Walton family to sell part of Wal-Mart stake

Bentonville, Ark. – Walton Enterprises LLC, the corporation which holds Wal-Mart stock for the Walton family, plans to sell off some of its ownership stake in the discount giant. In a brief statement on the Wal-Mart investors webpage, Walton Enterprises said its stake in Wal-Mart has risen to about 50% as a result of stock buyback programs.



In response, the Walton family expects to sell shares of common Wal-Mart stock from time to time to reduce its holdings, in order to offset further ownership increases and help fund charitable contributions. Approximately 6% of Wal-Mart’s outstanding shares are being distributed to a newly formed entity, the Walton Family Holdings Trust, to facilitate the stock sale. There is no set timetable, and sale of the shares may take several years.



“The family believes that this is consistent with an appropriate balance of family and non-family ownership that supports the goals of all Wal-Mart shareholders and long-term business success,” said the statement.