Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. Acquires New Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 139,817 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $15,836,000. Walmart comprises approximately 0.7% of Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest holding.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $6,458,529,000. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Walmart by 188.1% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after acquiring an additional 7,614,172 shares during the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG boosted its holdings in Walmart by 54.0% in the second quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 18,607,297 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,107,462,000 after acquiring an additional 6,525,224 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in Walmart by 6.8% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 103,010,709 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $11,426,753,000 after purchasing an additional 6,517,394 shares during the period. Finally, Capital International Investors bought a new position in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $592,848,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on WMT shares. Cantor Fitzgerald raised shares of Walmart to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Erste Group Bank cut shares of Walmart from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, June 5th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Walmart from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Wolfe Research reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $115.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $131.88.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,775 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.64, for a total value of $413,891.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 630,009 shares of the company's stock, valued at $69,074,186.76. The trade was a 0.60% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. This trade represents a 0.51% 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. Insiders have sold a total of 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143 over the last three months. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Walmart News Summary

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

Walmart Stock Performance

NASDAQ:WMT opened at $102.63 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $112.18 and a 200-day moving average of $120.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $816.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.05, a P/E/G ratio of 3.96 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $95.70 and a twelve month high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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%. Walmart's quarterly revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company 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. As a group, sell-side 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.

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