Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Upgraded at Erste Group Bank

Erste Group Bank upgraded shares of Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on WMT. Bank of America started coverage on Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $150.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $145.00 price target on Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $125.00 price objective (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, January 8th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $145.00 price objective (up from $136.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $135.00 target price (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $135.76.

Walmart Price Performance

WMT opened at $125.79 on Thursday. Walmart has a 12 month low of $79.81 and a 12 month high of $134.69. The business has a 50-day moving average of $124.97 and a two-hundred day moving average of $114.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.00 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.69 and a beta of 0.66.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.07% and a return on equity of 21.44%. The company’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm 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. On average, research analysts expect that Walmart will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.2475 per share. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s payout ratio is currently 36.13%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total transaction of $4,158,004.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 533,466 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $65,082,852. The trade was a 6.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.16, for a total value of $2,391,274.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 4,213,406 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $518,923,082.96. This represents a 0.46% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 274,278 shares of company stock valued at $33,825,793. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. J. Derek Lewis & Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at about $1,256,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter worth about $72,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter worth about $5,991,000. Forty three Eighteen Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at about $13,281,000. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its holdings in Walmart by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 1,677,844 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $186,929,000 after purchasing an additional 65,642 shares during the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group upgraded Walmart from “hold” to “strong-buy,” signaling institutional confidence and likely supporting demand for the shares. Zacks.com
• Positive Sentiment: A bullish analyst note projects steady growth and a 12-month price target (~$130.57), giving investors a modest upside thesis tied to continued execution. Walmart Price Prediction: Steady Growth Makes Analysts Bullish
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart will pay its second 2026 dividend on April 6, which supports income-focused holders and can reduce near-term selling pressure around income flows. Walmart to pay 2026’s second dividend in April; Here’s how much 100 WMT shares will earn
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is testing a Sam’s Club membership fee increase and raising rewards caps — a sign of pricing power and potential margin upside if membership retention holds. Walmart Tests Sam’s Club Fee Hike Against Member Value And Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts/coverage note Walmart is shifting toward growth via expanding ad revenue and memberships, and Sam’s Club expansion, which helps operating income outpace sales — a longer-term positive re-rating catalyst. Walmart Stock Is Transforming Into a Growth Stock. Is It Time to Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: Walmex (Walmart’s Mexico unit) plans a $2.5B 2026 investment, signaling international expansion and capacity spending that could support future top-line growth. Walmart (WMT) Unit Walmex Plans $2.5B Investment in Mexico
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and pundit commentary (e.g., Jim Cramer) express bullish technical and sentiment views, which can amplify momentum trading but are less material than fundamental catalysts. Jim Cramer on Walmart
• Neutral Sentiment: Reporting shows Walmart shoppers so far are holding up despite ~$4 gas — a sign of resilience but also a watch item if fuel prices keep rising. Walmart shoppers aren’t breaking under the weight of $4 gas (yet)
• Negative Sentiment: An AOL piece highlights a Walmart-related recession indicator at its highest since 2008 — a macro risk that could pressure consumer spending and margins if the signal proves accurate. A Walmart-related recession indicator is at its highest since the 2008 financial crisis

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.