Cibc World Market Inc. Takes $229.41 Million Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• CIBC World Market purchased 2.03 million Walmart shares worth approximately $229.4 million, while institutional investors own 26.76% of the retailer.
• Walmart shares fell 1.6% to $102.63, despite quarterly results that exceeded expectations: EPS was $0.81 versus $0.74 expected, and revenue rose 5.9% year over year to $187.94 billion.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $131.88, although valuation concerns and recent insider selling remain risks.

Cibc World Market Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 2,025,507 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $229,409,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 184,805,978 shares of the retailer's stock worth $19,046,104,000 after purchasing an additional 2,242,364 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Walmart by 6.8% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 103,010,709 shares of the retailer's stock worth $11,426,753,000 after purchasing an additional 6,517,394 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth about $6,458,529,000. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Walmart by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 40,626,852 shares of the retailer's stock worth $4,526,238,000 after purchasing an additional 328,229 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 2.6% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 36,820,550 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $4,102,546,000 after buying an additional 920,969 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walmart Stock Down 1.6%

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $102.63 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $95.70 and a 52-week high of $135.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $816.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.05, a PEG ratio of 3.96 and a beta of 0.61. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $112.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $120.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.68 EPS. Walmart's quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. 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 earnings per share for the current year.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart reported fiscal Q2 2027 revenue of approximately $187.9 billion, while global e-commerce increased 23% and advertising revenue surged 38%. The results highlight continued momentum in digital retail and higher-margin businesses. Walmart Q2 2027 Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators view the selloff as a potential buying opportunity, arguing that Walmart’s e-commerce, advertising, automation and AI-assisted shopping initiatives can support long-term cash-flow growth. Walmart's Big Sell-Off Could Be a Buying Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts cited in recent coverage put Walmart’s consensus price target at $138.50, substantially above the current trading range, while unusually heavy call-option activity suggests some traders are positioning for a rebound. Walmart Consensus Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart and Sam’s Club raised more than $39 million for the Children’s Miracle Network. The announcement supports the company’s community reputation but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings or valuation. Walmart and Sam's Club Children's Miracle Network Support
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary says the stock’s recent selloff reflects investor concern that Walmart may be fully valued after a roughly 127% five-year gain. Slower store-sales growth and a high earnings multiple could limit further upside even if digital businesses remain strong. Walmart Stock Looks Fully Priced
• Negative Sentiment: An executive vice president sold 50,644 shares worth about $5.3 million. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan to cover tax withholding on vested equity awards, reducing its negative signaling value but still adding to investor focus on insider selling. Walmart Insider Trading Filing

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value 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 represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,710 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.10, for a total transaction of $419,601.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 626,299 shares in the company, valued at approximately $70,834,416.90. The trade was a 0.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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 three months, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143. Insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMT has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Mizuho set a $130.00 price target on Walmart in a report on Monday, July 27th. Gordon Haskett cut Walmart from a "buy" rating to an "accumulate" rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Tigress Financial reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $155.00 price objective (up from $150.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Truist Financial set a $114.00 target price on Walmart and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $126.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three 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 company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $131.88.

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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