Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Sold by Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas

Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas lessened its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 3.7% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 694,499 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 26,996 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for approximately 3.8% of Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas’ portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas’ holdings in Walmart were worth $78,659,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the first quarter worth approximately $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Montgomery Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Sankala Group LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Turim 21 Investimentos Ltda. purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 1st quarter worth approximately $37,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on WMT shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Freedom Capital upgraded Walmart from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Raymond James Financial reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $130.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Erste Group Bank downgraded Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $131.88.

Walmart Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of WMT traded up $1.42 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $107.15. 17,046,075 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 25,517,236. The stock has a market cap of $850.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.68, a P/E/G ratio of 4.04 and a beta of 0.59. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $110.33 and a two-hundred day moving average of $118.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $98.88 and a twelve month high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. Walmart’s quarterly revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.68 EPS. 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, sell-side analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $132 price target, implying meaningful upside from recent levels. BTIG Research likewise maintained a “buy” rating with a $140 target. These endorsements suggest analysts view the recent selloff as an attractive entry point. Analyst rating reports
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is being highlighted as a potential defensive holding if persistent inflation causes the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates again. Its essential-goods exposure and dividend history could make the stock more attractive relative to economically sensitive companies. 3 Dividend Kings to Buy if the Fed Starts Raising Rates
• Positive Sentiment: New initiatives could strengthen Walmart’s convenience and omnichannel proposition. The retailer is expanding tap-to-pay support for Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, contactless cards and wearables, while adding Papa John’s to its restaurant-delivery partner network. Walmart Expands Tap to Pay
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s recent fashion and brand-marketing activity, including a New York Fashion Week event, may improve visibility but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Walmart New York Fashion Week event
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported September short-interest data shows zero shares and a zero-day days-to-cover ratio, but the figures appear incomplete or unreliable and provide no meaningful trading signal.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts caution that Walmart’s roughly 14% six-month decline does not eliminate concerns about its premium valuation, rising costs and weaker earnings estimates. Higher interest rates could also pressure consumers and test the stock’s technical support. Should You Buy Walmart Stock After a 14% Decline in Six Months?

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,246,145.20. The trade was a 20.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 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. Also, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 owned 569,153 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. This trade represents a 0.51% 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. Insiders have sold a total of 69,264 shares of company stock worth $7,401,242 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc is a multinational retail and technology company that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, e-commerce platforms and membership warehouse clubs. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and beauty products, general merchandise and other consumer products.

Founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated in 1969, Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company serves customers through operations in the United States and international markets, including Mexico, Canada, China, India and several countries in Central America and Africa.