Dimensional Fund Advisors bumped up its stake in DHT Holdings alongside other, smaller plays amidst a fourth quarter tumble in equities and a strengthening tanker market.
The multi-billion dollar Texas investment firm bought more than 700,000 DHT shares in the last three months of 2018, SEC filings show.
This swelled its total ownership to 1.85 million shares, equal to 6.41% of the New York-listed company.
Its thirst for tankers was also shown elsewhere as Dimensional bought nearly 211,000 Ardmore shares and added to its position in International Seaways.
The Ardmore investment took its stake in the product tanker specialist to 1.68 million shares, while more than 134,000 International Seaways shares were snapped up, taking its total holding in the US shipowner to 1.53 million shares.
However, it has not only been building stakes in shipping firms during the quarter.
Dimensional trimmed its stake in Scorpio Tankers by more than 300,000 shares to 22.2 million.
It declined to comment on individual investments. But the move comes as confidence in the tanker market is growing.
While December saw stock market performance fall to Great Depression era levels, tanker rates shot up to multi-year highs.
Things cooled off in January, but analysts said the market remained at "healthy" levels while forecasting a sector recovery in 2019.
Dimensional also bought more than 164,000 shares of Dorian LPG, bringing its total to 3.1 million, and 7,000 more shares of Seacor Marine Holdings, good for a total of 1.5 million.
The firm cut its position in Seacor Holdings by 6,200 shares to 1.5 million, Matson by nearly 27,200 shares to 2.6 million and Hornbeck Offshore by 10,500 shares to 1.85 million.
