Invst LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 14,690 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,664,000.
Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of WMT. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Walmart by 57.4% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Sankala Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Turim 21 Investimentos Ltda. acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 1st quarter valued at $37,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $126.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $125.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald raised Walmart to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Guggenheim set a $130.00 target price on shares of Walmart and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $131.88.
Walmart Stock Up 0.4%
NASDAQ:WMT opened at $103.09 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $95.79 and a 12-month high of $135.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $820.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.22, a P/E/G ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.61. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $111.90 and its 200-day simple moving average is $120.45.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.68 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.
Key Stories Impacting Walmart
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s fiscal second-quarter results showed continued momentum beyond traditional store sales: revenue reached approximately $187.9 billion, global e-commerce grew 23%, and advertising revenue increased 38%. These higher-growth businesses could support future margins and cash flow. Walmart Growth Engine Hums
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary continue to point to Walmart’s expanding e-commerce, digital advertising, memberships, convenience-led fulfillment, automation and AI initiatives as reasons the recent decline could represent a long-term buying opportunity. Walmart’s scale and value-focused pricing remain important competitive advantages. Walmart Continues to Grow Beyond Retail
- Neutral Sentiment: Walmart settled a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit alleging that its pharmacies unlawfully contributed to the opioid epidemic. Resolving the case removes an overhang and reduces legal uncertainty, although the financial terms and any broader implications remain important for investors. Walmart Settles U.S. Opioid Lawsuit
- Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage highlights a potentially tougher consumer environment. Walmart’s comparable sales growth was 3.4% excluding pharmacy-related items, while middle-income shoppers appear increasingly focused on necessities and limiting discretionary purchases. Walmart and Home Depot Results
- Negative Sentiment: Investors are also questioning whether Walmart’s valuation adequately reflects its strong performance. A high earnings multiple, slower core sales growth and the stock’s position below its moving averages have amplified the impact of the recent selloff. Walmart Selloff Analysis
- Negative Sentiment: Executive Vice President Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares worth approximately $5.3 million. The sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan to cover taxes on vested equity awards, making it a weaker bearish signal than discretionary insider selling. Walmart Insider Trading Filing
Insider Activity
In other Walmart news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 201,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. This trade represents a 20.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.
Walmart Profile
Walmart is a multinational retail corporation that operates a broad portfolio of store formats and digital services. Its core business includes large-format supercenters, discount department stores, neighborhood grocery stores and a membership warehouse chain, Sam’s Club. The company’s merchandising mix covers groceries, household goods, apparel, electronics and pharmacy services, supplemented by private-label products and category-specific offerings. Walmart pairs its physical store network with online platforms and mobile applications to provide omnichannel shopping, fulfillment and delivery options for consumers and businesses.
The company was founded by Sam Walton, who opened the first store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962; it is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas.
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