Meyer Handelman Co. Lowers Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Meyer Handelman Co. reduced its Walmart stake by 3.0% in the second quarter, selling 22,109 shares and retaining 723,760 shares valued at approximately $82.0 million. Institutional investors own 26.76% of Walmart.
• Walmart reported quarterly revenue of $177.75 billion, up 7.4% year over year, while earnings per share matched estimates at $0.66. Analysts maintain a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating with an average price target of $138.56.
• Insiders sold 70,189 Walmart shares worth about $8.38 million over the past three months. The stock opened at $115.27, below its 200-day moving average of $121.52, amid concerns about fuel costs, valuation and comparable-sales growth.

Meyer Handelman Co. decreased its holdings in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 3.0% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 723,760 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 22,109 shares during the quarter. Walmart accounts for about 2.3% of Meyer Handelman Co.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest position. Meyer Handelman Co.'s holdings in Walmart were worth $81,973,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 28.8% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 98,150 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,868,000 after acquiring an additional 21,939 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in Walmart by 5.8% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 8,849 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $800,000 after purchasing an additional 485 shares during the period. Peterson Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 3.5% during the 1st quarter. Peterson Wealth Management now owns 50,307 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $4,416,000 after buying an additional 1,715 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 13,008 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,272,000 after buying an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. grew its stake in shares of Walmart by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 91,341 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,931,000 after acquiring an additional 1,048 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walmart Price Performance

WMT stock opened at $115.27 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $95.42 and a one year high of $135.15. The company's fifty day moving average price is $114.34 and its 200-day moving average price is $121.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company has a market capitalization of $917.33 billion, a PE ratio of 40.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.30 and a beta of 0.61.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The company had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.13% and a return on equity of 21.25%. Walmart's quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $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 2.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMT has been the subject of several analyst reports. KeyCorp reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $137.00 price target (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, May 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $137.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday. BNP Paribas Exane reduced their price objective on shares of Walmart from $147.00 to $146.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, Oppenheimer downgraded shares of Walmart from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $138.56.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In related news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated 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 directly owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,775 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $109.64, for a total value of $413,891.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 630,009 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $69,074,186.76. The trade was a 0.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 70,189 shares of company stock worth $8,377,320. Insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s e-commerce business continues to be viewed as a significant growth engine, with its digital capabilities increasingly resembling a broader commerce platform rather than a traditional big-box retailer. Walmart’s E-Commerce Engine Roars
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies said potential tariff refunds could support Walmart’s price-leadership strategy. Reinvesting the money in lower prices could widen its price gap with competitors and help drive market-share gains, particularly in consumables. Walmart set for in-line Q2
• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “Outperform” rating, providing some support for the long-term investment case despite near-term sales concerns. RBC Reaffirms Outperform Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is expected to deliver largely in-line second-quarter results. The key catalysts are management’s second-half outlook, tariff-refund treatment and the potential effect on pricing and margins. Walmart Q2 earnings preview
• Neutral Sentiment: The company will release results before the market opens on August 20 and host a conference call with CEO John Furner and CFO John David Rainey. Walmart to Host Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call
• Negative Sentiment: Deutsche Bank expects Walmart to miss second-quarter comparable-sales estimates, while high gasoline prices are pressuring household budgets and raising the retailer’s operating costs. Walmart Seen Missing Comparable Sales Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts have cited elevated fuel costs, rising expenses and valuation concerns as reasons for Walmart’s recent weakness, despite solid revenue growth and e-commerce momentum. Walmart Stock Slides About 12% in 3 Months
• Negative Sentiment: Amazon’s AI-powered Alexa shopping tools could intensify competition for grocery-list creation and digital shopping relationships, areas strategically important to Walmart’s e-commerce growth. Amazon’s Alexa Shopping Strategy

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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