Littlejohn Financial Services Inc. Makes New $2.81 Million Investment in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Littlejohn Financial Services initiated a new position in Walmart during the first quarter, buying 22,629 shares worth about $2.81 million. The stake represents 2.1% of the firm’s portfolio and its 17th-largest holding.
• Walmart reported Q1 EPS of $0.66, in line with estimates, while revenue came in at $177.75 billion, above expectations and up 7.4% year over year. The company also reaffirmed guidance for FY 2027 and Q2 2027.
• Analysts remain broadly upbeat on WMT, with a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of $138.85. Several firms recently reiterated bullish ratings and targets, even as some commentary flagged valuation concerns and near-term stock pressure.

Littlejohn Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 22,629 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $2,812,000. Walmart accounts for 2.1% of Littlejohn Financial Services Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest holding.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vise Technologies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 42.1% in the fourth quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 275,341 shares of the retailer's stock worth $30,676,000 after acquiring an additional 81,635 shares during the period. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 253.3% during the 1st quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 384,034 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $47,728,000 after purchasing an additional 275,337 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 2.9% during 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. Life Cycle Investment Partners Ltd purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth about $40,855,000. Finally, Vantus Wealth LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter worth about $1,087,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.92, for a total transaction of $359,368.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 577,853 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $71,607,543.76. This trade represents a 0.50% 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 Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total value of $1,308,670.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 120,203 shares of the company's stock, valued at $14,300,550.91. The trade was a 8.38% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders sold 100,730 shares of company stock valued at $12,444,624. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of WMT opened at $113.26 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $901.33 billion, a PE ratio of 39.74, a P/E/G ratio of 4.27 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $123.25 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $122.22. Walmart Inc. has a 1-year low of $94.23 and a 1-year high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The business had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The company's revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.61 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart said usage of its AI assistant Sparky has doubled, and the tool appears to be helping drive larger digital baskets, which supports the company’s omnichannel growth story. Walmart's Sparky Usage Doubles: Is AI Driving Bigger Orders?
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart+ fuel discounts remain a popular membership perk, highlighting continued engagement with the subscription program and potential support for retention and recurring revenue. Walmart+ Executive Says Fuel Discounts Supercharge Member Engagement
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding in-house career pathways to train opticians, a move that could ease labor shortages in its Vision Center and Sam’s Club optical businesses while supporting service expansion. Walmart Expands In-House Career Pathways to Train Opticians
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is drawing elevated investor attention, but the coverage mainly reflects renewed interest rather than a clear new fundamental driver. Walmart Inc. (WMT) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary notes Walmart’s shares are being compared with peers like Costco, underscoring that investors are still debating the best retail valuation and growth mix rather than reacting to a company-specific shock. Walmart vs Costco: This Is The Better Stock To Buy
• Negative Sentiment: One article says Walmart’s valuation remains rich relative to its growth outlook, which may be pressuring the stock as investors question how much upside is left at current levels. Walmart (WMT) Stock Weighs Rich Valuation Against E-Commerce And Store Investment Potential
• Negative Sentiment: The stock also slipped in the latest session despite a broader market uptick, reinforcing near-term selling pressure. Walmart (WMT) Stock Falls Amid Market Uptick: What Investors Need to Know

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMT has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Truist Financial set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, April 20th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $137.00 price target (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, May 11th. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and set a $145.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating and set a $137.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $138.85.

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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