Morgan Stanley Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Stock

Key Points

• Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Walmart to $140 and kept an "overweight" rating (implying ~7.4% upside); the stock has a consensus "Buy" with an average target of about $137.79.
• Walmart beat the quarter with $0.74 EPS vs. $0.73 expected and revenue of $190.66B vs. $188.37B, and issued FY2027 guidance of $2.75–$2.85 EPS (sell‑side expects ~$2.89).
• The shares trade near $130.35 with a market cap of roughly $1.04 trillion and a P/E of 47.57; insiders sold about 263,376 shares (~$32.6M) in the last 90 days and institutional ownership is ~26.8%.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by Morgan Stanley from $135.00 to $140.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an "overweight" rating on the retailer's stock. Morgan Stanley's target price would indicate a potential upside of 7.40% from the stock's previous close.

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Barclays reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $125.00 price target (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday. Citigroup reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $147.00 price objective (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Telsey Advisory Group raised their price objective on Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Guggenheim raised 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. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Walmart presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $137.79.

Walmart Stock Up 0.6%

NASDAQ WMT traded up $0.75 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $130.35. 3,748,755 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 28,190,018. The business's 50-day moving average is $125.67 and its 200-day moving average is $116.44. Walmart has a twelve month low of $91.89 and a twelve month high of $134.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.04 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.57, a P/E/G ratio of 4.76 and a beta of 0.66.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The firm had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $188.37 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.66 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Walmart will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In related news, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.16, for a total transaction of $2,391,274.56. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,213,406 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $518,923,082.96. This trade represents a 0.46% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.79, for a total value of $2,555,800.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 486,764 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $62,203,571.56. The trade was a 3.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 263,376 shares of company stock worth $32,598,466 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Walmart

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. MFA Wealth Services lifted its holdings in Walmart by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. MFA Wealth Services now owns 10,909 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,356,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Realta Investment Advisors increased its stake in Walmart by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Realta Investment Advisors now owns 4,089 shares of the retailer's stock worth $508,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares during the period. Renaissance Group LLC increased its stake in Walmart by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 9,636 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,074,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the period. Calton & Associates Inc. increased its stake in Walmart by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 27,220 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,033,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the period. Finally, Advocacy Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Walmart by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. Advocacy Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,392 shares of the retailer's stock worth $378,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s revamp of its Great Value private‑label across ~10,000 items aims to capture value‑focused shoppers and improve margins/loyalty — a tangible retail strategy that can support sales and comps. Walmart Revamps ‘Great Value’ Brand as Shoppers Shift to Lower-Priced Options
• Positive Sentiment: Acceleration of same‑day delivery, store modernization and staging for faster fulfillment positions Walmart to monetize logistics and defend against Amazon on speed for essentials. Execution here supports revenue growth and higher customer lifetime value. Walmart targets Amazon's biggest edge with aggressive delivery overhaul
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding its healthcare/offering (Better Care Services, GLP‑1 weight‑management support), which diversifies revenue, raises basket spend and leverages pharmacy/telehealth — a higher‑margin growth avenue. Walmart Boosts Growth Playbook With Healthcare, Omnichannel Push
• Positive Sentiment: Back to the Roots partnership to expand regenerative gardening SKUs at Walmart is a niche merchandising win that supports sustainability branding and incremental grocery traffic. Back to the Roots Scales Regenerative Movement Nationwide; Expanding Pioneering Soil Health Set to Walmart Stores for Year Two
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage and bullish commentary (Zacks, Motley Fool) and recent earnings that beat estimates reinforce investor confidence and help lift the stock in a mixed market. Is It Worth Investing in Walmart (WMT) Based on Wall Street's Bullish Views?
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart remains a widely “trending” and watched stock — high attention can amplify moves (both up and down) but is not a directional fundamental by itself. Walmart Inc. (WMT) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces comparing Walmart to Dollar General and analyses of the firm’s Amazon rivalry highlight strategic tradeoffs (scale, price vs. convenience) — useful context for positioning but not immediate catalysts. Walmart or Dollar General: Which Retail Stock Offers Better Prospects?
• Negative Sentiment: A California judge’s report alleging Amazon coerced vendors (naming pressure on partners dealing with Walmart) raises antitrust/competitive headlines that could ripple through vendor relations and policy scrutiny in e‑commerce — a reputational/legal risk for the sector. California says Amazon coerced companies like Walmart and Levi into illegally raising prices

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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