Walmart Inc. $WMT Stake Lowered by SageGuard Financial Group LLC

Key Points

• SageGuard Financial Group LLC cut its Walmart stake by 5.1% in the first quarter, selling 10,447 shares and leaving it with 195,038 shares worth about $24.2 million. Walmart remains its second-largest holding, at 3.8% of the portfolio.
• Walmart’s latest quarterly results were solid, with EPS of $0.66 matching estimates and revenue of $177.75 billion topping forecasts. Revenue rose 7.4% year over year, and the company reiterated FY 2027 guidance of 2.75 to 2.85 EPS.
• Recent headlines are mixed: AI assistant Sparky usage is rising and Walmart+ engagement remains strong, but the stock is also facing valuation concerns and near-term selling pressure. Analysts still lean bullish overall, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $138.85.

SageGuard Financial Group LLC trimmed its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 5.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 195,038 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 10,447 shares during the period. Walmart comprises approximately 3.8% of SageGuard Financial Group LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 2nd biggest holding. SageGuard Financial Group LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $24,239,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC raised its position in 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 raised its position in Walmart by 193.0% during the fourth 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. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Key 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

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.84, for a total value of $1,638,525.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 674,162 shares of the company's stock, valued at $84,162,384.08. This trade represents a 1.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the director owned 4,174,579 shares in the company, valued at approximately $495,230,306.77. This trade represents a 0.46% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 100,730 shares of company stock valued at $12,444,624 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Freedom Capital raised shares of Walmart from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, May 21st. BNP Paribas Exane reduced their target price on Walmart from $147.00 to $146.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 22nd. TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price target (up from $145.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, June 8th. Finally, Guggenheim lifted their price objective on Walmart from $120.00 to $137.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $138.85.

Walmart Stock Performance

WMT stock opened at $113.26 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $123.25 and a 200 day moving average price of $122.22. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $94.23 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $901.33 billion, a PE ratio of 39.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.27 and a beta of 0.59.

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, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The company 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%. Walmart's revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous 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. Analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.

About Walmart

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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