Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC Buys New Shares in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 28,281 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $3,203,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart during the first quarter worth approximately $29,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 57.4% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Sankala Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $60,523,730.02. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. This trade represents a 20.07% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently commented on WMT shares. BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 target price (down from $146.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Walmart from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Guggenheim set a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Walmart from $147.00 to $132.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $131.88.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s fiscal second-quarter results showed continued momentum beyond traditional store sales: revenue reached approximately $187.9 billion, global e-commerce grew 23%, and advertising revenue increased 38%. These higher-growth businesses could support future margins and cash flow. Walmart Growth Engine Hums
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary continue to point to Walmart’s expanding e-commerce, digital advertising, memberships, convenience-led fulfillment, automation and AI initiatives as reasons the recent decline could represent a long-term buying opportunity. Walmart’s scale and value-focused pricing remain important competitive advantages. Walmart Continues to Grow Beyond Retail
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart settled a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit alleging that its pharmacies unlawfully contributed to the opioid epidemic. Resolving the case removes an overhang and reduces legal uncertainty, although the financial terms and any broader implications remain important for investors. Walmart Settles U.S. Opioid Lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage highlights a potentially tougher consumer environment. Walmart’s comparable sales growth was 3.4% excluding pharmacy-related items, while middle-income shoppers appear increasingly focused on necessities and limiting discretionary purchases. Walmart and Home Depot Results
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are also questioning whether Walmart’s valuation adequately reflects its strong performance. A high earnings multiple, slower core sales growth and the stock’s position below its moving averages have amplified the impact of the recent selloff. Walmart Selloff Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Executive Vice President Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares worth approximately $5.3 million. The sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan to cover taxes on vested equity awards, making it a weaker bearish signal than discretionary insider selling. Walmart Insider Trading Filing

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of WMT opened at $103.09 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $111.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $120.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $820.40 billion, a PE ratio of 37.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.90 and a beta of 0.61. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $95.79 and a one year high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.68 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal 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.