Amundi Sells 1,537,222 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Amundi decreased its position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 9.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 14,403,631 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,537,222 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for 0.5% of Amundi's portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest position. Amundi owned 0.18% of Walmart worth $1,790,083,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 57.4% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC raised its position in shares of Walmart by 193.0% in the 4th quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the period. Finally, Sankala Group LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth $33,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have weighed in on WMT shares. Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, June 8th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Truist Financial set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $137.00 target price (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Finally, TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 target price (up from $145.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, May 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $138.65.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is attracting more higher-income customers through low prices, faster delivery and a broader product assortment. This could support sales growth and strengthen its competitive position beyond its traditional value-focused customer base. Can Walmart Sustain Gains Among Higher-Income Customers?
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is using artificial intelligence behind the scenes to reduce costs and improve operating efficiency rather than selling AI products directly. Its scale, strong recent earnings and analyst Buy ratings support the view that technology could enhance profitability over time. These 3 AI Winners Don’t Sell the Tech—They Use It
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart recently outperformed the broader market during a trading session, indicating continued momentum, although the report provides no new company-specific catalyst. Walmart Beats Stock Market Upswing
• Neutral Sentiment: Amazon overtook Walmart on the Fortune Global 500 revenue ranking, ending Walmart’s 12-year run at No. 1. The change highlights Amazon’s expanding scale and Walmart’s intense competition in retail and ecommerce, but it does not directly alter Walmart’s earnings outlook. Amazon Tops Fortune Global 500 List
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts warn that Walmart may be expensive after its substantial five-year return. A discounted cash-flow analysis suggests the stock trades above intrinsic value, while a reported salad recall adds a potential near-term reputational and operational risk. Walmart Stock Could Be Pricey After the Salad Recall
• Negative Sentiment: Another valuation review says Walmart’s durable scale advantage is not enough to offset an elevated share price relative to projected forward earnings, limiting upside if growth slows. Walmart Is at $108: Why Investors Should Pause

Walmart Stock Up 1.2%

WMT stock opened at $113.10 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $115.89 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $122.02. The company has a market cap of $900.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.68, a P/E/G ratio of 4.17 and a beta of 0.60. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $95.42 and a twelve month high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The firm had revenue of $177.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.61 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total transaction of $1,308,670.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 120,203 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,300,550.91. The trade was a 8.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total value of $1,435,203.96. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. This trade represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 67,729 shares of company stock valued at $8,124,931. 0.09% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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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