Based on 4434 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q2 · updated quarterly
📉
Selling streak — 1 quarter in a row
For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds reduced or closed their WMT positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.
🏔️
At the ownership peak (100% of max)
100% of all-time peak
4,434 hedge funds hold WMT right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
📶
Steady growth — +13% more funds vs a year ago
fund count last 6Q
+517 new funds entered over the past year (+13% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡
Slight buying edge — 50% buying
2157 buying2134 selling
Last quarter: 2,157 funds bought or added vs 2,134 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
⚠️
Fewer new buyers each quarter (-78 vs last Q)
new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 243 → 542 → 335 → 257. Each quarter fewer new institutions are entering. This usually means most funds that wanted in are already in — the stock is well-known but the pool of potential new buyers is shrinking.
🔒
66% of holders stayed for 2+ years
■ 66% conviction (2yr+)
■ 19% medium
■ 15% new
2,942 out of 4,434 hedge funds have held WMT for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
💎
Buying through price weakness — shares +35%, value +1%
Last quarter: funds added +35% more shares while total portfolio value only changed +1%. Institutions were buying while the price was falling — a high-conviction accumulation signal. They're deliberately loading up on the dip.
📊
Peak discovery — momentum slowing
300 → 243 → 542 → 335 → 257 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 243 → 542 → 335 → 257. WMT is well-known in the hedge fund world, but fresh entries are gradually declining. The explosive phase of institutional discovery is likely behind us.
🏛️
Veteran-anchored — 67% veterans vs 18% newcomers
■ 67% veterans
■ 14% 1-2yr
■ 18% new
Entry-cohort mix of 4,544 holders: 3,057 (67%) are 2+ year veterans, 657 entered 1–2 years ago, and 830 (18%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
🏆
Elite ownership — 64% AUM from top-100 funds
64% from top-100 AUM funds
76 of 4417 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 64% of total institutional value in WMT. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
Exit risk score 3.5/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.