Waverly Advisors LLC Buys 23,457 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Key Points

• Waverly Advisors increased its Walmart position by 5.9% in the second quarter, adding 23,457 shares to hold 423,914 shares worth approximately $48.0 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 26.76% of Walmart.
• Walmart recently exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $0.81 in adjusted EPS and $187.94 billion in revenue, with revenue up 5.9% year over year. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $131.88, despite several target-price reductions.
• WMT shares fell 1.0% to $106.05 and remain below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Growth opportunities include artificial intelligence and higher-margin advertising, while potential Vibe-related costs and Walmart’s premium valuation could pressure near-term earnings.

Waverly Advisors LLC grew its position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Free Report) by 5.9% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 423,914 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 23,457 shares during the quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC's holdings in Walmart were worth $48,012,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of WMT. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its stake in Walmart by 11,189.0% during the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 755,604,916 shares of the retailer's stock worth $85,579,813,000 after buying an additional 748,911,635 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the 2nd quarter worth about $7,455,131,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at about $6,458,529,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in Walmart during the second quarter worth about $2,905,655,000. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Walmart by 188.1% during the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after purchasing an additional 7,614,172 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AI positioning could support long-term growth. TD Cowen identified Walmart as one of the retailers best positioned to benefit from artificial intelligence, including more personalized shopping, improved inventory management and greater operating efficiency. Walmart, Ulta and Other Retailers That Can Win With AI
• Positive Sentiment: Opioid settlement removes a major legal overhang. Walmart agreed to pay $50 million to resolve a federal opioid case, substantially below the potential multibillion-dollar liability previously suggested by the Justice Department. The relatively modest settlement limits financial damage, although compliance and reputational concerns remain. Walmart Settles a Potential Multibillion-Dollar Opioid Case for $50 Million
• Positive Sentiment: Advertising is improving Walmart’s profit mix. The company’s expanding advertising business is generating higher-margin revenue as digital sales grow, potentially supporting earnings and profitability over time. Walmart's Ad Business Expands: Can High-Margin Growth Lift Profits?
• Neutral Sentiment: Defensive appeal may attract investors before CPI and the Fed decision. Walmart is being highlighted alongside other defensive companies as a relatively stable retailer during macroeconomic uncertainty. However, interest-rate expectations and inflation data could influence the broader market more than company-specific news. 5 Defensive Stocks to Watch as CPI and the Fed Put the Rally to the Test
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains favorable but highlights relative underperformance. Jim Cramer said he would buy Walmart after its recent weakness, while noting that Target’s turnaround has attracted more attention. The comments may support sentiment but do not change Walmart’s earnings outlook. Jim Cramer Says Buy Walmart as Target’s Turnaround Gains Momentum
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term profit growth could face pressure. While advertising is a promising high-margin growth engine, expected Vibe-related costs may weigh on fiscal 2027 earnings growth. Walmart’s premium valuation makes such cost pressure a potential stock headwind. Walmart's Ad Business Expands: Can High-Margin Growth Lift Profits?

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on WMT shares. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $130.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Evercore set a $125.00 price target on Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $125.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three 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 company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $131.88.

Walmart Stock Down 1.0%

WMT stock traded down $1.09 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $106.05. The company had a trading volume of 22,633,471 shares, compared to its average volume of 25,673,854. Walmart Inc. has a 52 week low of $98.88 and a 52 week high of $135.15. The company has a market capitalization of $841.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.29, a PEG ratio of 4.09 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $110.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $119.22.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.68 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. 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 analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total value of $1,435,203.96. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. This represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. This trade represents a 20.07% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 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. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 81,242 shares of company stock worth $8,836,446. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Walmart Company Profile

Walmart Inc is a multinational retail and technology company that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, e-commerce platforms and membership warehouse clubs. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and beauty products, general merchandise and other consumer products.

Founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated in 1969, Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company serves customers through operations in the United States and international markets, including Mexico, Canada, China, India and several countries in Central America and Africa.

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