Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Sets New 52-Week High Following Analyst Upgrade

Shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday after Mizuho raised their price target on the stock from $125.00 to $137.00. Mizuho currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Walmart traded as high as $131.79 and last traded at $129.9920, with a volume of 2720059 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $131.18.

WMT has been the topic of several other research reports. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $129.00 price target (up previously from $122.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $147.00 price target (up previously from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $132.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Thirty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $126.26.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Walmart news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $122.27, for a total transaction of $2,445,400.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 506,764 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $61,962,034.28. The trade was a 3.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP David Chojnowski sold 7,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.65, for a total value of $746,550.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 136,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,535,221.85. The trade was a 4.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 229,196 shares of company stock worth $26,957,858. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Trending Headlines about 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.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Walmart

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of WMT. Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart in the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new position in shares of Walmart during the third quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart during the third quarter worth $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.01 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.32, a PEG ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.65. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $117.07 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $107.67.

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

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.