SPX Gestao de Recursos Ltda Buys Shares of 13,205 Walmart Inc. $WMT

SPX Gestao de Recursos Ltda purchased a new position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 13,205 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,496,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Walmart by 57.4% during the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the period. Sankala Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Turim 21 Investimentos Ltda. purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 1st quarter valued at about $37,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart agreed to pay $50 million to settle U.S. Justice Department allegations involving improperly filled opioid prescriptions. Although the settlement carries a financial cost and reputational risk, it is viewed favorably because it resolves litigation that had exposed the company to potentially billions of dollars in civil penalties. Walmart described the payment as immaterial. Walmart escapes major legal penalty for a fraction of the cost
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s U.S. marketplace sales increased 52%, supported by a broader product selection, greater use of fulfillment services and international expansion in Mexico and Canada. Sustaining this momentum could improve e-commerce growth and marketplace profitability. Walmart's Marketplace Momentum Builds
• Positive Sentiment: Tigress Financial reaffirmed its buy rating and set a $155 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. This reflects confidence in Walmart’s long-term earnings and growth prospects. Benzinga analyst rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary highlights Walmart’s 53-year record of dividend increases and notes that the stock is well below its peak. However, its dividend yield remains relatively low and its valuation is still elevated compared with the broader market. Walmart dividend analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group Bank lowered its fiscal 2027 EPS estimates, signaling expectations for slower earnings growth or increased cost pressure. Walmart’s recent earnings-related share-price weakness also indicates that investors remain sensitive to the company’s premium valuation. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Walmart Cut

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on WMT shares. Freedom Capital raised shares of Walmart from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. DA Davidson set a $132.00 target price on shares of Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. Freedom Broker upgraded shares of Walmart from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded shares of Walmart to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $128.00 price objective (down from $137.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report 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 assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $131.88.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total value of $1,435,203.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. This represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a 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 Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares of the company's stock, valued at $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Walmart Trading Up 1.7%

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $104.87 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $111.65 and a 200 day moving average of $120.24. The company has a market cap of $834.56 billion, a PE ratio of 37.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.61. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $95.79 and a 12-month high of $135.15. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly 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 business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The company's revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.68 earnings per share. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

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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