Flputnam Investment Management Co. Buys 64,331 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Flputnam Investment Management increased its Walmart stake by 68.5% in the second quarter, buying 64,331 additional shares for a total holding of 158,313 shares valued at approximately $17.9 million.
• Walmart exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $0.81 EPS versus the $0.74 consensus and revenue of $187.94 billion, up 5.9% year over year. Shares recently opened at $105.92, below both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Wall Street remains broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $131.88, although some analysts have reduced targets or earnings estimates amid investment and margin-pressure concerns.

Flputnam Investment Management Co. grew its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 68.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 158,313 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 64,331 shares during the quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co.'s holdings in Walmart were worth $17,931,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. MFA Wealth Services grew its stake in shares of Walmart by 0.7% in the first quarter. MFA Wealth Services now owns 10,909 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,356,000 after buying an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Realta Investment Advisors raised its position in Walmart by 2.0% during the first quarter. Realta Investment Advisors now owns 4,089 shares of the retailer's stock worth $508,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC raised its position in Walmart by 4.1% during the first quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC now owns 2,081 shares of the retailer's stock worth $259,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Group LLC lifted its stake in Walmart by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 9,636 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,074,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Calton & Associates Inc. grew its position in shares of Walmart by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 27,220 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,033,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of WMT opened at $105.92 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $840.34 billion, a PE ratio of 38.24, a PEG ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.59. The company's 50-day moving average is $111.38 and its 200-day moving average is $120.08. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $96.51 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15. 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 posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. Walmart's quarterly revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $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 analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Opioid lawsuit ends with limited financial impact: Walmart agreed to pay approximately $50 million to resolve a Justice Department lawsuit involving its pharmacies’ opioid-distribution practices. The settlement is described as immaterial relative to Walmart’s profits and substantially below the potentially multibillion-dollar penalties once threatened, reducing a major legal overhang. Walmart escapes major legal penalty for a fraction of the cost
• Positive Sentiment: Marketplace growth remains strong: Walmart’s U.S. marketplace sales reportedly increased 52%, helped by a broader product assortment, increased fulfillment adoption and expansion into Mexico and Canada. Continued marketplace momentum could improve customer engagement and support higher-margin advertising and third-party seller revenue. Walmart's Marketplace Momentum Builds
• Positive Sentiment: International digital operations are improving: Rising e-commerce penetration and reduced losses in Walmart International are improving the segment’s economics. However, ongoing investment and margin pressure could limit the near-term earnings benefit. Walmart International's Digital Mix Rises
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst remains bullish: Tigress Financial reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $155 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. SAIC, Walmart And 3 Stocks To Watch
• Neutral Sentiment: Value comparison offers limited direction: Articles comparing Walmart with J. Sainsbury PLC focus on relative valuation rather than a new company-specific catalyst. Walmart’s strong operating profile is balanced by a comparatively elevated earnings multiple, making valuation-sensitive investors more selective. JSAIY vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: EPS estimates were trimmed: Erste Group Bank lowered its fiscal 2027 earnings-per-share estimates for Walmart, reinforcing concerns that elevated investment, e-commerce costs or margin pressure could constrain profit growth. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Walmart Cut by Erste Group Bank

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at $60,523,730.02. This trade represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 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 that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total value of $1,435,203.96. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. This represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WMT has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Roth Capital reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Gordon Haskett cut Walmart from a "buy" rating to an "accumulate" rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. BTIG Research lowered their price target on Walmart from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $126.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three equities research 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's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus 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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