Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) Stock Has Consensus Price Target of $131.74

Key Points

• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive: Walmart has a “Moderate Buy” consensus from 39 analysts, with an average 12-month price target of $131.74 versus a recent opening price of $111.35.
• Recent results exceeded expectations: Walmart reported quarterly EPS of $0.81, above the $0.74 consensus, while revenue reached $187.94 billion and rose 5.9% year over year.
• Execution and valuation remain risks: Analysts have recently lowered some price targets, while warehouse-automation challenges and a valuation near 40 times earnings could leave the stock vulnerable to slower growth or execution missteps.

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the thirty-nine research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, thirty-two have given a buy recommendation and three have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $131.74.

Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. Gordon Haskett lowered shares of Walmart from a "buy" rating to an "accumulate" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $137.00 price target (down from $146.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $120.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding its Express Pickup service, offering Walmart+ members eligible curbside orders in as little as one hour ahead of the holiday shopping season. The initiative could increase customer engagement, strengthen Walmart’s omnichannel position and support sales growth. Walmart’s One-Hour Express Pickup Push Could Be a Game Changer
• Positive Sentiment: A new California fulfillment and distribution hub is expected to create about 1,000 jobs, expanding Walmart’s logistics capacity and potentially improving delivery efficiency. Walmart Stock Gains as New California Hub Creates 1,000 Jobs
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart reversed a six-bin height limit for in-store online-order carts. The change may improve fulfillment flexibility, although the earlier restriction was introduced to address employee and customer safety concerns. Walmart Reverses Order-Cart Limit
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s market capitalization is close to overtaking a major U.S. bank, making relative market value a short-term trading focus. Investors are awaiting a Tuesday catalyst that could influence the ranking. America’s Biggest Retailer Is About to Pass America’s Biggest Bank
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart’s multibillion-dollar warehouse-automation program is encountering difficulties handling items such as dog food, cardboard boxes and turkeys. Spending is expected to peak this year and next, while delays could postpone labor savings and pressure near-term capital returns. Walmart’s Automation Push Hits Snags
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a concern: Walmart trades near 39–40 times earnings versus roughly 21.5 times for the S&P 500. With recent revenue growth of 5.9%, the premium price leaves limited room for execution missteps or slower profit growth. Where Could Walmart’s Next Growth Come From?

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of WMT stock opened at $111.35 on Friday. The stock's 50-day moving average is $108.42 and its 200 day moving average is $116.46. Walmart has a 1-year low of $98.88 and a 1-year high of $135.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The company has a market cap of $883.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.20, a PEG ratio of 4.22 and a beta of 0.58.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The firm's revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.68 earnings per share. 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 predict that Walmart will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.65, for a total transaction of $309,285.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 566,253 shares in the company, valued at $60,390,882.45. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.66, for a total transaction of $1,399,912.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 647,912 shares in the company, valued at approximately $69,106,293.92. This trade represents a 1.99% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 81,219 shares of company stock valued at $8,604,429. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Walmart

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

Walmart Company Profile

Walmart Inc NASDAQ: WMT is a multinational retailer that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and wellness products, household essentials and general merchandise. Walmart also provides services such as grocery pickup and delivery, pharmacy services, financial products and digital advertising.

The company serves customers through its Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club segments.

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