Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super Invests $51.52 Million in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Aware Super opened a new position in Walmart during the first quarter, buying 414,559 shares worth about $51.5 million. The stake now represents roughly 0.8% of the fund’s portfolio and is its 22nd-largest holding.
• Walmart’s near-term business backdrop remains supportive, with back-to-school pricing attention, modestly rising retail sales, and a new sustainability partnership with General Mills and ADM. These developments could help traffic, strengthen its value proposition, and support long-term sourcing goals.
• Despite solid earnings and upbeat analyst coverage, Walmart shares face some caution due to a rich valuation and recent insider selling. The company posted revenue growth of 7.4% last quarter and carries a “Moderate Buy” consensus, but investors are watching whether the stock can justify its premium pricing.

Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 414,559 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $51,521,000. Walmart makes up approximately 0.8% of Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super's investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest position.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at about $6,458,529,000. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 188.1% during the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after acquiring an additional 7,614,172 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Walmart by 6.8% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 103,010,709 shares of the retailer's stock worth $11,426,753,000 after acquiring an additional 6,517,394 shares during the period. Capital International Investors bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter worth approximately $592,848,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 439,957,146 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $49,015,626,000 after purchasing an additional 4,304,436 shares during the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s back-to-school push is getting attention as the retailer highlights its lowest prices since 2019 on popular school items, which could help drive traffic and sales into the important seasonal shopping period. Walmart Helps Americans Navigate Their Annual Back-to-School Reset with Unmatched Value, Convenience and Style
• Positive Sentiment: June retail sales rose modestly, suggesting consumers are still spending and reinforcing Walmart’s value-oriented appeal as shoppers look for lower prices on essentials. Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart also announced a partnership with General Mills and ADM to expand regenerative agriculture across 40,000 Midwest wheat acres, a long-term supply-chain and sustainability initiative that may support the company’s brand and sourcing strategy. General Mills, ADM, Walmart Partner to Accelerate Regenerative Agriculture Across 40,000 Midwest Wheat Acres
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to flag Walmart’s premium valuation, with a forward P/E around 36.7x, which suggests investors expect strong execution but also leaves less room for disappointment. Walmart Commands a 36.74X Forward P/E: Is the Stock Worth Buying?
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary on Walmart’s AI-related hiring plans highlights the company’s investment in automation and digital tools, but it does not appear to materially change near-term earnings expectations. Walmart's people chief says these 10 jobs are still hot in the age of AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market volatility and articles comparing Walmart with other defensive stocks add context, but they are not direct catalysts for the shares. 3 Stocks to Own When the Market Gets Ugly in July
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart’s stock has also recently been under pressure on a day when the broader market was firmer, underscoring some investor caution around the name despite its defensive profile. Walmart (WMT) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here's Why

Walmart Stock Up 2.2%

NASDAQ WMT opened at $114.95 on Friday. 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 $94.43 and a 52 week high of $135.15. The company has a market capitalization of $914.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.19 and a beta of 0.60. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $119.14 and its 200-day moving average price is $122.10.

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 analysts' consensus estimates of $0.66. The business 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 company's revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.61 earnings per share. 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 predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Walmart news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,775 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.64, for a total value of $413,891.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 630,009 shares in the company, valued at approximately $69,074,186.76. This represents a 0.60% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.08, for a total value of $1,628,550.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 661,037 shares in the company, valued at approximately $82,021,470.96. This represents a 1.95% 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. Insiders have sold a total of 87,145 shares of company stock worth $10,691,920 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WMT has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Erste Group Bank downgraded shares of Walmart from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, June 5th. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, June 8th. Wolfe Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $137.00 target price (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Freedom Capital raised Walmart from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Guggenheim raised their price target on Walmart from $120.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th. One equities 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $138.85.

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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