NewEdge Advisors LLC Has $323.99 Million Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• NewEdge Advisors reduced its Walmart stake by 0.6% in the second quarter, selling 18,497 shares and retaining 2.86 million shares valued at approximately $323.99 million.
• Walmart reported quarterly earnings of $0.81 per share and revenue of $187.94 billion, beating analyst expectations, while revenue increased 5.9% year over year.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $131.88, compared with shares trading near $106.05; however, the stock’s elevated valuation and expected fiscal 2027 cost pressures remain concerns.

NewEdge Advisors LLC lessened its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 0.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,860,565 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 18,497 shares during the quarter. Walmart comprises 1.0% of NewEdge Advisors LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest position. NewEdge Advisors LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $323,988,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. California State Teachers Retirement System increased its position in Walmart by 11,189.0% during the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 755,604,916 shares of the retailer's stock worth $85,579,813,000 after purchasing an additional 748,911,635 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 1.2% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 184,805,978 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $19,046,104,000 after purchasing an additional 2,242,364 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 6.8% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 103,010,709 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $11,426,753,000 after buying an additional 6,517,394 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the second quarter worth $7,455,131,000. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at about $6,458,529,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Walmart Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $106.05 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $841.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.29, a PEG ratio of 4.09 and a beta of 0.59. 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 12-month low of $98.88 and a 12-month high of $135.15. The business's 50 day moving average is $110.51 and its 200 day moving average is $119.22.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The company's revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business 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. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Opioid settlement removes a major legal overhang. Walmart agreed to pay $50 million to resolve a federal opioid case, substantially less than the potential multibillion-dollar liability discussed by the Justice Department. The relatively modest settlement limits financial and legal uncertainty. Walmart Settles a Potential Multibillion-Dollar Opioid Case for $50 Million
• Positive Sentiment: Artificial intelligence could support operational and sales growth. TD Cowen identified Walmart among the retailers best positioned to benefit as AI improves shopping, merchandising and store operations. The opportunity could strengthen productivity and customer engagement over time. Walmart, Ulta and Other Retailers That Can Win With AI
• Positive Sentiment: Higher-margin advertising remains a growth opportunity. Walmart’s expanding advertising business is improving its sales mix as digital commerce grows, potentially lifting profits faster than revenue. Walmart's Ad Business Expands
• Neutral Sentiment: Defensive characteristics may attract investors ahead of CPI and the Federal Reserve decision. Walmart is being viewed as a relatively stable, consumer-oriented holding during macroeconomic uncertainty, although interest-rate expectations could continue to influence its valuation. 5 Defensive Stocks to Watch as CPI and the Fed Put the Rally to the Test
• Neutral Sentiment: Strong participation by older shoppers in major summer e-commerce events indicates continued consumer traffic for Walmart, but the report also underscores intense competition with Amazon. Boomers Fueled Amazon and Walmart Summer Sales Crowds
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term earnings pressure could temper enthusiasm. Although advertising is high margin, costs associated with Walmart’s Vibe initiatives are expected to weigh on fiscal 2027 profit growth. With the stock’s elevated earnings multiple, investors may demand stronger earnings acceleration. Walmart's Ad Business Expands

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other news, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,950 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.14, for a total value of $415,303.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 622,349 shares of the company's stock, valued at $65,433,773.86. This represents a 0.63% 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. In the last three months, insiders have sold 69,264 shares of company stock worth $7,401,242. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have weighed in on WMT. Oppenheimer reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, August 25th. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Guggenheim set a $130.00 price target on Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note 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 given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $131.88.

Walmart Company Profile

Walmart Inc is a multinational retail and technology company that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, e-commerce platforms and membership warehouse clubs. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and beauty products, general merchandise and other consumer products.

Founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated in 1969, Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company serves customers through operations in the United States and international markets, including Mexico, Canada, China, India and several countries in Central America and Africa.

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