Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC decreased its position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 50.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 192,599 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 195,163 shares during the quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $21,459,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in WMT. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth about $6,458,529,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 188.1% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after buying an additional 7,614,172 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased 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 valued at $11,426,753,000 after buying an additional 6,517,394 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at $592,848,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 439,957,146 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $49,015,626,000 after buying an additional 4,304,436 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.
Walmart Price Performance
Shares of WMT stock opened at $119.83 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $125.57 and a 200 day moving average price of $121.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The firm has a market cap of $953.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.05, a PEG ratio of 4.44 and a beta of 0.60. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $93.43 and a 12 month high of $135.15.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.66. The firm had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The company's revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $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. Research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.
Insider Transactions at Walmart
In related news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.92, for a total value of $359,368.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 577,853 shares in the company, valued at $71,607,543.76. This trade represents a 0.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,250 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.77, for a total value of $167,212.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 635,593 shares in the company, valued at approximately $85,023,275.61. This trade represents a 0.20% 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. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 117,008 shares of company stock valued at $14,492,704. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on WMT. Mizuho raised their target price on Walmart from $125.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Craig Hallum set a $150.00 target price on Walmart in a research note on Friday, March 6th. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their target price on Walmart from $147.00 to $146.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Guggenheim raised their target price on Walmart from $120.00 to $137.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Finally, Argus upgraded Walmart to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. One 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 MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $138.85.
Read Our Latest Research Report on Walmart
Walmart News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: RBC said Walmart could gain a competitive edge through partnerships with quick-service restaurants, which could help drive more traffic, broaden customer engagement, and strengthen its ecosystem. Walmart Poised to Gain Competitive Advantage Through Quick Service Restaurant Partnerships, RBC Says
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s e-commerce sales rose 26% in Q1 fiscal 2027, with growth coming from store pickup, delivery, and marketplace expansion, reinforcing the view that its digital business is becoming a bigger profit driver. Walmart's E-commerce Improves 26%: Is Margin Expansion Next?
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart Connect is opening new off-site advertising opportunities, expanding a high-margin revenue stream that can lift profitability faster than traditional retail sales. Walmart (WMT) Opens New Opportunities For Advertisers Beyond Its Own Platform
- Positive Sentiment: RBC also said Walmart remains confident in its competitive positioning despite pricing pressure, suggesting it can defend share even if inflation or tariffs squeeze consumers. Walmart Confident in Competitive Positioning Amid Pricing Pressure, RBC Capital Markets Says
- Neutral Sentiment: Oppenheimer said Walmart continues to project an upbeat management tone and stay focused on value, reinforcing a steady long-term narrative rather than a major new catalyst. Walmart Maintains Upbeat Tone, Reinforces Value Strategy, Oppenheimer Says
- Neutral Sentiment: Several articles noted Walmart is attracting unusual investor attention, but these pieces were mostly commentary and screening updates rather than fresh fundamental news. Walmart Inc. (WMT) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
- Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s increased use of AI, employee messaging around AI-related job concerns, and philanthropic disaster-response spending support the company’s strategic and brand image, but are not likely to move the stock much on their own.
- Negative Sentiment: Analysts also flagged pricing pressure and tariff-related cost uncertainty, which could weigh on margins and explain some of the recent pullback in the shares.
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.
Further Reading
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