Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Acquired by Jackson Square Capital LLC

Key Points

• Jackson Square Capital LLC increased its Walmart stake by 287.7% in the fourth quarter to 15,358 shares (an additional 11,397 shares) valued at about $1.71 million.
• Several large institutions also boosted positions—AQR (+188.1%), Amundi (+20.5%) and Vanguard (added ~3.8M shares)—signaling rising institutional interest in WMT.
• Analysts maintain a consensus Buy on Walmart with an average price target of $137.12, backed by recent upgrades and bullish commentary tied to initiatives like AI, ad revenue and EV‑charging rollout.

Jackson Square Capital LLC lifted its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 287.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 15,358 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 11,397 shares during the period. Jackson Square Capital LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $1,711,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake 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 buying an additional 7,614,172 shares during the period. Amundi lifted its stake in Walmart by 20.5% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 23,497,921 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,413,236,000 after acquiring an additional 4,004,277 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Walmart by 0.9% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 435,652,710 shares of the retailer's stock worth $44,898,368,000 after acquiring an additional 3,835,200 shares during the last quarter. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $294,621,000. Finally, Holocene Advisors LP acquired a new position in Walmart during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $273,784,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walmart News Summary

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMT has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Roth Mkm restated a "buy" rating and issued a $138.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Barclays reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $125.00 target price (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $140.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. CICC Research started coverage on Walmart in a research note on Friday, December 26th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $125.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Erste Group Bank raised Walmart from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $137.12.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.16, for a total value of $2,391,274.56. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,213,406 shares of the company's stock, valued at $518,923,082.96. This represents a 0.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.96, for a total value of $1,600,725.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 687,287 shares in the company, valued at $83,821,522.52. This represents a 1.87% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last three months, insiders sold 274,278 shares of company stock worth $33,825,793. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Walmart Trading Down 1.8%

NASDAQ WMT opened at $126.82 on Friday. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $125.86 and its 200 day moving average price is $115.09. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $90.01 and a 12 month high of $134.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The company has a market capitalization of $1.01 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 0.66.

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

Walmart Dividend Announcement

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

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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