Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Bought by KLCM Advisors Inc.

Key Points

• KLCM Advisors Inc. boosted its Walmart stake by 153.5% in the fourth quarter, ending with 31,044 shares valued at about $3.46 million.
• Walmart reported a strong quarter, with EPS of $0.74 beating estimates and revenue of $190.66 billion topping expectations, while revenue rose 5.6% year over year.
• Despite solid performance and a Buy consensus from analysts, Walmart faces pressure from margin concerns, higher labor costs tied to California wage rules, and increased competition from Target.

KLCM Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 153.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 31,044 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 18,797 shares during the quarter. KLCM Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Walmart were worth $3,459,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of WMT. Collier Financial acquired a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Walmart by 57.4% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer's stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley revisited Walmart’s stock ahead of earnings, a sign that major analysts are still actively monitoring the name and may update their outlook based on the upcoming report. Morgan Stanley revisits Walmart stock price target pre-earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s recent long-term stock performance remains strong, with shares up sharply over the past year, which can support investor confidence despite short-term volatility. Is It Too Late To Consider Walmart (WMT) After Its Strong 1 Year Share Price Run?
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s stock was identified as falling while the broader market gained, reflecting sector rotation and profit-taking rather than a company-specific shock. Walmart (WMT) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here's Why
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed no meaningful borrowing activity, so this does not currently point to a major bearish trading setup in the stock.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighted pressure on Walmart’s margins as grocery and health categories grow, suggesting profitability may remain under scrutiny even as sales trends hold up. Walmart's Category Mix Pressures Margins: More Pain Ahead?
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart is preparing for California’s new $18 minimum wage rules, which could add labor cost pressure in a key market and weigh on margins. Walmart braces for new $18 California law — it's slightly different for every city
• Negative Sentiment: Target’s new push to win back families, starting in the baby aisle, adds competitive pressure in a category where Walmart competes for budget-conscious shoppers. Target is trying to win back busy families from Walmart, starting with the baby aisle

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $127.59 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.02 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.57, a PEG ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.65. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $91.89 and a 12 month high of $134.69. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $126.07 and its 200-day simple moving average is $118.54. 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 released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $188.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.66 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter 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. Analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a $0.2475 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. Walmart's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 36.13%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WMT has been the topic of several research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $120.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $134.00 price objective (up from $129.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $150.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of Walmart from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Sunday, January 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $138.33.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,335 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.63, for a total value of $166,381.05. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 636,843 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $79,369,743.09. This trade represents a 0.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.72, for a total transaction of $361,688.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 596,008 shares in the company, valued at $74,334,117.76. This represents a 0.48% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 167,195 shares of company stock worth $20,975,804 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Walmart Company 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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