Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Shares Climb 1.5% – Here’s Why

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT)’s share price traded up 1.5% during mid-day trading on Thursday. The stock traded as high as $121.38 and last traded at $117.87. Approximately 31,927,326 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 27% from the average session volume of 25,132,641 shares. The stock had previously closed at $116.16.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Deutsche Bank upgraded Walmart to Buy and raised its price target to $136 from $113. The bank cited a favorable 2027 outlook, inflation-driven customer traffic and growth opportunities in advertising, marketplace services and Walmart+ membership income. Walmart is a buy as inflation attracts more customers, says Deutsche Bank
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are increasingly valuing Walmart’s higher-margin revenue streams. The retailer’s global e-commerce sales rose 23% in the latest quarter, while marketplace, advertising and membership growth could improve profitability beyond its traditional low-price retail model. Walmart also raised fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS guidance to $2.80-$2.87. Walmart Stock Gets an Upgrade as Analyst Sees More Room to Run
• Positive Sentiment: Expanded employee benefits may support Walmart’s long-term investment story. The company added more than 250 free prescription drugs and up to 12 weeks of paid NICU leave. While benefits could raise costs, Deutsche Bank viewed the move alongside fee-based growth as evidence Walmart is investing in employee retention and more profitable operations. How Benefit Expansion At Walmart Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent operating results remain solid. Walmart’s latest quarterly revenue increased 5.9% year over year to $187.94 billion, and EPS exceeded analyst expectations. Faster pickup, delivery and digital initiatives could further support holiday sales and Walmart+ engagement, though the stock’s elevated valuation limits room for disappointment. Can Walmart’s Faster Shopping Options Boost Holiday Sales Growth?
• Negative Sentiment: Rising costs remain a risk. Walmart and Target are facing pressure from higher operating and merchandise costs, which could squeeze margins if the retailers cannot pass expenses on to consumers. Walmart, Target Face a New Price Problem as Costs Surge
• Negative Sentiment: Several executives reported stock sales, including CEO John Furner. The transactions were conducted under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans and executives retained substantial holdings, reducing their significance, but insider selling can still temper sentiment at recent highs.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on WMT shares. Oppenheimer reissued a “market perform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $130.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $115.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Freedom Broker upgraded Walmart from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $125.00 price target (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-three have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $132.41.

Walmart Stock Up 0.8%

The stock has a market capitalization of $942.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.89, a PEG ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.58. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $108.82 and its 200-day moving average is $116.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23.

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other Walmart news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.66, for a total transaction of $1,399,912.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 647,912 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $69,106,293.92. This trade represents a 1.99% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.60, for a total value of $349,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 563,353 shares in the company, valued at approximately $67,940,371.80. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 102,244 shares of company stock valued at $11,112,044. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in WMT. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the second quarter worth $7,455,131,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,905,655,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter valued at about $796,677,000. Deutsche Bank AG boosted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 54.0% in the 2nd quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 18,607,297 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,107,462,000 after buying an additional 6,525,224 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi grew its position in shares of Walmart by 44.4% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 20,796,957 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,355,463,000 after buying an additional 6,393,326 shares during the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc (NASDAQ: WMT) is a multinational retailer that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and wellness products, household essentials and general merchandise. Walmart also provides services such as grocery pickup and delivery, pharmacy services, financial products and digital advertising.

The company serves customers through its Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam’s Club segments.