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) Investor Profile: Who’s Buying and Why?

You're looking at Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) right now, trying to reconcile a tough 2025 fiscal year with a major strategic pivot, and honestly, the institutional ownership data tells a complex story. While the company posted full-year net sales of $2,223.5 million, a dip of 1.3%, and adjusted earnings per share (Adjusted EPS) came in at $2.52, that headline number hides a lot of churn. We saw institutions own over 91.91% of the stock, but the last quarter showed a slight net-sell trend among those big players, with 18.5 million shares sold against 16.3 million bought. Still, who's buying? Firms like Voloridge Investment Management LLC grew their position by a massive +51.1%, betting on the future shape of the business after the November 2025 announcement to sell the Feminine Care division for $340 million. That divestiture is the clear catalyst, aiming to create a higher-growth, higher-margin consumer staples entity, which is why analysts currently project an average price target of $23.17, suggesting a potential upside of over 36% from recent trading levels. Are the buyers chasing a deep value play, or are they getting ahead of a transformation that might defintely take longer than expected?

Who Invests in Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) and Why?

You're looking at Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) and trying to figure out who is actually buying the stock and what their endgame is. The quick answer is that this is overwhelmingly an institutional play, but the motivations are split between passive, long-term indexing and active, deep-value hunting.

The ownership structure tells a clear story: around 86.78% of Edgewell Personal Care Company's stock is held by institutional investors, leaving roughly 11.85% to public companies and individual retail investors. This means the big money controls the narrative, so you need to understand their strategies.

Key Investor Types: The Institutional Giants

The vast majority of Edgewell Personal Care Company shares are held by major money managers, split primarily between passive index funds and active value funds. The top holders are the behemoths of the asset management world, and their presence defines the stock's stability.

For example, as of September 29, 2025, BlackRock, Inc. is the largest institutional shareholder, holding 14.95% of the company's shares, valued at approximately $125.94 million. The Vanguard Group, Inc. follows closely with 12.36% ownership, representing a stake worth about $104.14 million. These two alone anchor a significant portion of the stock.

Here's the quick math on the major institutional breakdown:

• Mutual Funds: 31.88%
• ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds): 29.79%
• Other Institutional Investors: 25.11%
• Retail Investors (Public Companies and Individuals): 11.85%

Retail investors, while a smaller piece, are defintely a factor, often attracted to the consumer staples sector for its perceived stability.

Investment Motivations: Value, Income, and a Turnaround Bet

Investors aren't buying Edgewell Personal Care Company for explosive growth; they're buying it for its defensive characteristics, income, and a deep-value thesis. The company's portfolio-Schick, Banana Boat, Hawaiian Tropic, etc.-is a classic consumer staples play, meaning people buy these products regardless of the economy.

The income story is simple: Edgewell Personal Care Company offers a solid dividend yield of approximately 3.19%, which is attractive in a low-yield environment. For value investors, the stock is currently considered 'undervalued' and the 'cheapest among comparable companies' in the consumer staples space.

What keeps the active money interested is the turnaround potential. Despite a challenging year where the adjusted Earnings Per Share (EPS) outlook for fiscal year 2025 was cut to around $2.65, management is executing a restructuring. Analysts are forecasting a rebound, with earnings expected to grow from $3.16 per share to $3.38 per share next year, a 6.96% increase. That's a clear opportunity for a value investor to step in before the market fully recognizes the improvement.

Investment Strategies: Passive Holding vs. Active Value

You see two primary strategies at play here, often simultaneously, which can create interesting volatility.

1. Passive, Long-Term Holding: This is the strategy of BlackRock, Inc. and The Vanguard Group, Inc. They hold the stock because Edgewell Personal Care Company is a component of major indices, like the S&P Small-Cap ETF. Their buying and selling is mostly mechanical, tied to index rebalancing, not fundamental analysis of the company's Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC).

2. Active, Deep-Value Investing: This is where firms like Brandes Investment Partners, LP and American Century Companies Inc. come in. They are actively increasing their positions, with Brandes Investment Partners, LP increasing its shares by 12.55% in a recent quarter. They see the low price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.90x (trailing) and the low Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio of 0.56x as a signal that the stock is priced below its intrinsic value.

The sentiment among active investors is actually quite bullish, evidenced by a low institutional put/call ratio of 0.42 as of November 2025. This means institutions are holding significantly more call options (bets the stock will rise) than put options (bets the stock will fall). The risk is that if the restructuring efforts don't deliver on the projected $3.38 EPS for next year, the value thesis falls apart.

Finance: Track the Q1 2026 earnings report for evidence of the 6.96% EPS growth forecast.

Institutional Ownership and Major Shareholders of Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC)

If you're looking at Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC), the first thing you need to understand is that institutional money is firmly in control. This isn't a stock driven by retail traders; it's a company where the big funds-pension plans, endowments, and mutual funds-hold the vast majority of the equity.

