Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Stock Price Up 1.7% - What's Next?

Key Points

• Walmart shares rose 1.7% to $104.87 in mid-day trading, with volume 32% above the average session level.
• U.S. marketplace sales jumped 52%, supporting Walmart’s e-commerce growth prospects, while its latest quarterly results exceeded expectations with $0.81 EPS and $187.94 billion in revenue.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $131.88, though risks include reduced fiscal 2027 earnings estimates and a $50 million opioid-prescription settlement.

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report)'s share price traded up 1.7% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $104.99 and last traded at $104.87. 33,825,299 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 32% from the average session volume of 25,641,891 shares. The stock had previously closed at $103.09.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s U.S. marketplace sales increased 52%, helped by a broader product assortment, greater use of fulfillment services, and expansion into Mexico and Canada. Sustained marketplace growth could strengthen Walmart’s e-commerce position and support future revenue and profit growth. Walmart's Marketplace Momentum Builds: Can Growth Keep Accelerating?
• Positive Sentiment: Tigress Financial reaffirmed its “buy” rating and maintained a $155 price target, implying substantial upside from the referenced share price. The call reflects confidence in Walmart’s growth prospects despite the stock’s recent weakness. Benzinga analyst rating report
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart was included among stocks attracting investor attention as U.S. equity futures traded lower, suggesting broader market conditions—not company-specific news—could influence trading. SAIC, Walmart And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Monday
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s 53-year record of dividend increases and its decline from peak levels may appeal to long-term investors. However, its dividend yield remains below the S&P 500 average, limiting the stock’s income appeal. Walmart Is Down 24%. Is It Finally the Ultimate Dividend King Stock to Buy and Never Sell?
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group Bank cut its fiscal 2027 EPS estimates for Walmart, signaling potentially more cautious expectations for future earnings. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Walmart Cut by Erste Group Bank
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart agreed to pay $50 million to settle allegations that its pharmacies filled invalid opioid prescriptions. Although the settlement removes a legal overhang, it adds to regulatory, compliance, and reputational concerns. Walmart to pay $50M to settle illegal opioid prescription claims

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on WMT shares. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating and set a $128.00 target price (down from $137.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Erste Group Bank downgraded shares of Walmart from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, June 5th. Mizuho set a $130.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped 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. Finally, DA Davidson set a $132.00 target price on shares of Walmart and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $131.88.

Walmart Price Performance

The company's fifty day moving average price is $111.90 and its 200 day moving average price is $120.39. The company has a market capitalization of $834.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.86, a PEG ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The company had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.68 EPS. Walmart's quarterly revenue 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, sell-side analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total transaction of $5,335,345.40. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 201,672 shares of the company's stock, 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. Insiders sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143 in the last 90 days. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Walmart

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. MFA Wealth Services raised its stake in Walmart by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. MFA Wealth Services now owns 10,909 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,356,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Realta Investment Advisors raised its stake in shares of Walmart by 2.0% during the first quarter. Realta Investment Advisors now owns 4,089 shares of the retailer's stock worth $508,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 4.1% during the first quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC now owns 2,081 shares of the retailer's stock worth $259,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. Renaissance Group LLC grew its position in Walmart by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 9,636 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,074,000 after buying an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Calton & Associates Inc. increased its stake in Walmart by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 27,220 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,033,000 after buying an additional 84 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.

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