Vantus Wealth LLC Takes Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Vantus Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 9,754 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,087,000. Walmart accounts for 0.8% of Vantus Wealth LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest holding.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Spinnaker Trust boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Spinnaker Trust now owns 76,259 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,496,000 after purchasing an additional 1,024 shares in the last quarter. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 156.3% in the 4th quarter. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp now owns 328 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Old Peak Finance LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth $303,000. One Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. One Capital Management LLC now owns 177,529 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $19,779,000 after purchasing an additional 3,823 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cogent Private Wealth Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth $530,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of WMT stock opened at $114.60 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $913.48 billion, a PE ratio of 40.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.32 and a beta of 0.60. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $125.98 and a 200-day simple moving average of $120.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $93.43 and a 52-week high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting 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 return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.61 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total value of $1,308,670.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 120,203 shares in the company, valued at $14,300,550.91. The trade was a 8.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.92, for a total value of $359,368.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 577,853 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $71,607,543.76. This represents a 0.50% decrease in their position. 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 quarter, insiders have sold 117,008 shares of company stock worth $14,492,704. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart said its drones have now completed more than 1 million deliveries, highlighting momentum in its fast-growing delivery network and reinforcing its push to improve convenience and speed for shoppers. Walmart Marks Millionth Drone Drop-Off Amid Increased Delivery Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart expanded 30-minute delivery to 33 U.S. markets, strengthening its competitive position in grocery, pharmacy, and everyday essentials as e-commerce demand continues to rise. Walmart’s 30-Minute Delivery Expansion Strengthens Its Retail Edge
• Positive Sentiment: Tigress Financial reportedly raised its price target on Walmart, citing AI investments gaining traction, which suggests some analysts still see upside from the company’s technology and automation efforts. Walmart (WMT) Gets Higher Price Target from Tigress Financial as AI Investments Gain Traction
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is expanding its private-brand selection with new hardware and home products, a move that could help it win value-conscious shoppers, but the near-term stock impact is likely modest. Walmart Expands Private Brand Selection as Shoppers Cut Back
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent insider stock sales by executives, including C. Douglas McMillon and Latriece Watkins, may draw attention, but these transactions are not necessarily a negative signal for the business itself. C Douglas Mcmillon Sells 19,416 Shares of Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Stock Latriece Watkins Sells 11,000 Shares of Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Stock
• Negative Sentiment: A report that Walmart capped employee AI usage could be seen as a short-term operational constraint, potentially limiting efficiency gains from an area investors view as a future growth driver. Update: Market Chatter: Walmart Limits Staff’s Usage of AI Tool After High Demand

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on WMT shares. Truist Financial set a $140.00 price objective on Walmart in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Wolfe Research reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $137.00 price objective (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, May 11th. DA Davidson set a $150.00 price target on Walmart and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Argus raised Walmart to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $138.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $138.85.

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.