Investment Firm Bets Big on Water Scarcity, Liquidates Regional Bank and Cuts Big Tech

On January 20, 2026, Shepherd Wealth Management disclosed it had liquidated its entire position in Pathward Financial (NASDAQ:CASH), selling 15,726 shares in an estimated $10.06 million transaction based on quarterly average pricing.

What happened

According to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated January 20, 2026, Shepherd Wealth Management sold its entire stake of 15,726 shares in Pathward Financial. The estimated transaction value is $10.06 million, calculated using the average price for the quarter. The net position change for the fund was a $10.06 million decrease, reflecting the full liquidation and price movement over the period.

What else to know

• After this sale, Pathward Financial represented 0% of the fund's reported AUM, down from 6.7% in the previous quarter.
• Top holdings after the filing:
  • NASDAQ:PHO: $39.47 million (27.4% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ:NVDA: $11.99 million (8.3% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ:PLTR: $9.93 million (6.9% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ:TSLA: $9.14 million (6.4% of AUM)
  • NYSEMKT:IWM: $6.35 million (4.4% of AUM)
• As of January 20, 2026, shares of Pathward Financial were priced at $74.18, down 5.16% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 Index by 17.67 percentage points.
• Pathward Financial reported trailing-12-month revenue of $724.3 million and net income of $191.0 million as of September 30, 2025.
• Dividend yield stood at 0.27% on January 20, 2026.

Company overview

Company snapshot

• Provides a broad suite of banking products and services, including demand deposit accounts, commercial finance, consumer credit, prepaid cards, and payment processing solutions.
• Generates revenue primarily through net interest income, fees from commercial and consumer lending, payment services, and prepaid card issuance.
• Serves commercial clients, consumers, and partners in the financial services and payments industries across the United States.

Pathward Financial is a diversified financial services provider with a focus on innovative banking and payment solutions. The company leverages its expertise in commercial and consumer finance to drive growth and maintain a competitive position within the U.S. regional banking sector. Its scalable business model and broad product offering support stable revenue streams and adaptability in a dynamic financial landscape.

What this transaction means for investors

Shepherd Wealth Management dramatically repositioned its portfolio in Q4 2025, making water resources its largest bet while dumping multiple high-profile positions. The firm's 13F filing reveals a complete strategic overhaul rather than routine rebalancing.

The most striking move: establishing a massive new position in Invesco Water Resources ETF, which jumped to 27% of the portfolio—now the firm's largest holding. Shepherd simultaneously liquidated its entire $10 million Pathward Financial stake and exited Axon Enterprise completely, despite both companies posting strong earnings.

The firm also slashed big tech exposure aggressively, while adding a new position in Cameco, a uranium miner benefiting from AI data center power demands.

This dramatic rotation could suggest Shepherd sees better opportunities in water infrastructure and nuclear energy than traditional tech growth stocks. The concentrated 27% water bet is particularly bold—most advisors limit single positions to 5%-10% of portfolios to manage risk. For investors, this signals that water scarcity and infrastructure needs are areas to watch in the coming year.

Sara Appino has positions in Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Axon Enterprise, Cameco, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.