Talkot Capital Increases Stake in Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (WD)

June 24, Thomas B. Akin’s Talkot Capital declared at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it has increased its exposure to Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD), a $462 million market cap provider of commercial real estate financial services in the U.S., with a primary focus on multifamily lending. The fund disclosed ownership of 1,650,382* shares, up 41% in relation to the previously held 1,163,115 shares. This position, worth more than $24 million, accounts for 5.06% of the company’s outstanding Common Stock, and for roughly 20% of Talkot Capital’s total equity portfolio’s value.

In addition to Mr. Akin, other prominent hedge fund managers are betting on Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD). Michael Novogratz (Fortress Investment Group) is the largest hedge fund shareholder, amongst those we track, with 10.546 million shares. Other funds that also seem bullish about this stock are Chuck Royce’s Royce & Associates, which last declared having increased its position at the company by 56%, to 518,512 shares, and Anand Parekh’s Alyeska Investment Group, up 50%, to 178,808 shares.

Furthermore, it is not only institutional investors that like Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD). On mid-May, Dana Schmaltz, Board Director, acquired 1,000 shares of Common Stock for $14.55 per share, and now owns 22,243 shares of the company. The stock is pretty much flat since her purchase.

Talkot Capital is a California-based venture capital firm managed by Thomas B. Akin (61). The firm combines venture capital with investments in public companies. Its equity portfolio is valued at approximately $118 million, and mainly focused on financial stocks, which account for more than 80% of its total equity portfolio’s value. The remaining stocks in this portfolio are mostly from the health care and basic materials companies.

* Thomas B. Akin, Talkot Fund, L.P. and Talkot Institutional Fund, L.P. beneficially own 1,650,382 shares of Common Stock.  Out of them, Thomas B. Akin directly beneficially owns 496,950 shares of Common Stock, Talkot Fund, L.P., 1,023,416 shares, and Talkot Institutional Fund, L.P., 130,016 shares (SEC).

Disclosure: Javier Hasse holds no position in any stocks or funds mentioned