Covington Investment Advisors Inc. Makes New $7.40 Million Investment in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Covington Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 65,375 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $7,404,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of WMT. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Walmart by 57.4% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Sankala Group LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart during the 4th 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 cap of $816.74 billion, a PE ratio of 37.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.96 and a beta of 0.61. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $95.70 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $112.18 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.57.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The firm’s revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior 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. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total transaction of $1,435,203.96. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,985,527.94. This trade represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the transaction, 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. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143 in the last 90 days. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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

WMT has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Walmart from $147.00 to $132.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 21st. Wolfe Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $115.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $126.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. KeyCorp reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $131.88.

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.