Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Stock Falls 2.7% – Should You Sell?

Posted by Geri Gentry on Sep 26th, 2026

Walmart logo Shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) were down 2.7% on Thursday. The company traded as low as $107.51 and last traded at $107.59. Approximately 24,602,098 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 3% from the average daily volume of 25,428,678 shares. The stock had previously closed at $110.53.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

Positive Sentiment: CEO John Furner said Walmart will not use artificial intelligence or digital shelf labels to charge personalized prices, emphasizing that the company prices “the product, not the person.” The clarification may reduce concerns about customer backlash, regulatory scrutiny and reputational risk. Walmart won’t charge a personalized price, CEO says
Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary continues to highlight Walmart’s scale, ability to compete on price during inflation and expanding e-commerce and retail-media businesses. These initiatives could support market-share gains, advertising revenue and long-term earnings growth. Jim Cramer discussed Walmart’s strategy
Positive Sentiment: Walmart opened a new Neighborhood Market in Mesquite, Texas, reflecting continued investment in smaller-format stores and local convenience. Its expanding retail-media platform and AI-related shopping partnerships also offer additional growth avenues beyond traditional retail. Walmart inaugurates Neighborhood Market
Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is being compared with Costco and Kroger on sales momentum, dividends and valuation. Walmart offers dividend stability, but its yield is lower than Kroger’s and it does not provide Costco-style special dividends. Walmart and Kroger dividend comparison
Negative Sentiment: Several analysts downgraded Walmart, arguing that its premium valuation leaves limited upside despite solid operations. Concerns include intense competition, margin pressure, cautious consumers and the risk that growth will not justify a price-to-earnings ratio near 39. Walmart’s commerce growth initiatives and valuation risks
Negative Sentiment: Costco reported 6.7% comparable-sales growth and exceeded earnings expectations, while Walmart recently posted its slowest comparable-sales growth in six years. The contrast reinforces concerns that Walmart’s current valuation may be difficult to sustain. Costco compared with Walmart

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Roth Capital reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 21st. DA Davidson reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $132.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded Walmart to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three research 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 data from MarketBeat, Walmart has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $131.88.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on WMT

Walmart Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $856.69 billion, a PE ratio of 38.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.11 and a beta of 0.59. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $109.24 and its 200 day moving average price is $117.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 company had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.68 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.65, for a total value of $309,285.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 566,253 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,390,882.45. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,950 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.14, for a total transaction of $415,303.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 622,349 shares in the company, valued at approximately $65,433,773.86. This trade represents a 0.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last quarter, insiders sold 81,004 shares of company stock worth $8,601,724. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Walmart

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of WMT. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the first quarter worth about $29,000. Montgomery Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Sankala Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new stake in Walmart in the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Copos Capital S.a r.l. purchased a new stake in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth approximately $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Walmart Inc is a multinational retail and technology company that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, e-commerce platforms and membership warehouse clubs. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and beauty products, general merchandise and other consumer products.

Founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated in 1969, Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company serves customers through operations in the United States and international markets, including Mexico, Canada, China, India and several countries in Central America and Africa.