Bank OZK Acquires New Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Bank OZK acquired 18,990 Walmart shares in the second quarter, valued at approximately $2.15 million. Institutional investors collectively own 26.76% of Walmart, with several major funds also establishing or expanding positions.
• Walmart exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $187.94 billion in revenue and $0.81 EPS, while revenue grew 5.9% year over year. E-commerce rose 23% and advertising revenue increased 38%, supporting the company’s growth outlook.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive view, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $131.88, although several firms recently lowered their targets. Walmart shares opened at $103.09, below both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, amid valuation and consumer-spending concerns.

Bank OZK bought a new position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 18,990 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $2,151,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth $7,455,131,000. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $6,458,529,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the second quarter worth about $2,905,655,000. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 7,614,172 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $796,677,000. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible 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 that occurred 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 of the company's stock, valued at $14,985,527.94. The trade was 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. Insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143 over the last 90 days. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have weighed in on WMT. Gordon Haskett downgraded Walmart from a "buy" rating to an "accumulate" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on shares of Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. BTIG Research dropped their target price on shares of Walmart from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Mizuho set a $130.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Roth Capital reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $131.88.

Walmart News Roundup

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 Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $103.09 on Monday. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $95.79 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company has a market cap of $820.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.22, a PEG ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.61. The business's 50 day moving average price is $111.90 and its 200-day moving average price is $120.39.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The company had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.68 EPS. Walmart's revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. 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, sell-side analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.

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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