Johnson Financial Group Inc. Sells 9,950 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Johnson Financial Group Inc. lowered its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 12.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 67,612 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 9,950 shares during the period. Johnson Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $6,968,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the third quarter worth about $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart during the third quarter worth $30,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc grew its holdings in Walmart by 212.6% during the third quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the period. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the third quarter worth $39,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart reported strong digital momentum: eCommerce sales rose ~24% in the fiscal Q4, reinforcing its omnichannel strategy and recurring revenue diversification that supports higher-margin pickup and delivery services. This underpins confidence in sales resilience and future growth. Walmart eCommerce Up 24%
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy and raised its price target to $150, citing Walmart’s transition to a tech-driven, omnichannel retailer — a vote of confidence that can support further upside and attract investor interest. Tigress Financial Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Flipkart IPO potential: Reports that Walmart-backed Flipkart is preparing for an IPO as soon as this year raise the prospect of a significant liquidity/monetization event for Walmart’s international eCommerce stake, which could unlock shareholder value if executed. Flipkart IPO Report
• Positive Sentiment: Defensive retail demand theme: Market commentary on ETFs that gain from consumers tightening budgets highlights Walmart as a beneficiary of value-oriented spending, which supports steady traffic and margins in down-cycle consumer environments. ETFs That Could Benefit
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term comparison with Amazon: Several pieces debate WMT vs AMZN for a 10‑year hold — useful for strategic allocation decisions but not an immediate catalyst. These compare capital intensity, margins, growth runway and ecosystem differences. AMZN vs. WMT Comparison
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate housekeeping / optics: Commentary on Walmart’s prior stock split and long-term total-return track record reinforces retail accessibility and shareholder-friendly history but is not a near-term earnings catalyst. MarketBeat Stock Split Note
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and sentiment concerns: Retail investor chatter (Reddit) and analysis have flagged a high forward multiple (~46x in commentary) and a recent month‑long pullback, prompting bearish social sentiment and questions about near-term upside versus current price. Elevated multiple and heightened retail skepticism can pressure short-term performance if earnings guidance disappoints. Reddit Valuation Critique
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation re-checks after momentum: Coverage noting recent share-price gains has prompted fresh valuation analysis — some investors are pausing for confirmation that top-line digital gains and margin expansion justify premium multiples. That caution can cap upside until clarity on sustainable EPS progression. Valuation Look

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.79, for a total value of $9,430,445.99. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 402,072 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,772,492.88. The trade was a 15.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total transaction of $4,158,004.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 533,466 shares in the company, valued at approximately $65,082,852. This trade represents a 6.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 279,703 shares of company stock worth $34,140,843. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and set a $147.00 price target (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $145.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $138.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Craig Hallum set a $150.00 target price on Walmart in a research note on Friday, March 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $135.76.

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of WMT stock opened at $125.27 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $79.81 and a one year 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 firm has a market capitalization of $998.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.60 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $122.89 and a 200 day moving average price of $111.62.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a net margin of 3.07% and a return on equity of 21.44%. The firm had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.66 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter 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 Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be issued a $0.2475 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio is currently 34.31%.

Walmart 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.