Ancora Advisors LLC Makes New Investment in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Ancora Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 115,781 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $13,113,000.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the 2nd quarter valued at $6,380,000. Primecap Management Co. CA purchased a new position in Walmart during the 2nd quarter worth $16,377,000. Palisade Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth $2,680,000. Cooper Haims Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth $305,000. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the second quarter valued at about $796,677,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Walmart Price Performance

WMT opened at $103.09 on Friday. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $111.90 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.45. 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 Inc. has a 1 year low of $95.79 and a 1 year high of $135.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $820.40 billion, a PE ratio of 37.22, a P/E/G ratio of 3.90 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 for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. Walmart's revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business 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. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total transaction of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. The trade was a 20.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 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. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. This trade represents a 0.51% 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. Insiders have sold a total of 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143 over the last ninety days. 0.09% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on shares of Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Gordon Haskett cut Walmart from a "buy" rating to an "accumulate" rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Truist Financial set a $114.00 price target on Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Roth Capital reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $131.88.

Key Walmart News

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

Walmart 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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