Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Sold by Benjamin Edwards Inc.

Benjamin Edwards Inc. lowered its holdings in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 11.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 589,816 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 78,930 shares during the quarter. Walmart accounts for about 0.6% of Benjamin Edwards Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position. Benjamin Edwards Inc.'s holdings in Walmart were worth $66,804,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in WMT. Flputnam Investment Management Co. grew its stake in Walmart by 68.5% in the 2nd quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 158,313 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $17,931,000 after acquiring an additional 64,331 shares during the last quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 24.2% in the 2nd quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. now owns 4,400 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $498,000 after purchasing an additional 856 shares during the last quarter. Spinnaker Trust raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Spinnaker Trust now owns 73,231 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,294,000 after purchasing an additional 448 shares during the period. Cullinan Associates Inc. lifted its position in Walmart by 0.6% during the second quarter. Cullinan Associates Inc. now owns 143,088 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $16,206,000 after buying an additional 867 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Greenwood Capital Associates LLC raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 11.7% in the 2nd quarter. Greenwood Capital Associates LLC now owns 53,612 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $6,072,000 after acquiring an additional 5,622 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares of the company's stock, valued at $60,523,730.02. This trade represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,710 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.10, for a total value of $419,601.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 626,299 shares in the company, valued at $70,834,416.90. This trade represents a 0.59% 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 sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Opioid lawsuit ends with limited financial impact: Walmart agreed to pay approximately $50 million to resolve a Justice Department lawsuit involving its pharmacies’ opioid-distribution practices. The settlement is described as immaterial relative to Walmart’s profits and substantially below the potentially multibillion-dollar penalties once threatened, reducing a major legal overhang. Walmart escapes major legal penalty for a fraction of the cost
• Positive Sentiment: Marketplace growth remains strong: Walmart’s U.S. marketplace sales reportedly increased 52%, helped by a broader product assortment, increased fulfillment adoption and expansion into Mexico and Canada. Continued marketplace momentum could improve customer engagement and support higher-margin advertising and third-party seller revenue. Walmart's Marketplace Momentum Builds
• Positive Sentiment: International digital operations are improving: Rising e-commerce penetration and reduced losses in Walmart International are improving the segment’s economics. However, ongoing investment and margin pressure could limit the near-term earnings benefit. Walmart International's Digital Mix Rises
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst remains bullish: Tigress Financial reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $155 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. SAIC, Walmart And 3 Stocks To Watch
• Neutral Sentiment: Value comparison offers limited direction: Articles comparing Walmart with J. Sainsbury PLC focus on relative valuation rather than a new company-specific catalyst. Walmart’s strong operating profile is balanced by a comparatively elevated earnings multiple, making valuation-sensitive investors more selective. JSAIY vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: EPS estimates were trimmed: Erste Group Bank lowered its fiscal 2027 earnings-per-share estimates for Walmart, reinforcing concerns that elevated investment, e-commerce costs or margin pressure could constrain profit growth. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Walmart Cut by Erste Group Bank

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on WMT. Weiss Ratings lowered Walmart from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $130.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Truist Financial set a $114.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, BTIG Research lowered their price objective on shares of Walmart from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $131.88.

Walmart Price Performance

NASDAQ WMT opened at $105.92 on Wednesday. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $96.51 and a 12 month high of $135.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $840.34 billion, a PE ratio of 38.24, a P/E/G ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.59. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $111.38 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.68 earnings per share. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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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