OFI Invest Asset Management Lowers Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• OFI Invest Asset Management trimmed its stake in Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) by 24.3% in Q4, selling 135,893 shares and leaving 423,594 shares valued at about $47.19 million.
• Company insiders have been selling recently — EVP Latriece Watkins sold 10,000 shares at $121.46 and EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares at $127.79 — contributing to insider sales of 274,278 shares (~$33.8M) in the past 90 days.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive with an average rating of Buy and an average target of $137.12 (range roughly $120–$150); Walmart trades near $126.82 with a market cap around $1.01 trillion and a P/E of 46.28.

OFI Invest Asset Management trimmed its holdings in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 24.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 423,594 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 135,893 shares during the quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management's holdings in Walmart were worth $47,193,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in WMT. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 188.1% during the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,199,907,000 after acquiring an additional 7,614,172 shares during the last quarter. Amundi grew its stake in Walmart by 20.5% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 23,497,921 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,413,236,000 after acquiring an additional 4,004,277 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Walmart by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 435,652,710 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $44,898,368,000 after acquiring an additional 3,835,200 shares during the last quarter. Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth $294,621,000. Finally, Holocene Advisors LP purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth $273,784,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMT has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. DA Davidson set a $150.00 price objective on Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $120.00 target price on Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $145.00 price target on Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Craig Hallum set a $150.00 price objective on Walmart in a report on Friday, March 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $137.12.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.46, for a total transaction of $1,214,600.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 108,294 shares in the company, valued at $13,153,389.24. The trade was a 8.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.79, for a total transaction of $2,555,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 486,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,203,571.56. This represents a 3.95% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 274,278 shares of company stock worth $33,825,793 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst note: Zacks highlights Walmart as well‑positioned for industry trends — omnichannel execution, digital transformation, advertising and membership initiatives should help WMT navigate margin pressure and capture share. 2 Supermarket Stocks Well-Positioned to Capitalize on Industry Trends
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional endorsement: Billionaire Israel Englander’s Millennium (longtime 13F holder) lists WMT among top picks, signaling sustained hedge‑fund conviction that can support the stock. Walmart Inc. (WMT): Israel Englander Is Bullish on This Retail Giant
• Positive Sentiment: Media bullishness: Jim Cramer called Walmart a “juggernaut,” which tends to attract retail interest and can amplify momentum buying. Jim Cramer Calls Walmart “A Stock That Truly Defines the Term Juggernaut”
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic growth levers: independent analysis notes Walmart is accelerating AI, higher‑margin ad revenue and membership/automation initiatives — structural profit drivers that can justify multiple expansion if execution continues. Assessing Walmart (WMT) Valuation As AI And Higher‑Margin Profit Engines Reshape The Business
• Positive Sentiment: New initiatives: coverage notes an EV‑charging rollout tied to Walmart sites — diversifies services, adds traffic to stores and strengthens ESG/infra narrative. Walmart EV Charging Push Adds New Dimension To Investment Case
• Neutral Sentiment: Market context: Barron’s piece on CEO changes notes retailer stocks (including Walmart) have moved with leadership transitions — supportive background but not a direct catalyst today. Retail CEO Changes Really Can Move Stocks. Just Look at Walmart and Target.
• Neutral Sentiment: Increased attention: Zacks reports heavy investor search activity for WMT — more eyeballs can boost liquidity and volatility but is non‑directional. Investors Heavily Search Walmart Inc. (WMT): Here is What You Need to Know
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and profit‑taking concerns: several pieces note WMT is up ~14% YTD and trades at a premium multiple, prompting discussion of “buy, hold or take profits” and creating room for near‑term selling. Walmart Stock Gains 14% YTD: Buy, Hold or Take Profits Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Small analyst tweak: Erste Group nudged FY2028 EPS slightly lower (minor cut), showing some analyst sensitivity to outlook — not a large revision but contributes to cautious tone. Erste Group reduces FY2028 estimate for Walmart

Walmart Stock Down 1.8%

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $126.82 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $90.01 and a 12 month high of $134.69. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $125.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $115.09. The company has a market cap of $1.01 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.28, a PEG ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 0.66.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The company had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $188.37 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.66 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a dividend of $0.2475 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Walmart's payout ratio is currently 36.13%.

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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