Walmart Inc. $WMT Stake Lifted by M Holdings Securities Inc.

Key Points

• M Holdings Securities increased its Walmart stake by 232.4% in the fourth quarter, adding 55,366 shares to bring its total to 79,190 shares worth about $8.8 million.
• Walmart reported quarterly earnings of $0.66 per share, matching expectations, while revenue of $177.75 billion topped estimates and rose 7.4% year over year.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on the stock, with Walmart carrying a Moderate Buy rating and an average price target of $138.85; several firms recently reiterated buy/outperform ratings.

M Holdings Securities Inc. increased its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 232.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 79,190 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 55,366 shares during the period. M Holdings Securities Inc.'s holdings in Walmart were worth $8,823,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in WMT. Fox Run Management L.L.C. acquired a new stake in Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,709,000. Vise Technologies Inc. lifted its stake in Walmart by 42.1% during the fourth quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 275,341 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $30,676,000 after purchasing an additional 81,635 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its stake in Walmart by 2.9% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,010,886 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $104,182,000 after purchasing an additional 28,026 shares during the last quarter. Life Cycle Investment Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $40,855,000. Finally, Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners lifted its stake in Walmart by 466.6% during the third quarter. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners now owns 13,343 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,375,000 after purchasing an additional 10,988 shares during the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walmart Stock Up 1.4%

Walmart stock opened at $120.59 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $959.66 billion, a PE ratio of 42.31, a P/E/G ratio of 4.44 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $125.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $121.56. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $93.43 and a twelve month high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The firm had revenue of $177.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.13% and a return on equity of 21.25%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business 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. On average, research analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMT has been the subject of several recent research reports. UBS Group set a $141.00 target price on shares of Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday. Evercore restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Guggenheim upped their price target on shares of Walmart from $120.00 to $137.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. Finally, KeyCorp restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $138.85.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding its drone delivery program with Alphabet’s Wing, adding another fast-delivery capability that could strengthen its e-commerce and convenience moat. Eyes on the sky: Walmart and Alphabet's Wing expand their drone delivery program
• Positive Sentiment: Business Insider reported that Walmart’s AI-powered warehouses are speeding up freight handling and reducing the time store employees need to unload trucks, a sign that automation is improving efficiency and potentially margins. Walmart's AI-powered warehouses are slashing the time it takes store employees to unload trucks
• Positive Sentiment: Recent conference appearances suggest management is highlighting Walmart’s growth in digital, e-commerce, and higher-margin services, which may reinforce the long-term bull case for the stock. Walmart Inc. (WMT) Presents at Oppenheimer 26th Annual Consumer Growth and E-Commerce Conference Transcript Walmart Inc. (WMT) Presents at The 6th Annual Evercore Consumer & Retail Conference Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain split on Walmart, indicating the market is still weighing the company’s growth initiatives against its valuation. Analysts Have Conflicting Sentiments on These Consumer Goods Companies: Walmart (WMT), Campbell Soup (CPB) and JM Smucker (SJM)
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage around Walmart’s retail media expansion, Subway integration, and broader digital transformation has raised questions about valuation, but also underscores the company’s push into higher-margin services. Walmart Media Expansion And Delivery Push Raise Questions For WMT Valuation Walmart (WMT) Valuation Check As Subway Integration And Higher Margin Services Draw New Attention Walmart's No. 2 Ranking Hides a Digital Transformation Story

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,335 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.63, for a total transaction of $166,381.05. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 636,843 shares in the company, valued at approximately $79,369,743.09. This trade represents a 0.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on 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 owned 120,203 shares in the company, valued at $14,300,550.91. This represents a 8.38% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 117,008 shares of company stock worth $14,492,704 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

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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