Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd lowered its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Free Report) by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 899,280 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 5,257 shares during the quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd’s holdings in Walmart were worth $92,680,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Collier Financial bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 212.6% during the third quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the period. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the third quarter worth approximately $39,000. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of brokerages have issued reports on WMT. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $145.00 price target (up from $136.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. HSBC lowered Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $122.00 to $131.00 in a report on Friday, February 20th. Mizuho lifted their target price on Walmart from $125.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their price target on shares of Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and set a $134.00 price objective (up from $129.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $135.76.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.27, for a total transaction of $2,445,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 506,764 shares in the company, valued at $61,962,034.28. The trade was a 3.80% 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, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.17, for a total transaction of $2,313,804.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 4,274,856 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $509,434,589.52. This trade represents a 0.45% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 274,278 shares of company stock valued at $33,825,793 over the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Walmart Price Performance
Shares of Walmart stock opened at $122.89 on Monday. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $79.81 and a 12-month high of $134.69. The firm has a market capitalization of $979.73 billion, a PE ratio of 44.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.58 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $124.35 and its 200-day moving average is $113.68.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.Walmart’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.66 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.
Walmart Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a $0.2475 dividend. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.13%.
Key Walmart News
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlight Walmart’s accelerating digital initiatives (AI tools, ads, memberships) and a disciplined buyback program that can lift margins and justify a higher multiple — a primary driver of investor optimism. Assessing Walmart (WMT) Valuation As Digital Growth AI Tools And Buybacks Reshape The Business
- Positive Sentiment: Comparisons to peers (Costco) emphasize Walmart’s omnichannel scale, growing ad business and membership-like initiatives as margin levers — reinforcing the narrative that Walmart can sustain steady, profitable growth vs. competitors. Walmart or Costco: Who’s Winning the Modern Retail Game Right Now?
- Neutral Sentiment: Broader retail comparisons (Amazon, Target) and sector commentary keep Walmart in investors’ crosshairs as a defensive, cash-generative retail leader; these pieces frame relative valuation and strategic positioning but don’t contain immediate catalysts. Amazon vs Walmart: Which is a Better Buy?
- Neutral Sentiment: Coverage noting executive comments about AI and leadership transitions (including past remarks by former CEO Doug McMillon) underscores management focus on AI but is more background than an immediate stock mover. Major outgoing CEOs are citing AI as a factor in their decisions to step down
- Negative Sentiment: Regulatory headwinds: Washington state fined Walmart >$380k for selling motor vehicle A/C cans with banned hydrofluorocarbons. The penalty is modest financially but raises scrutiny of compliance and ESG risks, which can affect reputation and investor sentiment. Walmart Fine Raises Questions On Climate Compliance And Investment Risks
- Negative Sentiment: Governance/legal risk: A shareholder law firm is investigating Walmart’s board over alleged oversight failures tied to Spark driver pay practices, which could lead to litigation, reputational harm or regulatory scrutiny if claims advance. Berger Montague PC Investigates Walmart Inc.’s Board of Directors for Breach of Fiduciary Duty (NASDAQ: WMT)
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.
See Also
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