Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Acquired by MUFG Securities EMEA plc

Key Points

• MUFG Securities EMEA plc sharply increased its Walmart stake by 649.6% in the fourth quarter, buying 545,756 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 629,769 shares worth about $70.2 million.
• Wall Street remains broadly positive on Walmart, with analysts giving it an average “Moderate Buy” rating and a consensus price target of $138.85. Several firms, including Wells Fargo and DA Davidson, also reiterated or set price targets around $140 to $150.
• Walmart reported solid quarterly results, matching EPS expectations at $0.66 and posting revenue of $177.75 billion, up 7.4% year over year. The stock was trading down 2.6% in the article, while recent insider sales and a leadership transition added some caution to sentiment.

MUFG Securities EMEA plc increased its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 649.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 629,769 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 545,756 shares during the quarter. Walmart comprises 0.8% of MUFG Securities EMEA plc's portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. MUFG Securities EMEA plc's holdings in Walmart were worth $70,163,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Walmart in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Walmart by 57.4% in the fourth 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 last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently commented on WMT shares. Freedom Capital raised Walmart from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Craig Hallum set a $150.00 price target on Walmart in a report on Friday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an "overweight" rating and issued a $140.00 price target (up from $130.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Oppenheimer reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $140.00 price target (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, DA Davidson set a $150.00 price target on Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $138.85.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, 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 sale, the chief executive officer owned 687,287 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $83,821,522.52. This trade represents a 1.87% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.63, for a total value of $2,303,320.08. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,174,579 shares in the company, valued at approximately $495,230,306.77. This trade represents a 0.46% 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 sold a total of 137,008 shares of company stock valued at $17,048,504 over the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Walmart Trading Down 2.6%

NASDAQ:WMT opened at $115.75 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The business's 50 day moving average is $126.11 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.61. Walmart Inc. has a 52 week low of $93.43 and a 52 week high of $135.15. The company has a market cap of $922.64 billion, a PE ratio of 40.61, a P/E/G ratio of 4.32 and a beta of 0.65.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.66. Walmart had a net margin of 3.13% and a return on equity of 21.25%. The business had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.61 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Sam’s Club reported strong member engagement, with its Member’s Mark community topping 150,000 participants, highlighting growth in Walmart’s warehouse-club business and its ability to build loyalty around private-label products. Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark Community Surges to Over 150000 Participants
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary from market watchers suggested Walmart’s recent pullback could be a buying opportunity, with analysts still pointing to meaningful upside versus current trading levels. Why the Walmart Dip Is the Best Buying Opportunity of 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart was highlighted in a value-comparison piece versus Kroger, reinforcing ongoing investor interest in the stock as a defensive retail name rather than signaling a clear catalyst. KR vs. WMT Which Stock Is the Better Value Option
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s name came up in broader coverage about slower consumer spending and inflation, which may support its value-oriented positioning but also underscores a cautious macro backdrop. Amazon and Walmart Turn to Platform Economics as Consumer Spending Slows
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of executive departures during Walmart’s leadership transition may raise concerns about stability as the company prepares for a CEO change. Walmart Faces Executive Departures Amid Leadership Transition
• Negative Sentiment: Two senior insiders sold shares, including EVP Latriece Watkins and Director C. Douglas McMillon, which can weigh on sentiment even though McMillon’s sale was made under a pre-arranged trading plan. Insider trade: Latriece Watkins Insider trade: C Douglas Mcmillon

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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