Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Buys 148,190 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Pictet Asset Management increased its Walmart stake by 6.8% in the third quarter, buying 148,190 shares and bringing its holdings to 2.33 million shares, valued at about $241.7 million.
• Walmart’s latest reported quarter beat analyst expectations: EPS was $0.81 versus $0.74 expected, while revenue reached $187.94 billion, up 5.9% year over year.
• Insiders have sold 268,222 shares worth about $31.6 million over the past three months; meanwhile, analysts’ consensus rating is “Buy,” with an average price target of $129.62.

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lifted its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 6.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,326,227 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 148,190 shares during the period. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA's holdings in Walmart were worth $241,742,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Montgomery Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the second quarter valued at about $32,000. Turim 21 Investimentos Ltda. bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the first quarter worth about $37,000. Pingora Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the second quarter worth about $34,000. PMV Capital Advisers LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the second quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Team Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the third quarter worth about $40,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, CTO Suresh Kumar sold 166,342 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.21, for a total value of $20,494,997.82. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 1,632,223 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $201,106,195.83. The trade was a 9.25% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.60, for a total value of $349,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 563,353 shares of the company's stock, valued at $67,940,371.80. The trade was 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 268,222 shares of company stock valued at $31,604,051 in the last three months. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ETFs added a net $40.3 million of Walmart shares on Nov. 4, indicating institutional fund demand. 54 ETFs Add to Walmart (WMT) on Wednesday
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding its drone-delivery partnership with Zipline, which has raised $1.5 billion at a $21.5 billion valuation. A broader partnership could help Walmart improve delivery capabilities, though the articles do not specify its financial impact. Zipline hits $21.5B valuation as Walmart expands bet on drone delivery
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is working with Meta to integrate its Muse AI shopping agent into the online shopping experience, a move that could create new ways to reach customers and facilitate purchases. What Is Walmart (WMT) Betting On With Its New AI Shopping Agent?
• Neutral Sentiment: A report on potential rate hikes discusses consumer-staples stocks as potentially attractive in that environment. Higher rates may also pressure valuations, so the implication for Walmart is mixed. Rate Hikes Could Be Coming: History Likes These 4 Consumer Staples Stocks
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart executive Suresh Kumar sold 166,342 shares. Insider sales can weigh on sentiment, although a sale alone does not establish a change in the company’s outlook. Walmart Stock: Insider Suresh Kumar Sells 166,342 Shares

Walmart Trading Down 1.7%

Shares of WMT stock opened at $125.52 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $98.88 and a 52-week high of $135.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market capitalization of $995.84 billion, a PE ratio of 45.31, a PEG ratio of 4.53 and a beta of 0.53. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $112.48 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $118.59.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $186.64 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.68 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. 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, analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WMT. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 21st. Argus reduced their target price on shares of Walmart from $145.00 to $130.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 21st. Evercore restated an "outperform" rating and set a $125.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, October 20th. Finally, KeyCorp reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $135.00 price target (down from $145.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-nine have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $129.62.

Walmart Company Profile

Walmart is a multinational retailer that operates discount stores, supercenters, neighborhood markets, and membership warehouse clubs. Its business includes Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club.

The company sells groceries and a broad range of general merchandise, including apparel, electronics, household goods, and health and wellness products. Walmart also serves customers through e-commerce, with services such as order pickup and delivery.

Founded by Sam Walton in 1962, Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas.

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