Woodline Partners LP, managed by Michael Rockefeller, the Co-Chief Investment Officer and Co-Founder, increased its stake in Walmart Inc. (WMT) by 168,083 shares on February 19, 2026. This transaction marks a significant bullish move by the hedge fund, reinforcing its confidence in Walmart’s ongoing digital and e-commerce transformation.
Stock Performance and Recent Momentum
Walmart’s shares have climbed roughly 25-29% over the past year, with recent performance showing a slight weekly pullback but gains above 5% in the past month. WMT closed at $126.62, with a premium valuation of around 43x NTM earnings. Analysts remain strongly bullish, citing Walmart’s e-commerce flywheel and AI-driven digital transformation as drivers of earnings momentum.
Earlier in 2025, Woodline Partners LP had already demonstrated a growing confidence in Walmart by increasing its position by 40.6% in the first quarter, according to the filings of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). By September 2025, the fund held 366,499 shares of the retail giant, with the latest purchase further strengthening its position, suggesting a continued belief in Walmart’s ability to sustain earnings momentum.
Woodline’s Increased Stakes in Meta and Amazon
Woodline has also increased its position in Meta Platforms, Inc. by 69,537 shares. In the recent session, the shares of Meta Platforms climbed about 12%. The move followed a powerful Q4 beat characterized by accelerating ad revenue and upbeat Q1 guidance. This prompted multiple analysts to reiterate Buy ratings and lift price targets to the $850–$910 range, despite higher 2026 capital and operating expenses tied to AI investments. Analysts highlight Q4 revenue of $59.9 billion and GAAP EPS of $8.88, both ahead of the street expectations. Although Meta’s aggressive AI and Reality Labs spending remains elevated, Wall Street increasingly views these investments as fueling faster revenue and profit growth. This perspective supports Strong Buy consensus ratings and implies substantial upside from recent prices in the high $600s to mid $700s.
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) is Walmart’s primary competitor in e-commerce and cloud-driven retail services. Woodline increased its Amazon (AMZN) position by 622,590 shares. Amazon shares have been volatile, recently sliding as much as 13-14% over a week and a month in some stretches before stabilizing and modestly rebounding. The stock is now trading at $204.79. Despite the near-term pressure from a massive ~ $200 billion capital expenditure plan likely to weigh on margins and free cash flow into 2026, Wall Street maintains its Strong Buy stance with average 12-month targets around $280-$300, implying sizable upside.
Q4 Earnings and Woodline Partners LP
Walmart (NYSE: WMT) will announce its earnings reports today. For fiscal 2026, analysts expect Walmart’s revenue to grow 5.6% year on year to $190.6 billion, an improvement from the 4.1% growth recorded in fiscal 2025.
Moreover, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to keep the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, marking a pause after three cuts in late 2025. FOMC officials described economic activity as expanding at a solid pace, with broad expectations for steady growth throughout 2026. (The Fed)
Matthew Hooker, Karl Kroeker, and Michael Rockefeller founded Woodline Partners LP in 2018. As of late 2025, the firm managed approximately $21.2 billion in assets across its funds, with a portfolio spanning 870 holdings. The recent filings showcase major holdings in Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), and AT&T (T), alongside active positions in biotech and specialty retail.
