Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Sold by Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC

Key Points

• Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC reduced its Walmart stake by 16.5% in the first quarter, selling 352,258 shares and leaving it with 1,787,389 shares valued at about $223 million.
• Walmart shares were up 2.2% in the session highlighted, with the stock opening at $114.95. The company’s market cap stands near $915 billion, and the shares have traded between $94.43 and $135.15 over the past year.
• Walmart’s latest quarterly results met EPS expectations at $0.66 and beat revenue estimates with $177.75 billion in sales, up 7.4% year over year. Analysts remain broadly positive, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $138.85.

Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC cut its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 16.5% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,787,389 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 352,258 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $222,959,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the first quarter worth $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in Walmart by 193.0% during the 4th quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares in the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walmart Trading Up 2.2%

Shares of WMT opened at $114.95 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $94.43 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15. The company has a market capitalization of $914.78 billion, a PE ratio of 40.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.19 and a beta of 0.60. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $119.14 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted 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 business 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 business's revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $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, analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have issued reports on WMT. KeyCorp reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Freedom Capital raised Walmart from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. BNP Paribas Exane dropped their price target on Walmart from $147.00 to $146.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Tigress Financial reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $155.00 price objective (up from $150.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, May 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $138.85.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 120,203 shares in the company, valued at $14,300,550.91. This represents a 8.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 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 transaction of $2,303,320.08. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,174,579 shares in the company, valued at $495,230,306.77. This represents a 0.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 87,145 shares of company stock worth $10,691,920 in the last quarter. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s back-to-school push is getting attention as the retailer highlights its lowest prices since 2019 on popular school items, which could help drive traffic and sales into the important seasonal shopping period. Walmart Helps Americans Navigate Their Annual Back-to-School Reset with Unmatched Value, Convenience and Style
• Positive Sentiment: June retail sales rose modestly, suggesting consumers are still spending and reinforcing Walmart’s value-oriented appeal as shoppers look for lower prices on essentials. Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart also announced a partnership with General Mills and ADM to expand regenerative agriculture across 40,000 Midwest wheat acres, a long-term supply-chain and sustainability initiative that may support the company’s brand and sourcing strategy. General Mills, ADM, Walmart Partner to Accelerate Regenerative Agriculture Across 40,000 Midwest Wheat Acres
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to flag Walmart’s premium valuation, with a forward P/E around 36.7x, which suggests investors expect strong execution but also leaves less room for disappointment. Walmart Commands a 36.74X Forward P/E: Is the Stock Worth Buying?
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary on Walmart’s AI-related hiring plans highlights the company’s investment in automation and digital tools, but it does not appear to materially change near-term earnings expectations. Walmart's people chief says these 10 jobs are still hot in the age of AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market volatility and articles comparing Walmart with other defensive stocks add context, but they are not direct catalysts for the shares. 3 Stocks to Own When the Market Gets Ugly in July
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart’s stock has also recently been under pressure on a day when the broader market was firmer, underscoring some investor caution around the name despite its defensive profile. Walmart (WMT) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here's Why

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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