Spirepoint Private Client LLC Raises Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Spirepoint Private Client LLC increased its stake in Walmart by 10.9% in Q4 to 102,822 shares (worth $11.455 million), making Walmart 1.1% of its portfolio and its 25th largest holding.
• Several large institutions also raised positions—Vanguard (435.65M shares, ~$44.9B), State Street, Fisher, Ameriprise and Legal & General all added shares—and roughly 26.8% of the stock is held by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
• Wall Street sentiment is broadly positive with a consensus "Buy" rating and a $137.12 average target as analysts raise price targets; Walmart recently beat EPS and revenue estimates and guided FY2027 EPS to 2.75–2.85, while the stock trades near $126.82 with a $1.01T market cap.

Spirepoint Private Client LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 10.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 102,822 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 10,089 shares during the period. Walmart comprises 1.1% of Spirepoint Private Client LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest holding. Spirepoint Private Client LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $11,455,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 435,652,710 shares of the retailer's stock worth $44,898,368,000 after buying an additional 3,835,200 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 184,805,978 shares of the retailer's stock worth $19,046,104,000 after buying an additional 2,242,364 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 40,298,623 shares of the retailer's stock worth $4,153,176,000 after buying an additional 634,211 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 3.6% during the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 31,973,329 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,126,775,000 after buying an additional 1,098,342 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 27,268,463 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,810,288,000 after buying an additional 934,468 shares in the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about 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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial increased their target price on Walmart from $127.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. CICC Research initiated coverage on Walmart in a research note on Friday, December 26th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $125.00 price objective for the company. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $120.00 price objective on Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $135.00 price objective (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $137.12.

Walmart Stock Performance

NASDAQ WMT opened at $126.82 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 1-year low of $90.01 and a 1-year high of $134.69. The company has a market capitalization of $1.01 trillion, a P/E ratio of 46.28, a PEG ratio of 4.72 and a beta of 0.66. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $125.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $115.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.24.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.Walmart's quarterly revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.66 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity

In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total transaction of $4,158,004.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 533,466 shares in the company, valued at approximately $65,082,852. This represents a 6.01% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through 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 value of $2,555,800.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 486,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,203,571.56. This trade represents a 3.95% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 274,278 shares of company stock worth $33,825,793 in the last quarter. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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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