Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 511,640 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $57,948,000.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the second quarter worth $7,455,131,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at about $6,458,529,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in Walmart in the second quarter valued at about $2,905,655,000. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Walmart by 188.1% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,199,907,000 after purchasing an additional 7,614,172 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in Walmart in the second quarter worth about $796,677,000. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.
Walmart Stock Up 1.7%
Shares of WMT stock opened at $104.87 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $834.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.86, a PEG ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.61. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $95.79 and a one year high of $135.15. The company's fifty day moving average price is $111.65 and its 200-day moving average price is $120.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The company had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.68 EPS. Walmart's quarterly 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. Sell-side analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several equities research analysts have recently commented on WMT shares. Mizuho set a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Morgan Stanley reissued an "overweight" rating and issued a $125.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Tigress Financial restated a "buy" rating and set a $155.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday. Oppenheimer reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, August 25th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Walmart from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $131.88.
Read Our Latest Report on WMT
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the 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 directly owned 569,153 shares of the company's stock, valued at $60,523,730.02. This trade represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total transaction of $1,435,203.96. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. This represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.
Walmart News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart agreed to pay $50 million to settle U.S. Justice Department allegations involving improperly filled opioid prescriptions. Although the settlement carries a financial cost and reputational risk, it is viewed favorably because it resolves litigation that had exposed the company to potentially billions of dollars in civil penalties. Walmart described the payment as immaterial. Walmart escapes major legal penalty for a fraction of the cost
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s U.S. marketplace sales increased 52%, supported by a broader product selection, greater use of fulfillment services and international expansion in Mexico and Canada. Sustaining this momentum could improve e-commerce growth and marketplace profitability. Walmart's Marketplace Momentum Builds
- Positive Sentiment: Tigress Financial reaffirmed its buy rating and set a $155 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. This reflects confidence in Walmart’s long-term earnings and growth prospects. Benzinga analyst rating
- Neutral Sentiment: Commentary highlights Walmart’s 53-year record of dividend increases and notes that the stock is well below its peak. However, its dividend yield remains relatively low and its valuation is still elevated compared with the broader market. Walmart dividend analysis
- Negative Sentiment: Erste Group Bank lowered its fiscal 2027 EPS estimates, signaling expectations for slower earnings growth or increased cost pressure. Walmart’s recent earnings-related share-price weakness also indicates that investors remain sensitive to the company’s premium valuation. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Walmart Cut
About Walmart
(
Free Report)
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.
See Also
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This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.
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