Jennison Associates LLC cut its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Free Report) by 4.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 20,053,855 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 969,855 shares during the quarter. Walmart accounts for 1.3% of Jennison Associates LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Jennison Associates LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $2,234,200,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Jackson Hole Capital Partners LLC grew its position in Walmart by 5.2% during the fourth quarter. Jackson Hole Capital Partners LLC now owns 68,474 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $7,629,000 after buying an additional 3,414 shares in the last quarter. Prentice Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Walmart by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Prentice Wealth Management LLC now owns 13,354 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,488,000 after buying an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Heritage Investment Group Inc. grew its position in Walmart by 18.9% during the fourth quarter. Heritage Investment Group Inc. now owns 3,517 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $392,000 after buying an additional 559 shares in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $56,000. Finally, Wagner Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Walmart by 7.0% during the fourth quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,085 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $789,000 after buying an additional 461 shares in the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
WMT has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, April 20th. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $147.00 target price (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $125.00 target price (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $140.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $145.00 price objective (up from $136.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $137.79.
Walmart Stock Up 3.1%
NASDAQ WMT opened at $131.93 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $125.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is $117.56. The company has a market capitalization of $1.05 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.15, a PEG ratio of 4.77 and a beta of 0.66. Walmart Inc. has a 1-year low of $91.89 and a 1-year high of $134.69.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.66 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal 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. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s payout ratio is presently 36.13%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $49,772,492.88. The trade was a 15.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total value of $4,158,004.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 533,466 shares in the company, valued at $65,082,852. The trade was a 6.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 263,376 shares of company stock worth $32,851,650 over the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Key Stories Impacting Walmart
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Large supply‑chain investment — Walmart opened its third owned milk processing facility (Robinson, TX) and is investing in milk capacity to strengthen domestic supply, lower costs and secure private‑label supply chains, which supports margin and product availability. Walmart Opens Third Owned and Operated Milk Processing Facility in Robinson, Texas, Creating More Than 400 New Jobs Walmart invests in new milk plant to grow US supply chain
- Positive Sentiment: Leadership redesign aimed at retention and execution — Walmart is eliminating the “store lead” role while expanding higher‑paid managerial positions to keep senior managers longer and accelerate store execution and merchandising (including a fashion push). Investors view this as a move to improve in‑store performance and strategic initiatives. Walmart redesigns its leadership pipeline as managers making $400K stay for longer
- Positive Sentiment: Local assortment strategy — Walmart is expanding local products in select markets to better match tightened consumer budgets and preferences, a tactical move that can drive traffic and margins in price‑sensitive areas. Walmart Eyes Local Products as National Consumer Mood Sours
- Positive Sentiment: Institutional buying — Alecta Pensionsforsakring increased its Walmart stake, a signal of confidence from a large investor that can support the stock. Alecta Pensionsforsakring Boosts Walmart Stake by 406,400 Shares
- Neutral Sentiment: Local store capital projects — Walmart is earmarking millions for upgrades at multiple Arizona stores; store refreshes can boost sales but also represent near‑term capital spend. Walmart earmarks millions for multiple Arizona store upgrades
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and media bullish coverage — Several pieces summarize bullish theses on WMT and recommend the stock as retail sentiment improves; these articles can reinforce positive investor sentiment but are not new company actions. Is Walmart Inc. (WMT) A Good Stock To Buy Now? Is Walmart Inc. (WMT) A Good Stock To Buy Now?
- Neutral Sentiment: Corporate social impact — Walmart’s Acres for America grants were announced; positive for ESG profile but unlikely to move near‑term fundamentals. NFWF Announces $5.4 Million in Grants from Walmart’s Acres for America Program
- Negative Sentiment: Cost and near‑term margin risk — The combination of higher‑paid manager roles and heavy capital/supply‑chain investments (e.g., $350M+ milk facilities) could weigh on near‑term margins and free cash flow before benefits are realized. Walmart eliminates store lead positions as managers making $400K stay for longer
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.
Further Reading
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