Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Bought by Patton Fund Management Inc.

Key Points

• Patton Fund Management sharply increased its Walmart stake in the first quarter, boosting its holdings by 1,040.3% to 25,976 shares worth about $3.23 million.
• Analysts remain mostly positive on Walmart, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $138.85, even though a few firms recently trimmed or downgraded their views.
• Walmart reported strong quarterly results, matching EPS expectations at $0.66 and topping revenue forecasts with $177.75 billion, while management also raised guidance for FY2027 and Q2 2027.

Patton Fund Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 1,040.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 25,976 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 23,698 shares during the period. Patton Fund Management Inc.'s holdings in Walmart were worth $3,228,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Walmart by 57.4% during the fourth quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC increased its position in shares of Walmart by 193.0% during the fourth quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer's stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Freedom Capital upgraded Walmart from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, June 8th. Erste Group Bank lowered Walmart from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, June 5th. BNP Paribas Exane reduced their target price on Walmart from $147.00 to $146.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, KeyCorp reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $138.85.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated 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 directly owned 125,067 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total transaction of $1,308,670.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 120,203 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $14,300,550.91. This represents a 8.38% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 100,730 shares of company stock worth $12,444,624. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $113.26 on Wednesday. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $94.23 and a twelve 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 0.42. The company has a market capitalization of $901.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.27 and a beta of 0.59. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $123.25 and a 200-day simple moving average of $122.22.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The firm had revenue of $177.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.61 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current year.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart said usage of its AI assistant Sparky has doubled, and the tool appears to be helping drive larger digital baskets, which supports the company’s omnichannel growth story. Walmart's Sparky Usage Doubles: Is AI Driving Bigger Orders?
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart+ fuel discounts remain a popular membership perk, highlighting continued engagement with the subscription program and potential support for retention and recurring revenue. Walmart+ Executive Says Fuel Discounts Supercharge Member Engagement
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding in-house career pathways to train opticians, a move that could ease labor shortages in its Vision Center and Sam’s Club optical businesses while supporting service expansion. Walmart Expands In-House Career Pathways to Train Opticians
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is drawing elevated investor attention, but the coverage mainly reflects renewed interest rather than a clear new fundamental driver. Walmart Inc. (WMT) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary notes Walmart’s shares are being compared with peers like Costco, underscoring that investors are still debating the best retail valuation and growth mix rather than reacting to a company-specific shock. Walmart vs Costco: This Is The Better Stock To Buy
• Negative Sentiment: One article says Walmart’s valuation remains rich relative to its growth outlook, which may be pressuring the stock as investors question how much upside is left at current levels. Walmart (WMT) Stock Weighs Rich Valuation Against E-Commerce And Store Investment Potential
• Negative Sentiment: The stock also slipped in the latest session despite a broader market uptick, reinforcing near-term selling pressure. Walmart (WMT) Stock Falls Amid Market Uptick: What Investors Need to Know

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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