Arete Wealth Advisors LLC Raises Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Arete Wealth Advisors increased its Walmart stake by 14.6% in the first quarter, owning 71,317 shares valued at approximately $8.86 million. Institutional investors collectively hold 26.76% of Walmart’s stock.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $138.65; several firms recently raised their targets.
• Walmart’s latest quarterly revenue rose 7.4% year over year to $177.75 billion, while EPS of $0.66 matched estimates. However, insiders have sold $8.12 million of shares over the past three months, and valuation concerns remain given the stock’s P/E of 39.68.

Arete Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 14.6% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 71,317 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 9,074 shares during the quarter. Arete Wealth Advisors LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $8,857,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in Walmart by 28.8% in the 4th 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 lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 5.8% during the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 8,849 shares of the retailer's stock worth $800,000 after acquiring an additional 485 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Wealth Management grew its position in Walmart by 3.5% in the first quarter. Peterson Wealth Management now owns 50,307 shares of the retailer's stock worth $4,416,000 after acquiring an additional 1,715 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its position in Walmart by 0.9% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 13,008 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,272,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its stake in Walmart by 1.2% in the second 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. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on WMT shares. Tigress Financial restated a "buy" rating and set a $155.00 price target (up from $150.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price objective (up from $145.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. BNP Paribas Exane decreased their price objective on Walmart from $147.00 to $146.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, Guggenheim boosted their target price on Walmart from $120.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $138.65.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,775 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.64, for a total value of $413,891.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 630,009 shares of the company's stock, valued at $69,074,186.76. This trade represents a 0.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. This represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. 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. In the last three months, insiders have sold 67,729 shares of company stock valued at $8,124,931. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

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%

Shares of NASDAQ WMT 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. Walmart Inc. has a 52 week low of $95.42 and a 52 week high of $135.15. The firm's fifty day moving average is $115.89 and its 200 day moving average is $122.02. The company has a market cap of $900.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.68, a PEG ratio of 4.17 and a beta of 0.60.

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

About Walmart

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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