As of the most recent filings (Q3 fiscal year 2025), roughly 91.91% of Edgewell Personal Care Company's stock is owned by institutional investors. That's a massive concentration of ownership, meaning any strategic shift or earnings miss will be met with a swift, collective response from these large players. The stock's price movements are defintely a reflection of their collective sentiment.

Top Institutional Investors: Who's Holding the Reins?

The largest shareholders in Edgewell Personal Care Company are the usual suspects in the world of passive and quantitative investing, plus a few value-oriented active managers. Their presence is a signal that the stock is widely held in major index funds and large-cap portfolios. BlackRock, Inc. and Vanguard Group Inc., for instance, are primarily passive holders, meaning their buying and selling is often tied to index rebalancing, not a deep dive into the Schick or Banana Boat brands.

Here's the quick math on the top holders based on September 30, 2025, filings:

You can see the two largest holders, BlackRock and Vanguard, slightly trimmed their positions, but the real story is the active buying by firms like Brandes Investment Partners, Lp, which added over 659,874 shares. This suggests a segment of the market sees a compelling value proposition in Edgewell Personal Care Company right now.

Changes in Ownership: A Mixed Signal of Conviction

Looking at the recent changes, the institutional ownership landscape for Edgewell Personal Care Company is mixed, which is typical for a consumer staples company undergoing a transformation. The total institutional outflows over the last 12 months were substantial, hitting approximately $171.46 million. But that's only half the story.

While the passive giants were net sellers, two major active institutions, Brandes Investment Partners, Lp and American Century Companies Inc., were significant buyers, collectively adding nearly a million shares. This divergence is a clear indication of a 'two-camp' view on the stock:

• The Sellers: Mostly index funds and quantitative strategies reducing exposure, possibly due to the stock's underperformance or portfolio rebalancing.
• The Buyers: Active, value-focused managers establishing or increasing their conviction, likely betting on the company's strategic turnaround and its low valuation.

The buyers are essentially saying the stock is undervalued, especially considering the company's full-year 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.52.

Impact of Institutional Investors on Strategy and Stock

The sheer size of institutional ownership means these firms have a direct line to management, or at least their collective actions force management's hand. When institutions own over 90% of the float, their influence on strategy is profound. They demand capital efficiency and clear strategic focus. This is why Edgewell Personal Care Company's recent moves are so important.

For example, the company's announcement in November 2025 that it is selling its Feminine Care business for $340 million and authorizing a new $100 million share repurchase program is a direct response to institutional pressure for a more focused portfolio and better capital return. They want the company to focus on its core, higher-margin brands like Schick and Banana Boat.

The stock price, trading near its 52-week low of $16.63 in November 2025, reflects the market's caution following a mixed Q4 2025 earnings report-revenue of $537.2 million beat estimates, but adjusted EPS of $0.68 missed the consensus of $0.80. Institutional investors are now watching closely to see if the new strategy and the use of the $340 million from the divestiture can drive a meaningful return to growth. You can dive deeper into the fundamentals here: Breaking Down Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Key Investors and Their Impact on Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC)

The investor profile for Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) is dominated by large institutional money managers, meaning the stock's direction and the company's strategy are heavily influenced by a few major players. You need to know who holds the biggest stake because their buying and selling moves the stock, and their votes shape the company's future.

As of the most recent filings, institutional investors own a staggering percentage of the company, with ownership figures ranging from 86.78% to 91.91% of the outstanding shares. This level of institutional control means that Edgewell Personal Care Company's management is constantly under pressure to deliver shareholder value, often prioritizing capital return and strategic focus over other initiatives.

The Big Three: Who Holds the Power

The top shareholders are the usual suspects in the asset management world, but their sheer scale here gives them outsized influence. BlackRock, Inc. and The Vanguard Group, Inc., as passive index giants, hold significant stakes, but the more active funds like Brandes Investment Partners, LP signal a deep-value approach to the stock.

Here's the quick math on the top institutional holders as of the September 2025 reporting dates:

When you see a concentration like this, especially with active managers like Brandes, you know they are pushing for operational improvements and a clearer path to profitability. They aren't just sitting on the sidelines; they expect a turnaround.

Investor Influence: Driving Strategic Change

The collective influence of these large holders is defintely the catalyst for Edgewell Personal Care Company's recent strategic shifts. When institutional ownership is this high, management listens to calls for portfolio simplification and capital allocation that directly benefits shareholders. The recent moves confirm this.

The company's decision to sell its Feminine Care business to Essity for $340 million is a direct response to this investor demand for focus. This divestiture allows Edgewell Personal Care Company to concentrate on its core, higher-margin categories like Wet Shave, Sun and Skin Care, and Grooming. You can read more about the company's history and strategic focus here: Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money.

