Councilmark Asset Management LLC Makes New $6.71 Million Investment in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Councilmark Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 59,222 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $6,707,000. Walmart comprises about 3.6% of Councilmark Asset Management LLC's holdings, making the stock its 8th largest holding.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth $6,458,529,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in Walmart during the second quarter valued at about $2,905,655,000. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 188.1% during the 3rd 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. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $796,677,000. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG boosted its stake in Walmart by 54.0% in the second quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 18,607,297 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,107,462,000 after buying an additional 6,525,224 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $103.09 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $111.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $120.45. The company has a market cap of $820.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.61. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $95.79 and a 12 month high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (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 analysts' expectations of $186.64 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.68 earnings per share. 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. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at $60,523,730.02. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 201,672 shares of the company's stock, valued at $21,246,145.20. The trade was a 20.07% decrease in their position. 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. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have commented on WMT shares. Gordon Haskett cut shares of Walmart from a "buy" rating to an "accumulate" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. Guggenheim set a $130.00 price objective on shares of Walmart and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. KeyCorp reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Wolfe Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $115.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Walmart currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $131.88.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s fiscal second-quarter results showed continued momentum beyond traditional store sales: revenue reached approximately $187.9 billion, global e-commerce grew 23%, and advertising revenue increased 38%. These higher-growth businesses could support future margins and cash flow. Walmart Growth Engine Hums
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary continue to point to Walmart’s expanding e-commerce, digital advertising, memberships, convenience-led fulfillment, automation and AI initiatives as reasons the recent decline could represent a long-term buying opportunity. Walmart’s scale and value-focused pricing remain important competitive advantages. Walmart Continues to Grow Beyond Retail
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart settled a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit alleging that its pharmacies unlawfully contributed to the opioid epidemic. Resolving the case removes an overhang and reduces legal uncertainty, although the financial terms and any broader implications remain important for investors. Walmart Settles U.S. Opioid Lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage highlights a potentially tougher consumer environment. Walmart’s comparable sales growth was 3.4% excluding pharmacy-related items, while middle-income shoppers appear increasingly focused on necessities and limiting discretionary purchases. Walmart and Home Depot Results
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are also questioning whether Walmart’s valuation adequately reflects its strong performance. A high earnings multiple, slower core sales growth and the stock’s position below its moving averages have amplified the impact of the recent selloff. Walmart Selloff Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Executive Vice President Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares worth approximately $5.3 million. The sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan to cover taxes on vested equity awards, making it a weaker bearish signal than discretionary insider selling. Walmart Insider Trading Filing

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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