William Blair Investment Management Boosts WaFd, Inc. Stake

Institutional investor increases holdings in regional bank by 14.3% in Q3 2026

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

William Blair Investment Management LLC, a major institutional investor, has increased its stake in WaFd, Inc. (NASDAQ:WAFD) by 14.3% during the third quarter of 2026. The firm now owns 1,100,312 shares of the regional bank's stock, valued at $33,328,000.

Why it matters

This investment signals confidence in WaFd's performance and growth potential. As a prominent institutional investor, William Blair's increased stake could influence other investors and impact the bank's stock price and market position.

The details

According to a recent 13F filing, William Blair Investment Management purchased an additional 137,525 shares of WaFd, Inc. during the third quarter. This brings the firm's total holdings in the bank to over 1.1 million shares, representing a 14.3% increase from the previous quarter. WaFd, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, provides a range of banking and financial services to individuals, small-to-medium enterprises, and commercial clients across the Western United States.

  • William Blair Investment Management filed its 13F report for the third quarter of 2026 on March 2, 2026.

The players

William Blair Investment Management LLC

A major institutional investment firm that has increased its stake in WaFd, Inc.

WaFd, Inc.

A regional bank headquartered in Seattle, Washington that provides banking and financial services to customers across the Western United States.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

William Blair's increased investment in WaFd suggests the firm sees strong growth potential in the regional bank, which could positively impact WaFd's stock performance and market position going forward.