Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT) has been assigned a $106.00 price target by equities researchers at Royal Bank of Canada in a report issued on Friday. The brokerage presently has a “neutral” rating on the retailer’s stock. Royal Bank of Canada’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 6.49% from the company’s previous close.
Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. KeyCorp set a $100.00 target price on Wal-Mart Stores and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 11th. Jefferies Group boosted their target price on Wal-Mart Stores from $93.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 11th. Bank of America set a $100.00 target price on Wal-Mart Stores and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 10th. Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Wal-Mart Stores in a research report on Tuesday, October 10th. They set a “buy” rating and a $90.00 target price for the company. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $90.00 target price on Wal-Mart Stores and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nineteen have issued a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $96.81.
Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT) traded up $0.09 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $99.54. The company had a trading volume of 6,829,500 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,627,800. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a current ratio of 0.81. Wal-Mart Stores has a 12 month low of $65.28 and a 12 month high of $100.13. The company has a market cap of $296,710.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.66 and a beta of 0.37.
Wal-Mart Stores announced that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, October 10th that authorizes the company to repurchase $20.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the retailer to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.
In other Wal-Mart Stores news, major shareholder Alice L. Walton sold 2,900,679 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.82, for a total transaction of $283,744,419.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 6,748,580 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $660,146,095.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Jacqueline P. Canney sold 2,065 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.99, for a total value of $200,284.35. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 19,060 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,848,629.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 12,419,588 shares of company stock valued at $1,207,333,538. 51.39% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hudock Capital Group LLC raised its position in Wal-Mart Stores by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hudock Capital Group LLC now owns 1,847 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $139,000 after purchasing an additional 7 shares during the last quarter. Gemmer Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Wal-Mart Stores by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Gemmer Asset Management LLC now owns 2,965 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $224,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Sterneck Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Wal-Mart Stores by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Sterneck Capital Management LLC now owns 6,588 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $475,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. LLBH Private Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Wal-Mart Stores by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. LLBH Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,843 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $594,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Edgemoor Investment Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Wal-Mart Stores by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Edgemoor Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 7,654 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $579,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. 30.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Wal-Mart Stores Company Profile
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc is engaged in the operation of retail, wholesale and other units in various formats around the world. The Company operates through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam’s Club. The Walmart U.S. segment includes its mass merchant concept in the United States operating under the Walmart or Wal-Mart brands, as well as digital retail.
