Hartford Funds Management Co LLC Buys 9,505 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Hartford Funds Management boosted its Walmart stake by 70% in the fourth quarter, buying 9,505 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 23,075 shares worth about $2.57 million.
• Walmart reported strong quarterly results, with earnings per share of $0.74 beating estimates and revenue of $190.66 billion topping expectations; revenue rose 5.6% year over year.
• Analysts remain bullish on the stock, with a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $138.88, while several firms recently reiterated buy ratings or raised price targets.

Hartford Funds Management Co LLC increased its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 70.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 23,075 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 9,505 shares during the quarter. Walmart makes up 0.2% of Hartford Funds Management Co LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest position. Hartford Funds Management Co LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $2,571,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Fox Run Management L.L.C. purchased a new position in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,709,000. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its stake in shares of Walmart by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,010,886 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $104,182,000 after purchasing an additional 28,026 shares during the period. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners lifted its stake in shares of Walmart by 466.6% in the 3rd quarter. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners now owns 13,343 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,375,000 after purchasing an additional 10,988 shares during the period. Tradewinds LLC. purchased a new position in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $11,077,000. Finally, Florida Trust Wealth Management Co lifted its stake in shares of Walmart by 7.0% in the 4th quarter. Florida Trust Wealth Management Co now owns 196,648 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $21,909,000 after purchasing an additional 12,794 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.96, for a total value of $1,600,725.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 687,287 shares in the company, valued at $83,821,522.52. The trade was a 1.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total value of $4,158,004.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 533,466 shares of the company's stock, valued at $65,082,852. This represents a 6.01% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 167,190 shares of company stock valued at $20,975,838. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s push into AI and automation could support margins over time by improving fulfillment efficiency, boosting order values, and lowering operating costs. Walmart's AI and Automation Push: Long-Term Cost Advantage?
• Positive Sentiment: Investor focus is turning to Walmart’s upcoming earnings report, with analysts watching key operating metrics beyond revenue and EPS for signs that the business is still executing well. Exploring Analyst Estimates for Walmart (WMT) Q1 Earnings, Beyond Revenue and EPS
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart remains a favored defensive retail name as investors compare it with other consumer staples and grocery operators during a volatile market backdrop. Forget Walmart. The Grocer Beating It on Trust and Margin Trades at a Third of the Multiple
• Neutral Sentiment: Several hedge fund filings showed mixed positioning in Walmart, with some managers adding shares and others trimming, which does not clearly change the near-term outlook. Moore Capital Management Boosts Walmart Stake by 3,454 Shares
• Negative Sentiment: EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,250 shares in a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 transaction, adding a small insider-sale headline that may slightly pressure sentiment. SEC Form 4 filing
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market attention on geopolitical risk, including the Strait of Hormuz closure, may keep investors cautious and can weigh on sentiment even for defensive stocks like Walmart. NVDA, WMT Report This Week, but News on the Strait Is Key

Walmart Stock Up 1.4%

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $133.34 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $126.57 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $119.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.06 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.66, a PEG ratio of 4.85 and a beta of 0.65. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $93.43 and a 12-month high of $134.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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. The business had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.66 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a $0.2475 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Walmart's payout ratio is currently 36.13%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Tigress Financial set a $150.00 target price on Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Roth Mkm restated a "buy" rating and issued a $138.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $145.00 target price on Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $138.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $138.88.

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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