Mizuho Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Stock

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) had its price target hoisted by equities researchers at Mizuho from $125.00 to $137.00 in a research note issued on Monday, Marketbeat reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the retailer’s stock. Mizuho’s target price suggests a potential upside of 8.08% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research firms have also recently issued reports on WMT. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $135.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, January 30th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $130.00 target price (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $120.00 price target (up previously from $115.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating and set a $135.00 price objective (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Thirty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Walmart has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $126.26.

Walmart Price Performance

Walmart stock opened at $126.76 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.01 trillion, a P/E ratio of 44.32, a PEG ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.65. The business has a 50-day moving average of $117.07 and a 200-day moving average of $107.67. Walmart has a 1 year low of $79.81 and a 1 year high of $131.79.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $179.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $175.15 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.31%. Walmart’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.58 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Walmart will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.99, for a total value of $1,574,868.75. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 727,155 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $87,251,328.45. The trade was a 1.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,388 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total value of $166,560.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 645,642 shares in the company, valued at $77,477,040. The trade was a 0.21% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 229,196 shares of company stock worth $26,957,858. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 28.8% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 98,150 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,868,000 after purchasing an additional 21,939 shares during the period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in Walmart by 5.8% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 8,849 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $800,000 after buying an additional 485 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Wealth Management raised its stake in Walmart by 3.5% in the first quarter. Peterson Wealth Management now owns 50,307 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,416,000 after buying an additional 1,715 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 0.9% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 13,008 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,272,000 after buying an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Finally, waypoint wealth counsel lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 16.7% in the second quarter. waypoint wealth counsel now owns 6,489 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $634,000 after buying an additional 930 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Next‑gen stores: Walmart’s Jacksonville Supercenter rollout highlights faster delivery, improved store layouts and deeper digital integration — evidence the company can drive omnichannel sales and margins over time. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: Mizuho raised its WMT price target (to $137) and continues to rate the stock outperform — a catalyst that can support sentiment and attract buyers into any weakness. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: AI/tech strategy: Coverage notes Walmart is partnering with big tech (Amazon/Meta/Alphabet-led AI activity) to accelerate digital capabilities without matching their mega capex — potential long‑term benefit but uncertain timing and economics. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Major legal risk — Estée Lauder lawsuit: Estée Lauder sued Walmart alleging counterfeit La Mer, Le Labo, Clinique, Aveda and Tom Ford products were sold via Walmart’s online marketplace and accuses Walmart of facilitating those sales. The suit seeks injunctions and damages; the case raises reputational, liability and potential marketplace‑oversight costs. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Soft retail data: December retail sales were flat (missing expectations), a sign consumer spending momentum cooled — a macro headwind that could pressure Walmart’s comps and margin leverage in the near term. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive risk — Kroger hires ex‑Walmart CEO for U.S. Greg Foran: Kroger’s leadership hire could sharpen competition in grocery and store execution, putting incremental pressure on Walmart’s U.S. share and margins if Kroger executes well. Read More.

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.