Wellington Management Group LLP Trims Stock Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Wellington Management Group LLP lowered its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 4.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,763,067 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 421,532 shares during the quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP owned about 0.11% of Walmart worth $992,505,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of WMT. Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth about $2,206,000. Archer Investment Corp bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth about $2,120,000. Fox Hill Wealth Management purchased a new position in Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,293,000. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at about $19,015,000. Finally, Henson Edgewater Management LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the second quarter worth about $6,824,000. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 201,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. This represents a 20.07% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president 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. 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. Insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart agreed to pay $50 million to settle U.S. Justice Department allegations involving improperly filled opioid prescriptions. Although the settlement carries a financial cost and reputational risk, it is viewed favorably because it resolves litigation that had exposed the company to potentially billions of dollars in civil penalties. Walmart described the payment as immaterial. Walmart escapes major legal penalty for a fraction of the cost
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s U.S. marketplace sales increased 52%, supported by a broader product selection, greater use of fulfillment services and international expansion in Mexico and Canada. Sustaining this momentum could improve e-commerce growth and marketplace profitability. Walmart’s Marketplace Momentum Builds
• Positive Sentiment: Tigress Financial reaffirmed its buy rating and set a $155 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. This reflects confidence in Walmart’s long-term earnings and growth prospects. Benzinga analyst rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary highlights Walmart’s 53-year record of dividend increases and notes that the stock is well below its peak. However, its dividend yield remains relatively low and its valuation is still elevated compared with the broader market. Walmart dividend analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group Bank lowered its fiscal 2027 EPS estimates, signaling expectations for slower earnings growth or increased cost pressure. Walmart’s recent earnings-related share-price weakness also indicates that investors remain sensitive to the company’s premium valuation. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Walmart Cut

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. KeyCorp restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. BTIG Research cut their price target on Walmart from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 price objective (down from $146.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $131.88.

Walmart Stock Up 1.7%

NASDAQ:WMT opened at $104.87 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market cap of $834.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.86, a P/E/G ratio of 3.92 and a beta of 0.61. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $95.79 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $111.65 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $120.24.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.68 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. Analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share 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.