We reduced our holding in Walmart (NYSE:WMT) during the quarter, and exited the stock in early October. Over our 11-year holding period, Walmart generated a positive total shareholder return but modestly underperformed the S&P 500 Index. Walmart remains a formidable company, but over the past decade its dominance has waned. International expansion has never generated good returns for shareholders, while Walmart has struggled to develop a winning e-commerce strategy. We think higher wages for its entry level workers, continued growth at Amazon and the need to invest heavily in e-commerce will put pressure on Walmart’s earnings over the next few years.
From Ruane Cunniff (Trades, Portfolio)'s Sequoia Fund third quarter 2016 letter to shareholders.
