Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Shares Up 2.2% - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Walmart shares rose 2.2% on Thursday, briefly reaching $115.59 after closing at $112.53 the prior session. Trading volume was below average, with about 20.6 million shares changing hands.
• Recent news was broadly supportive: June U.S. retail sales were strong, Walmart is leaning into its back-to-school value campaign, and the company is highlighting AI-related workforce and efficiency initiatives.
• Wall Street remains positive overall, with analysts maintaining mostly Buy/Outperform ratings and a consensus price target of $138.85, though some commentary warns the stock’s valuation remains rich.

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report)'s stock price shot up 2.2% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $115.59 and last traded at $114.95. Approximately 20,559,304 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 20% from the average session volume of 25,677,338 shares. The stock had previously closed at $112.53.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: June U.S. retail sales rose, suggesting consumers are still spending and reinforcing Walmart’s appeal as shoppers look for value heading into back-to-school season. Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s back-to-school campaign emphasizes low prices, convenience, and style, which could support traffic and sales as families prepare for the new school year. Walmart Helps Americans Navigate Their Annual Back-to-School Reset with Unmatched Value, Convenience and Style
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is highlighting AI-related workforce and growth initiatives, signaling ongoing investment in operational efficiency and long-term retail competitiveness. Walmart's people chief says these 10 jobs are still hot in the age of AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to debate Walmart’s valuation, with one note saying the stock trades at a rich forward P/E, which may limit upside if growth slows. Walmart Commands a 36.74X Forward P/E: Is the Stock Worth Buying?
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart was also included in several broader market and stock-picking pieces, but those mentions were not company-specific catalysts. 3 Stocks to Own When the Market Gets Ugly in July
• Negative Sentiment: Recent commentary on Walmart’s share price noted the stock fell in the prior session, reflecting some near-term pressure even as the broader market moved higher. Walmart (WMT) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here's Why

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on WMT. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, April 20th. Piper Sandler reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, June 8th. Evercore restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $137.00 price target (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price target (up from $145.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, May 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $138.85.

Walmart Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $119.44 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $122.08. The firm has a market cap of $914.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.33, a P/E/G ratio of 4.24 and a beta of 0.60.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.66. Walmart had a net margin of 3.13% and a return on equity of 21.25%. The company had revenue of $177.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.61 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total value of $1,308,670.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 120,203 shares of the company's stock, valued at $14,300,550.91. The trade was a 8.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% 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. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 87,145 shares of company stock worth $10,691,920. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Walmart

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. First Community Trust NA increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. First Community Trust NA now owns 25,066 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,839,000 after acquiring an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. Walker Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Walmart by 1.3% in the second quarter. Walker Asset Management LLC now owns 132,499 shares of the retailer's stock worth $15,007,000 after purchasing an additional 1,698 shares during the period. Ballast Inc. grew its holdings in Walmart by 10.4% in the second quarter. Ballast Inc. now owns 26,066 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,952,000 after purchasing an additional 2,466 shares during the period. Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Walmart by 1.7% in the second quarter. Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 18,800 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,129,000 after purchasing an additional 311 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Butensky & Cohen Financial Security Inc. increased its stake in Walmart by 27.6% in the second quarter. Butensky & Cohen Financial Security Inc. now owns 33,228 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,763,000 after purchasing an additional 7,185 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company's stock.

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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