Hollencrest Capital Management Has $2.23 Million Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Hollencrest Capital Management cut its Walmart stake by 49.2% in the second quarter, selling 19,062 shares and retaining 19,671 shares valued at approximately $2.23 million.
• Walmart exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $0.81 in EPS versus the $0.74 consensus and revenue of $187.94 billion, up 5.9% year over year. Its U.S. marketplace sales also rose 52%, though analysts have trimmed some future EPS estimates amid investment and margin pressures.
• Wall Street remains broadly bullish, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $131.88, despite Walmart’s elevated valuation and recent insider selling.

Hollencrest Capital Management reduced its position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 49.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 19,671 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 19,062 shares during the period. Hollencrest Capital Management's holdings in Walmart were worth $2,228,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of WMT. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the first quarter worth about $29,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Walmart by 57.4% during the fourth quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer's stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Sankala Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Walmart News Roundup

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

Walmart Stock Up 1.0%

Walmart stock opened at $105.92 on Wednesday. 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 quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $111.38 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.08. The stock has a market cap of $840.34 billion, a PE ratio of 38.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.59.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.68 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter 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. Research analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on WMT shares. Truist Financial set a $114.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Guggenheim set a $130.00 price objective on Walmart and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $113.00 price objective on Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Mizuho set a $130.00 target price on Walmart in a report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Citigroup cut their target price on Walmart from $147.00 to $132.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $131.88.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total transaction of $1,435,203.96. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 125,067 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. This trade represents a 8.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,775 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.64, for a total value of $413,891.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 630,009 shares in the company, valued at $69,074,186.76. This trade represents a 0.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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. In the last three months, insiders sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143. Insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

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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