Compass Financial Management LLC Acquires Shares of 17,336 Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Compass Financial Management acquired 17,336 Walmart shares during the second quarter, worth approximately $1.94 million. Institutional investors own 26.76% of Walmart’s outstanding stock.
• Walmart recently beat quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, reporting $0.81 in EPS on $187.94 billion in revenue, with sales up 5.9% year over year. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $131.88, despite several target cuts.
• Walmart shares opened at $107.14, down 1.2%, while investors weigh its elevated valuation, tariff and margin pressures, and regulatory scrutiny over rising beef prices. The company is also expanding digital services through Dunkin’ delivery and fraud-prevention initiatives.

Compass Financial Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 17,336 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,941,000.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in WMT. MFA Wealth Services boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. MFA Wealth Services now owns 10,909 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,356,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Realta Investment Advisors increased its position in Walmart by 2.0% in the first quarter. Realta Investment Advisors now owns 4,089 shares of the retailer's stock worth $508,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC raised its stake in Walmart by 4.1% during the first quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC now owns 2,081 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $259,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Group LLC raised its stake in Walmart by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 9,636 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,074,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Calton & Associates Inc. raised its stake in Walmart by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 27,220 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,033,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Walmart Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $107.14 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 1 year low of $98.88 and a 1 year high of $135.15. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $110.81 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $119.62. The company has a market cap of $850.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.68, a PEG ratio of 4.09 and a beta of 0.59. 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 released its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The company's quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.68 earnings per share. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Dunkin’ delivery expands Walmart’s digital ecosystem. Walmart’s partnership with Dunkin’ adds restaurant delivery to its three-month-old service, broadening convenience offerings and giving the retailer another opportunity to increase customer engagement, order frequency and delivery revenue while competing with DoorDash and Uber Eats. Walmart Shoppers Can Now Get Dunkin’ Delivered
• Positive Sentiment: Fraud prevention could become an additional retail technology opportunity. Walmart’s work with Amazon on fraud prevention highlights its efforts to protect shoppers and potentially develop technology and services that improve trust, retention and the economics of digital commerce. Amazon and Walmart Turn Fraud Prevention Into a Retail Product
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail comparisons show Walmart remains a key consumer bellwether. Recent large-format retailer results point to a divided, or “K-shaped,” consumer economy: higher-income shoppers continue spending in some discretionary categories, while value-focused consumers face pressure from elevated grocery costs. This creates both traffic opportunities and potential margin challenges for Walmart. Retail Earnings Expose a Bigger Divide in the U.S. Consumer Economy
• Neutral Sentiment: Haleon’s improved shelf placement reinforces Walmart’s importance to suppliers. Better positioning for Haleon brands such as Sensodyne may support product visibility and sales, though the report primarily benefits Haleon and does not materially change Walmart’s financial outlook. Haleon Secures Better Shelf Space at Walmart
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff and margin concerns are weighing on the investment case. Mixed retail results suggest Walmart may face pressure balancing value pricing with higher product costs, while its elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for execution disappointments.
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory scrutiny adds an overhang. The Department of Justice’s investigation into rising beef prices has expanded to Walmart and other retailers. No wrongdoing has been established, but the inquiry creates potential legal, reputational and compliance risks.
• Neutral Sentiment: An executive share sale was limited and prearranged. EVP Daniel Bartlett sold 3,950 shares worth approximately $415,000 under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, reducing his direct holdings by only 0.63%; the transaction is therefore a weak trading signal. Daniel Bartlett Sells Walmart Shares

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have commented on WMT. Gordon Haskett cut shares of Walmart from a "buy" rating to an "accumulate" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an "outperform" rating and set a $130.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. DA Davidson set a $132.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $131.88.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In related news, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed 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 3,950 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.14, for a total value of $415,303.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 622,349 shares in the company, valued at $65,433,773.86. The trade was a 0.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 81,242 shares of company stock worth $8,836,446. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

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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