445,557 Shares in Walmart Inc. $WMT Acquired by Empowered Funds LLC

Key Points

• Empowered Funds LLC acquired 445,557 Walmart shares worth approximately $50.5 million in the second quarter, while other institutional investors also increased their positions. Institutions collectively own 26.76% of Walmart’s stock.
• Walmart reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, with revenue up 5.9% year over year to $187.94 billion and EPS of $0.81 versus the $0.74 consensus estimate. E-commerce rose 23% and advertising revenue increased 38%, highlighting growth beyond traditional retail.
• Walmart shares opened at $103.09, below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, while the stock trades at a relatively high P/E of 37.22. Executives sold shares under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans, and analysts nevertheless maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with a $131.88 average price target.

Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 445,557 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $50,464,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMT. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walmart by 28.8% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 98,150 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,868,000 after buying an additional 21,939 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in Walmart by 5.8% during the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 8,849 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $800,000 after acquiring an additional 485 shares in the last quarter. Peterson Wealth Management raised its holdings in Walmart by 3.5% in the 1st quarter. Peterson Wealth Management now owns 50,307 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $4,416,000 after acquiring an additional 1,715 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in Walmart by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 13,008 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,272,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its holdings in Walmart by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 91,341 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,931,000 after acquiring an additional 1,048 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Walmart News Summary

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total value of $1,435,203.96. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares of the company's stock, valued at $14,985,527.94. This represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. This represents a 20.07% 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. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Walmart Stock Performance

Walmart stock opened at $103.09 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $111.90 and a 200-day simple moving average of $120.39. Walmart Inc. has a 1-year low of $95.79 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 stock has a market cap of $820.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.61.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results 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. 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 business's revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter 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, analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on WMT shares. Mizuho set a $130.00 target price on Walmart in a report on Monday, July 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $113.00 price target on Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Roth Capital reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Raymond James Financial reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $130.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $131.88.

Walmart Company 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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