Shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) fell 1.2% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $112.93 and last traded at $113.26. Approximately 22,300,910 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 14% from the average daily volume of 26,008,605 shares. The stock had previously closed at $114.60.
More Walmart News
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart says usage of its AI assistant Sparky has doubled, and the tool is helping drive larger digital baskets, suggesting its e-commerce and omnichannel strategy may be boosting customer spend. Walmart’s Sparky Usage Doubles: Is AI Driving Bigger Orders?
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart+ fuel discounts remain one of the membership program’s most popular perks, reinforcing the value of the paid subscription and supporting customer retention. Walmart+ Executive Says Fuel Discounts Supercharge Member Engagement
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding in-house training to help associates become opticians, a move that could ease labor shortages in its Vision Center and Sam’s Club optical businesses while deepening healthcare-related services. Walmart Expands In-House Career Pathways to Train Opticians
- Neutral Sentiment: Walmart has appeared in several “most searched” and investor-attention articles, indicating elevated market interest, but those mentions do not provide a clear new catalyst by themselves. Walmart Inc. (WMT) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
- Neutral Sentiment: Retail-sector coverage comparing Walmart with Costco and noting Best Buy’s latest results may keep investors focused on relative performance in consumer spending, but these stories are not direct news on Walmart’s fundamentals. Walmart vs Costco: This Is The Better Stock To Buy Best Buy’s Turnaround Is Gaining Traction, But Wall Street Still Needs Proof (WMT)
- Negative Sentiment: Despite the positive operating headlines, WMT shares have been under pressure, suggesting investors may be taking profits or waiting for a stronger near-term catalyst before bidding the stock higher.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several research firms recently commented on WMT. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 price objective (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Guggenheim lifted their target price on shares of Walmart from $120.00 to $137.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, April 13th. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, June 5th. Finally, Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, June 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $138.85.
Walmart Trading Down 1.2%
The stock has a market cap of $901.33 billion, a PE ratio of 39.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.31 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company has a 50 day moving average of $123.54 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.22.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) 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 company had revenue of $177.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $174.84 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.61 earnings per share. Walmart’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Insider Activity
In related news, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.63, for a total value of $2,303,320.08. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,174,579 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $495,230,306.77. The trade was a 0.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.92, for a total transaction of $359,368.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 577,853 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $71,607,543.76. This represents a 0.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 100,730 shares of company stock worth $12,444,624. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Trading of Walmart
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC raised 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 during the last quarter. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 193.0% during the fourth 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 last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.
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.
Further Reading
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