65,823,155 Shares in Walmart Inc. $WMT Acquired by Bank of America Corp DE

Key Points

• Bank of America acquired 65.8 million Walmart shares worth approximately $7.46 billion, making Walmart about 0.5% of its portfolio and giving it roughly 0.83% ownership of the retailer.
• Walmart exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $0.81 EPS versus $0.74 expected and $187.94 billion in revenue, up 5.9% year over year. Management issued fiscal 2027 guidance of $2.80–$2.87 EPS.
• Analysts maintain a broadly positive outlook, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $131.88, although several firms recently lowered targets amid valuation, cost and interest-rate concerns.

Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 65,823,155 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $7,455,131,000. Walmart makes up approximately 0.5% of Bank of America Corp DE's holdings, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Bank of America Corp DE owned about 0.83% of Walmart at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the 1st quarter worth $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Sankala Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Turim 21 Investimentos Ltda. bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the first quarter worth $37,000. Finally, PMV Capital Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart in the second quarter valued at $34,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $107.15 on Monday. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $850.10 billion, a PE ratio of 38.68, a P/E/G ratio of 4.09 and a beta of 0.59. Walmart Inc. has a 1-year low of $98.88 and a 1-year high of $135.15. The business's fifty day moving average price is $110.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $118.83.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.68 EPS. Walmart'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. On average, research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on WMT shares. Piper Sandler reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $128.00 price objective (down from $137.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $137.00 price target (down from $146.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Raymond James Financial reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. UBS Group lowered their price objective on Walmart from $141.00 to $130.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $131.88.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. This trade represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of Walmart 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 transaction, the executive vice president 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. 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. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders sold 67,879 shares of company stock valued at $7,235,277 in the last three months. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $132 price target, implying meaningful upside from recent levels. BTIG Research likewise maintained a “buy” rating with a $140 target. These endorsements suggest analysts view the recent selloff as an attractive entry point. Analyst rating reports
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is being highlighted as a potential defensive holding if persistent inflation causes the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates again. Its essential-goods exposure and dividend history could make the stock more attractive relative to economically sensitive companies. 3 Dividend Kings to Buy if the Fed Starts Raising Rates
• Positive Sentiment: New initiatives could strengthen Walmart’s convenience and omnichannel proposition. The retailer is expanding tap-to-pay support for Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, contactless cards and wearables, while adding Papa John’s to its restaurant-delivery partner network. Walmart Expands Tap to Pay
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s recent fashion and brand-marketing activity, including a New York Fashion Week event, may improve visibility but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Walmart New York Fashion Week event
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported September short-interest data shows zero shares and a zero-day days-to-cover ratio, but the figures appear incomplete or unreliable and provide no meaningful trading signal.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts caution that Walmart’s roughly 14% six-month decline does not eliminate concerns about its premium valuation, rising costs and weaker earnings estimates. Higher interest rates could also pressure consumers and test the stock’s technical support. Should You Buy Walmart Stock After a 14% Decline in Six Months?

Walmart Profile

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.

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