Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Sold by BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas lowered its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 42.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 219,430 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 161,218 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for 0.7% of BNP Paribas' investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest position. BNP Paribas' holdings in Walmart were worth $24,652,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Walmart by 57.4% during the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer's stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Walmart Stock Down 1.0%

Walmart stock opened at $114.60 on Tuesday. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $93.43 and a twelve month high of $135.15. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $125.98 and a two-hundred day moving average of $120.81. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $913.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.21, a PEG ratio of 4.32 and a beta of 0.60.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.66. The company had revenue of $177.75 billion during 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 firm earned $0.61 EPS. 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, research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart said its drones have now completed more than 1 million deliveries, highlighting momentum in its fast-growing delivery network and reinforcing its push to improve convenience and speed for shoppers. Walmart Marks Millionth Drone Drop-Off Amid Increased Delivery Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart expanded 30-minute delivery to 33 U.S. markets, strengthening its competitive position in grocery, pharmacy, and everyday essentials as e-commerce demand continues to rise. Walmart's 30-Minute Delivery Expansion Strengthens Its Retail Edge
• Positive Sentiment: Tigress Financial reportedly raised its price target on Walmart, citing AI investments gaining traction, which suggests some analysts still see upside from the company’s technology and automation efforts. Walmart (WMT) Gets Higher Price Target from Tigress Financial as AI Investments Gain Traction
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is expanding its private-brand selection with new hardware and home products, a move that could help it win value-conscious shoppers, but the near-term stock impact is likely modest. Walmart Expands Private Brand Selection as Shoppers Cut Back
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent insider stock sales by executives, including C. Douglas McMillon and Latriece Watkins, may draw attention, but these transactions are not necessarily a negative signal for the business itself. C Douglas Mcmillon Sells 19,416 Shares of Walmart NASDAQ: WMT Stock Latriece Watkins Sells 11,000 Shares of Walmart NASDAQ: WMT Stock
• Negative Sentiment: A report that Walmart capped employee AI usage could be seen as a short-term operational constraint, potentially limiting efficiency gains from an area investors view as a future growth driver. Update: Market Chatter: Walmart Limits Staff's Usage of AI Tool After High Demand

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently commented on WMT shares. Mizuho increased their price objective on Walmart from $125.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, April 20th. HSBC downgraded Walmart from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and increased their price objective for the company from $122.00 to $131.00 in a report on Friday, February 20th. Citigroup reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $147.00 price objective (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Craig Hallum set a $150.00 price target on Walmart in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Two investment 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 company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $138.85.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, 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 transaction, the director directly owned 4,174,579 shares of the company's stock, valued at $495,230,306.77. This trade represents a 0.46% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed 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 1,250 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $133.77, for a total value of $167,212.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 635,593 shares of the company's stock, valued at $85,023,275.61. The trade was a 0.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 117,008 shares of company stock worth $14,492,704. Corporate insiders own 0.09% 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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