VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al Acquires Shares of 700,251 Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Virginia Retirement Systems acquired 700,251 Walmart shares worth approximately $79.3 million in the second quarter. Institutional ownership accounts for 26.76% of Walmart’s outstanding stock, with several other major funds also increasing or initiating positions.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with Walmart receiving a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $131.88. The company also exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, reporting $0.81 EPS and $187.94 billion in revenue.
• Walmart shares opened at $107.14, below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, while insiders sold 81,242 shares worth $8.8 million during the quarter. The sales were conducted under pre-arranged plans, including one transaction to cover tax obligations.

VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 700,251 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $79,310,000.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. California State Teachers Retirement System raised its stake in Walmart by 11,189.0% in the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 755,604,916 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $85,579,813,000 after acquiring an additional 748,911,635 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at $7,455,131,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter worth $6,458,529,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in Walmart during the second quarter worth $2,905,655,000. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Walmart by 188.1% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after purchasing an additional 7,614,172 shares during the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on WMT shares. Freedom Broker raised shares of Walmart from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. Evercore set a $125.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Wolfe Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $115.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company 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 given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $131.88.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other news, EVP Daniel Bartlett sold 3,950 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.14, for a total transaction of $415,303.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 622,349 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $65,433,773.86. This trade represents a 0.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total transaction of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. The trade was a 20.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 81,242 shares of company stock worth $8,836,446. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Walmart Stock Performance

WMT stock opened at $107.14 on Monday. 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 company's 50-day simple moving average is $110.81 and its 200 day simple moving average is $119.52. Walmart Inc. has a 52 week low of $98.88 and a 52 week high of $135.15. The company has a market capitalization of $850.02 billion, a PE ratio of 38.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.09 and a beta of 0.59.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.68 earnings per share. Walmart's revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. 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, sell-side analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Dunkin’ delivery expands Walmart’s digital ecosystem. Walmart’s partnership with Dunkin’ adds restaurant delivery to its three-month-old service, broadening convenience offerings and giving the retailer another opportunity to increase customer engagement, order frequency and delivery revenue while competing with DoorDash and Uber Eats. Walmart Shoppers Can Now Get Dunkin’ Delivered
• Positive Sentiment: Fraud prevention could become an additional retail technology opportunity. Walmart’s work with Amazon on fraud prevention highlights its efforts to protect shoppers and potentially develop technology and services that improve trust, retention and the economics of digital commerce. Amazon and Walmart Turn Fraud Prevention Into a Retail Product
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail comparisons show Walmart remains a key consumer bellwether. Recent large-format retailer results point to a divided, or “K-shaped,” consumer economy: higher-income shoppers continue spending in some discretionary categories, while value-focused consumers face pressure from elevated grocery costs. This creates both traffic opportunities and potential margin challenges for Walmart. Retail Earnings Expose a Bigger Divide in the U.S. Consumer Economy
• Neutral Sentiment: Haleon’s improved shelf placement reinforces Walmart’s importance to suppliers. Better positioning for Haleon brands such as Sensodyne may support product visibility and sales, though the report primarily benefits Haleon and does not materially change Walmart’s financial outlook. Haleon Secures Better Shelf Space at Walmart
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff and margin concerns are weighing on the investment case. Mixed retail results suggest Walmart may face pressure balancing value pricing with higher product costs, while its elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for execution disappointments.
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory scrutiny adds an overhang. The Department of Justice’s investigation into rising beef prices has expanded to Walmart and other retailers. No wrongdoing has been established, but the inquiry creates potential legal, reputational and compliance risks.
• Neutral Sentiment: An executive share sale was limited and prearranged. EVP Daniel Bartlett sold 3,950 shares worth approximately $415,000 under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, reducing his direct holdings by only 0.63%; the transaction is therefore a weak trading signal. Daniel Bartlett Sells Walmart Shares

About Walmart

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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