Also, the high institutional ownership makes the stock more susceptible to large block trades, which can create volatility. One fund selling a million shares can move the price quickly, so keep an eye on the quarterly 13F filings.

Recent Moves and the Value Play

The recent trading activity in 2025 highlights a tug-of-war between investors seeing a deep value opportunity and those rotating out due to performance concerns. In the last reported quarter, institutions sold 18.5 million shares but also bought 16.3 million shares, demonstrating significant churn. That's a lot of rebalancing.

On the buying side, some smaller, more tactical funds have shown aggressive conviction, which is a key signal for value investors:

• Voloridge Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings by +51.1% as of November 2025.
• Verition Fund Management LLC dramatically increased its stake by +971.3% as of November 2025.
• PNC Financial Services Group Inc. also significantly boosted its position by 238.5% in the first quarter.

This aggressive buying by some funds suggests they believe the stock, which has been trading near its 52-week low of $16.63, is undervalued, especially given the full fiscal year 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.52. The value thesis is simple: the stock is cheap, and the strategic changes will unlock that value.

To be fair, there are selling signals too. Bank of New York Mellon Corp, for example, reduced its position by 4.4% in the second quarter. Plus, while management is buying back shares, Chief Accounting Officer John M. Dunham sold 333 shares on November 20, 2025, fully divesting his direct position. Still, the company's commitment to returning capital is strong, with $119.5 million returned to shareholders in fiscal 2025 via $90.2 million in share repurchases and $29.3 million in dividends, plus a fresh $100 million repurchase authorization. That's a clear signal of confidence from the board.

Market Impact and Investor Sentiment

You're looking at Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) and seeing a stock trading near its 52-week low, which naturally raises the question: who's still buying, and why? The investor sentiment is best described as cautiously neutral, leaning toward a technical 'Hold' from Wall Street, but with a significant amount of capital still anchored in the name.

Institutional ownership remains exceptionally high at over 101.92% of shares outstanding, translating to about 47.36 million shares held by funds and institutions. This means the float-the shares available for public trading-is tightly controlled. The largest holders, like Vanguard Group Inc. and Brandes Investment Partners LP, are long-term anchors, with Vanguard holding an estimated $116.95 million position and Brandes at about $107.63 million.

Here's the quick math on recent activity: In the most recent quarter, 151 institutional investors decreased their positions, while only 98 added shares. That net selling pressure is real, but it's partially offset by a bullish put/call ratio of 0.42, which suggests a technical optimism that hasn't yet translated into a price surge.

• Vanguard Group Inc.: Top holder at $116.95 million.
• Brandes Investment Partners LP: Added 1,313,248 shares in Q2 2025.
• Allspring Global Investments: Removed 669,542 shares in Q3 2025.

Stock Reaction to Ownership Shifts and Earnings

The market has reacted to Edgewell Personal Care Company's mixed performance with clear downward pressure. The stock was trading near its 52-week low of $16.63 in November 2025 and has dropped nearly 38% over the past six months. This price action maps directly to the mixed signals from the company's Breaking Down Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors and investor moves.

The company's Q4 2025 earnings announcement on November 13, 2025, resulted in the stock slipping 1.5% in after-hours trading. While full-year net sales for fiscal year 2025 were $2,223.5 million (a slight 1.3% organic decrease), the adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.52 for the fiscal year was a point of contention. The mixed results and the guidance for FY2026 Adjusted EPS of $2.15 to $2.55 have kept the market wary.

Insider activity is also giving conflicting signals. On one hand, the CFO, John Smith, purchased $100,000 worth of shares, a clear sign of executive confidence. On the other, the Chief Accounting Officer sold 333 shares for $5,730 on November 20, 2025, divesting his direct position, which is defintely a bearish signal to watch.

Analyst Consensus and Key Investor Impact

The consensus among the 8 Wall Street research analysts is a 'Hold' rating, reflecting the balanced risks and opportunities. They see a path for growth, but it's not a clear-cut 'Buy' yet. The average 12-month price target is $23.17, which implies a significant upside of 36.27% from the current price of around $17.00.

What this estimate hides is the underlying pressure from institutional rotation. When a major firm like Allspring Global Investments removes its entire position of 669,542 shares, that volume must be absorbed by the market, which naturally depresses the price. Conversely, a large addition like the 1,313,248 shares Brandes Investment Partners LP bought signals a deep-value conviction play, betting on the long-term strength of brands like Schick and Banana Boat.

The key takeaway is that major investors are split: some are rotating out due to near-term execution risks, like the planned sale of the Feminine Care business for $340 million, and others are buying into the deep discount, trusting management to realize the $49 million in announced restructuring charges and cost savings.

Finance: Monitor institutional 13F filings for Q4 2025 to see if the net selling trend accelerates or reverses.