DoubleLine ETF Adviser LP Invests $8.50 Million in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• DoubleLine ETF Adviser LP opened a new position in Walmart in Q3, buying 82,465 shares worth about $8.50 million, which represents roughly 2.6% of its portfolio and makes WMT its fourth-largest holding.
• Insiders have been net sellers: CEO John R. Furner and EVP John D. Rainey sold recent blocks, and insiders disposed of 278,278 shares (~$33.97M) over the last quarter, leaving insiders with only 0.10% ownership.
• Business and market snapshot: Walmart reported ~24% eCommerce growth and a revenue beat in the quarter, set FY27 EPS guidance of 2.75–2.85, and carries a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $135.76 while trading at a PE of about 46.

DoubleLine ETF Adviser LP purchased a new position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 82,465 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $8,499,000. Walmart makes up about 2.6% of DoubleLine ETF Adviser LP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest holding.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Walmart by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 9,926 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,023,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Meridian Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Walmart by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Meridian Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,804 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $470,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Hemington Wealth Management raised its position in shares of Walmart by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Hemington Wealth Management now owns 5,695 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $586,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Boomfish Wealth Group LLC lifted its stake in Walmart by 2.7% during the third quarter. Boomfish Wealth Group LLC now owns 3,701 shares of the retailer's stock worth $381,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bailard Inc. boosted its holdings in Walmart by 0.3% in the third quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 29,445 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,035,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.10, for a total value 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 approximately $76,308,944.40. This represents a 2.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.79, for a total transaction of $2,555,800.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 486,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,203,571.56. This represents a 3.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 278,278 shares of company stock worth $33,974,118 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMT has been the topic of a number of research reports. HSBC cut shares of Walmart from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and increased their target price for the stock from $122.00 to $131.00 in a report on Friday, February 20th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $120.00 price objective (up from $115.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Raymond James Financial reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Evercore restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $130.00 target price (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $134.00 target price (up from $129.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $135.76.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart reported continued digital strength: eCommerce grew ~24% in the fiscal fourth quarter, reinforcing its omnichannel momentum and supporting revenue beat and modest upside to guidance — a clear near-term growth driver. Walmart eCommerce Up 24: Can Digital Momentum Continue?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and portfolio shops remain constructive: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy and raised its price target to $150, citing Walmart’s shift toward tech-driven omnichannel operations — a signal of upward analyst sentiment. Tigress Financial Sees Walmart Inc. (WMT) as Tech-Driven Retail Leader
• Positive Sentiment: Flipkart IPO progress (Walmart-backed) remains a potential longer-term upside — an equity event that could unlock value and generate cash/strategic optionality. Walmart-backed Flipkart preps for an IPO as early as this year
• Neutral Sentiment: Schaeffer’s options commentary flagged bullish setups and the possibility of further record highs for WMT — useful for options traders but not a broad fundamental catalyst. Walmart Stock Could Nab More Record Highs
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysis pieces (The Motley Fool) flag that Walmart’s digital push could pay off if fulfillment economics and ROIC improve; it’s strategic upside but execution-dependent. Will Walmart's Digital Push Pay Off in 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is referenced in pieces about stock splits and retail-focused ETFs — background thematic support but not an immediate catalyst. 3 ETFs That Could Benefit as Consumers Tighten Their Budgets (WMT)
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical risk: coverage notes the Iran war and possible Strait of Hormuz disruptions could push supply-chain costs and retail prices higher — a margin and inflation risk for Walmart. How the Iran war could start to impact U.S. retail prices
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and sentiment pressure: commentary (247WallStreet) highlights retail investor criticism of WMT’s ~46x multiple and recent bearish social sentiment, raising the risk of multiple compression if growth disappoints. Reddit’s Loudest Walmart Critics Have a Point About That 46x Multiple

Walmart Stock Up 0.9%

WMT stock opened at $126.52 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $1.01 trillion, a PE ratio of 46.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.66. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $123.16 and its 200 day simple moving average is $112.06. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $79.81 and a fifty-two week high of $134.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a net margin of 3.07% and a return on equity of 21.44%. The firm had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $188.37 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.66 EPS. Walmart's revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Walmart Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be issued a $0.2475 dividend. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. Walmart's dividend payout ratio is 34.31%.

About Walmart

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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