Walmart Inc. $WMT Stock Holdings Lowered by Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.

Key Points

• Northwestern Mutual reduced its Walmart position by 2.7% in the second quarter, selling 24,010 shares and retaining 871,352 shares valued at approximately $98.7 million.
• Other institutional investors increased their holdings, including Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA, which boosted its stake by 253.3%. Institutional investors collectively own 26.76% of Walmart.
• Walmart reported quarterly EPS of $0.81, beating estimates of $0.74, while revenue rose 5.9% year over year to $187.94 billion. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $131.88.

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lessened its position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 2.7% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 871,352 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 24,010 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.'s holdings in Walmart were worth $98,689,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bell & Brown Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Walmart in the second quarter worth about $6,451,000. Advisortrust Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 20.2% during the 1st quarter. Advisortrust Partners LLC now owns 67,142 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,344,000 after purchasing an additional 11,283 shares in the last quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA grew its stake in shares of Walmart by 253.3% in the 1st quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 384,034 shares of the retailer's stock worth $47,728,000 after purchasing an additional 275,337 shares during the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its stake in shares of Walmart by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 2,416,580 shares of the retailer's stock worth $300,333,000 after purchasing an additional 68,632 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vise Technologies Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 42.1% in the 4th quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 275,341 shares of the retailer's stock worth $30,676,000 after purchasing an additional 81,635 shares in the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Walmart News

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

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total transaction of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares of the company's stock, valued at $21,246,145.20. This trade represents a 20.07% 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. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the business's 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. This represents a 0.51% 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. Insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143 in the last quarter. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently commented on WMT. Freedom Capital upgraded Walmart from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. UBS Group decreased their target price on Walmart from $141.00 to $130.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Raymond James Financial restated an "outperform" rating and set a $130.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $131.88.

Walmart Trading Up 1.0%

NASDAQ:WMT opened at $105.92 on Wednesday. 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 Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $96.51 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15. The stock's 50-day moving average is $111.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.08. The stock has a market cap of $840.34 billion, a PE ratio of 38.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.59.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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 firm's revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm 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 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source