Advisortrust Partners LLC Boosts Stock Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Advisortrust Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 20.2% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 67,142 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 11,283 shares during the quarter. Walmart comprises 3.5% of Advisortrust Partners LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. Advisortrust Partners LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $8,344,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of WMT. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new stake in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Walmart by 57.4% during the fourth quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in Walmart by 193.0% during the 4th quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Walmart Stock Down 0.6%

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $114.24 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 1 year low of $94.43 and a 1 year high of $135.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The company has a market capitalization of $909.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.08, a P/E/G ratio of 4.29 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $118.82 and a 200-day simple moving average of $122.04.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.66. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The business had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $174.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.61 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently commented on WMT shares. Tigress Financial restated a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price objective (up from $150.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Freedom Capital raised shares of Walmart from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Wolfe Research reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $137.00 price objective (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Erste Group Bank downgraded shares of Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, June 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $138.85.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: June U.S. retail sales held up, suggesting consumers are still spending as Walmart heads into the back-to-school season; that could support traffic and sales volumes if the company remains aggressive on pricing. Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is also being discussed in multiple market and analyst roundups, with commentary focusing on its strong digital growth and role as a defensive stock, but these pieces do not appear to include a major new business update. Walmart Commands a 36.74X Forward P/E: Is the Stock Worth Buying?
• Neutral Sentiment: An article about AI and retail highlighted that Walmart is investing in automation while still emphasizing workers, which reinforces its long-term strategy but is unlikely to move the stock on its own. Walmart’s people chief says these 10 jobs are still hot in the age of AI
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts argue Walmart’s premium valuation leaves limited room for disappointment, with one note saying momentum alone may not justify the stock’s high forward P/E. Walmart’s Momentum Cannot Justify The Premium
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart has also been the subject of bearish commentary saying the recent sell-off may not be over, adding to investor caution around the shares. Walmart: The Sell-Off Isn’t Over Yet (Rating Upgrade)

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,775 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.64, for a total transaction of $413,891.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 630,009 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $69,074,186.76. This trade represents a 0.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.08, for a total value of $1,628,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 661,037 shares in the company, valued at $82,021,470.96. This trade represents a 1.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 87,145 shares of company stock valued at $10,691,920 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

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.