OceanIQ Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 6,655 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $754,000.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Highland Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $304,000. Timbuktu Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the second quarter worth about $193,000. Oakmont Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Walmart in the second quarter worth about $889,000. Cassilly Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in Walmart by 7.0% in the second quarter. Cassilly Financial Group LLC now owns 2,264 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $256,000 after buying an additional 149 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MOR Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Walmart by 64.1% during the second quarter. MOR Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,827 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $660,000 after buying an additional 2,276 shares in the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research analysts have commented on WMT shares. Freedom Broker raised Walmart from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $113.00 price target on Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target 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, Citigroup decreased their target price on Walmart from $147.00 to $132.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $131.88.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total transaction of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 201,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,246,145.20. This trade represents a 20.07% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 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 Daniel Bartlett sold 3,950 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.14, for a total value of $415,303.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 622,349 shares in the company, valued at approximately $65,433,773.86. The trade was a 0.63% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 81,242 shares of company stock worth $8,836,446 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.
Walmart Stock Performance
Shares of WMT opened at $107.14 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $110.81 and a 200 day moving average price of $119.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $850.02 billion, a PE ratio of 38.68, a P/E/G ratio of 4.14 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $98.88 and a 52-week high of $135.15.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.68 EPS. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
More Walmart News
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Dunkin’ delivery expands Walmart’s digital ecosystem. Walmart’s partnership with Dunkin’ adds restaurant delivery to its three-month-old service, broadening convenience offerings and giving the retailer another opportunity to increase customer engagement, order frequency and delivery revenue while competing with DoorDash and Uber Eats. Walmart Shoppers Can Now Get Dunkin’ Delivered
- Positive Sentiment: Fraud prevention could become an additional retail technology opportunity. Walmart’s work with Amazon on fraud prevention highlights its efforts to protect shoppers and potentially develop technology and services that improve trust, retention and the economics of digital commerce. Amazon and Walmart Turn Fraud Prevention Into a Retail Product
- Neutral Sentiment: Retail comparisons show Walmart remains a key consumer bellwether. Recent large-format retailer results point to a divided, or “K-shaped,” consumer economy: higher-income shoppers continue spending in some discretionary categories, while value-focused consumers face pressure from elevated grocery costs. This creates both traffic opportunities and potential margin challenges for Walmart. Retail Earnings Expose a Bigger Divide in the U.S. Consumer Economy
- Neutral Sentiment: Haleon’s improved shelf placement reinforces Walmart’s importance to suppliers. Better positioning for Haleon brands such as Sensodyne may support product visibility and sales, though the report primarily benefits Haleon and does not materially change Walmart’s financial outlook. Haleon Secures Better Shelf Space at Walmart
- Negative Sentiment: Tariff and margin concerns are weighing on the investment case. Mixed retail results suggest Walmart may face pressure balancing value pricing with higher product costs, while its elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for execution disappointments.
- Negative Sentiment: Regulatory scrutiny adds an overhang. The Department of Justice’s investigation into rising beef prices has expanded to Walmart and other retailers. No wrongdoing has been established, but the inquiry creates potential legal, reputational and compliance risks.
- Neutral Sentiment: An executive share sale was limited and prearranged. EVP Daniel Bartlett sold 3,950 shares worth approximately $415,000 under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, reducing his direct holdings by only 0.63%; the transaction is therefore a weak trading signal. Daniel Bartlett Sells Walmart Shares
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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