Carnegie Investment Counsel Grows Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Carnegie Investment Counsel increased its Walmart stake by 7.7%, buying 15,480 shares in Q4 to hold 217,318 shares worth about $24.2 million.
• Walmart beat Q4 estimates with EPS of $0.74 (vs. $0.73) and revenue of $190.66B (vs. $188.37B), and set FY2027 guidance of $2.75–$2.85 EPS (analysts expect ~2.55).
• Insider selling totaled roughly $33.8M last quarter (274,278 shares), but analyst sentiment remains positive with a consensus "Buy" rating and a $137.12 target.

Carnegie Investment Counsel increased its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 7.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 217,318 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 15,480 shares during the period. Carnegie Investment Counsel's holdings in Walmart were worth $24,211,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Roble Belko & Company Inc increased its stake in Walmart by 212.6% in the 3rd quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 219 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Walmart Trading Up 0.0%

Shares of Walmart stock opened at $126.82 on Monday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $125.86 and a two-hundred day moving average of $115.27. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $90.01 and a 12-month high of $134.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The stock has a market cap of $1.01 trillion, a PE ratio of 46.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.72 and a beta of 0.66.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The company's revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.66 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a $0.2475 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Walmart's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 36.13%.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst note: Zacks highlights Walmart as well‑positioned for industry trends — omnichannel execution, digital transformation, advertising and membership initiatives should help WMT navigate margin pressure and capture share. 2 Supermarket Stocks Well-Positioned to Capitalize on Industry Trends
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional endorsement: Billionaire Israel Englander’s Millennium (longtime 13F holder) lists WMT among top picks, signaling sustained hedge‑fund conviction that can support the stock. Walmart Inc. (WMT): Israel Englander Is Bullish on This Retail Giant
• Positive Sentiment: Media bullishness: Jim Cramer called Walmart a “juggernaut,” which tends to attract retail interest and can amplify momentum buying. Jim Cramer Calls Walmart “A Stock That Truly Defines the Term Juggernaut”
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic growth levers: independent analysis notes Walmart is accelerating AI, higher‑margin ad revenue and membership/automation initiatives — structural profit drivers that can justify multiple expansion if execution continues. Assessing Walmart (WMT) Valuation As AI And Higher‑Margin Profit Engines Reshape The Business
• Positive Sentiment: New initiatives: coverage notes an EV‑charging rollout tied to Walmart sites — diversifies services, adds traffic to stores and strengthens ESG/infra narrative. Walmart EV Charging Push Adds New Dimension To Investment Case
• Neutral Sentiment: Market context: Barron’s piece on CEO changes notes retailer stocks (including Walmart) have moved with leadership transitions — supportive background but not a direct catalyst today. Retail CEO Changes Really Can Move Stocks. Just Look at Walmart and Target.
• Neutral Sentiment: Increased attention: Zacks reports heavy investor search activity for WMT — more eyeballs can boost liquidity and volatility but is non‑directional. Investors Heavily Search Walmart Inc. (WMT): Here is What You Need to Know
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and profit‑taking concerns: several pieces note WMT is up ~14% YTD and trades at a premium multiple, prompting discussion of “buy, hold or take profits” and creating room for near‑term selling. Walmart Stock Gains 14% YTD: Buy, Hold or Take Profits Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Small analyst tweak: Erste Group nudged FY2028 EPS slightly lower (minor cut), showing some analyst sensitivity to outlook — not a large revision but contributes to cautious tone. Erste Group reduces FY2028 estimate for Walmart

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.10, for a total transaction of $1,694,437.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 591,084 shares of the company's stock, valued at $76,308,944.40. The trade was a 2.17% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.17, for a total transaction of $2,313,804.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 4,274,856 shares in the company, valued at $509,434,589.52. This represents a 0.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 274,278 shares of company stock valued at $33,825,793. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently commented on WMT shares. Jefferies Financial Group set a $145.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Erste Group Bank raised Walmart from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. CICC Research assumed coverage on Walmart in a report on Friday, December 26th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $125.00 price target for the company. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $134.00 price target (up from $129.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $145.00 price objective on Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Walmart has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $137.12.

Walmart 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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