Flavin Financial Services Inc. Takes Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Flavin Financial Services initiated a Walmart position in the second quarter, purchasing 45,780 shares valued at approximately $5.2 million. Walmart now represents about 3% of the fund’s portfolio and is its 10th-largest holding.
• Walmart’s latest quarter showed continued operating momentum, with revenue of $187.94 billion, up 5.9% year over year, and earnings per share of $0.81 versus the $0.74 consensus estimate. Global e-commerce grew 23% and advertising revenue increased 38%.
• Despite largely positive analyst sentiment—with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and average price target of $131.88—the stock traded near $102.63 amid valuation concerns, slower store-sales growth and recent insider selling under pre-arranged trading plans.

Flavin Financial Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 45,780 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $5,185,000. Walmart makes up about 3.0% of Flavin Financial Services Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest position.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 57.4% in the fourth quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer's stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Sankala Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Turim 21 Investimentos Ltda. bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the first quarter valued at approximately $37,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Walmart News

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 Activity at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total transaction of $1,435,203.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143. Insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently issued reports on WMT. KeyCorp reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. Roth Capital restated a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. DA Davidson set a $132.00 price objective on Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $137.00 price objective (down from $146.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, BTIG Research reduced their target price on shares of Walmart from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $131.88.

Walmart Trading Down 1.6%

Shares of Walmart stock opened at $102.63 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 1 year low of $95.70 and a 1 year high of $135.15. The firm has a market cap of $816.74 billion, a PE ratio of 37.05, a P/E/G ratio of 3.96 and a beta of 0.61. The stock has a fifty 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 current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.68 EPS. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source