Walmart Inc. $WMT Position Increased by Polar Capital Holdings Plc

Polar Capital Holdings Plc raised its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 12.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 366,034 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 39,406 shares during the period. Polar Capital Holdings Plc’s holdings in Walmart were worth $40,780,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of WMT. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 57.4% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the period. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC increased its stake in Walmart by 193.0% in the 4th quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s advertising business is reportedly surging as marketplace activity, seller spending, and digital engagement boost retail media revenue, reinforcing a fast-growing higher-margin profit stream. Walmart’s Advertising Revenues Soar: Is Retail Media Paying Off?
• Positive Sentiment: New delivery options, including Subway meals through Walmart delivery, suggest the company is continuing to expand convenience offerings and deepen customer engagement. Walmart Inc (WMT) Adds Subway Meals Delivery. Get the Bigger Picture
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart was highlighted among the best S&P 500 stocks to buy now according to analysts, signaling continued confidence in its defensive business model and growth profile. Walmart (WMT) – Among the 14 Best S&P 500 Stocks to Buy Now According to Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings season coverage showed Walmart outperforming many large-format grocery and general merchandise peers, reinforcing relative strength versus competitors. Q1 Earnings Outperformers: Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) And The Rest of the Large-format Grocery & General Merchandise Retailer Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles debated whether Walmart’s recent rally is fully justified and whether the stock’s party is over, but these pieces were more commentary than a direct business catalyst. Walmart (WMT) Stock After Recent Retail Sentiment Shifts Is The Rally Justified
• Neutral Sentiment: One executive stock sale and a price-prediction style article could create some headline noise, but they do not appear to materially change the company’s operating outlook. Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) EVP Sells $1,435,203.96 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: One article argued another e-commerce and fintech company may be a better buy than Walmart, which could slightly temper enthusiasm at the margin, though it does not alter Walmart’s fundamentals. Forget Walmart: This E-Commerce and Fintech Giant Is Growing 40% YoY and Is a Better Buy

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.63, for a total value of $2,303,320.08. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,174,579 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $495,230,306.77. The trade was a 0.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.96, for a total value of $1,600,725.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 687,287 shares in the company, valued at $83,821,522.52. This represents a 1.87% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 128,986 shares of company stock worth $15,927,908. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have issued reports on WMT. Roth Mkm restated a “buy” rating and set a $138.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $150.00 price target on the stock. Craig Hallum set a $150.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, March 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $138.85.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of WMT opened at $121.03 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $125.09 and its 200-day moving average is $121.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The company has a market capitalization of $963.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.47, a P/E/G ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.59. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $93.62 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The business had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.13% and a return on equity of 21.25%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.61 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.