Sanctuary Advisors LLC Makes New Investment in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Sanctuary Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor purchased 1,085,825 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $122,981,000. Walmart comprises 0.6% of Sanctuary Advisors LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest holding.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 57.4% in the fourth quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the period. Sankala Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Trading Down 1.6%

NASDAQ WMT opened at $102.63 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $816.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.05, a P/E/G ratio of 3.96 and a beta of 0.61. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $112.18 and a 200 day simple moving average of $120.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $95.70 and a one year high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The company’s revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.68 earnings per share. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. Research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart reported fiscal Q2 2027 revenue of approximately $187.9 billion, while global e-commerce increased 23% and advertising revenue surged 38%. The results highlight continued momentum in digital retail and higher-margin businesses. Walmart Q2 2027 Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators view the selloff as a potential buying opportunity, arguing that Walmart’s e-commerce, advertising, automation and AI-assisted shopping initiatives can support long-term cash-flow growth. Walmart’s Big Sell-Off Could Be a Buying Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts cited in recent coverage put Walmart’s consensus price target at $138.50, substantially above the current trading range, while unusually heavy call-option activity suggests some traders are positioning for a rebound. Walmart Consensus Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart and Sam’s Club raised more than $39 million for the Children’s Miracle Network. The announcement supports the company’s community reputation but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings or valuation. Walmart and Sam’s Club Children’s Miracle Network Support
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary says the stock’s recent selloff reflects investor concern that Walmart may be fully valued after a roughly 127% five-year gain. Slower store-sales growth and a high earnings multiple could limit further upside even if digital businesses remain strong. Walmart Stock Looks Fully Priced
• Negative Sentiment: An executive vice president sold 50,644 shares worth about $5.3 million. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan to cover tax withholding on vested equity awards, reducing its negative signaling value but still adding to investor focus on insider selling. Walmart Insider Trading Filing

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently commented on the company. Tigress Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $155.00 target price (up from $150.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 21st. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on shares of Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $120.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Roth Capital reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $131.88.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,710 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.10, for a total transaction of $419,601.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 626,299 shares in the company, valued at $70,834,416.90. The trade was a 0.59% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143. 0.09% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.