Walmart Inc. $WMT Position Boosted by China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.

China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 198,226 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 8,520 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for about 1.1% of China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $21,171,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Montgomery Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Turim 21 Investimentos Ltda. acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the second quarter worth approximately $34,000. Pingora Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the second quarter worth approximately $34,000. PMV Capital Advisers LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 44.3% in the 1st quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 316 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on WMT shares. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Walmart from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $125.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, October 20th. KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-three have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $132.41.

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of Walmart stock opened at $121.25 on Friday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $109.84 and its 200 day simple moving average is $118.37. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $98.88 and a 12 month high of $135.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $961.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 43.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.29 and a beta of 0.58.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $186.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.68 earnings per share. Walmart’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.88 EPS for the current year.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ETF demand provided support: Walmart recorded approximately $36.2 million in net ETF buying, indicating institutional demand. This follows a prior report that ETFs were net sellers, suggesting flows have been mixed but recently improved. Walmart Sees $36.2 Million in Net ETF Buying
• Positive Sentiment: Healthcare expansion could create a new growth channel: Walmart broadened its Better Care Services platform into a healthcare marketplace that connects customers with third-party providers through its stores and digital channels. The strategy could increase customer engagement and diversify revenue over time. Walmart Launched a Healthcare Services Marketplace
• Positive Sentiment: Value messaging remains a competitive advantage: Walmart lowered the price of its holiday meal basket by $5, reinforcing its affordability strategy and potentially helping it attract budget-conscious shoppers during the important holiday season. Walmart Lowers Holiday Meal Basket by $5
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor debate centers on valuation: Walmart trades at a much higher earnings multiple than Target, Tesco and some other retail alternatives. Analysts note Walmart’s scale and digital ecosystem, but also point to slowing comparable-sales growth and a premium valuation.
• Negative Sentiment: FTC scrutiny creates regulatory risk: The Federal Trade Commission ordered Walmart to provide information about using consumer data to personalize prices and wages. The inquiry could lead to additional compliance costs, reputational pressure or future regulation. FTC Demands Data on Personalized Pricing
• Negative Sentiment: Competition in digital delivery is intensifying: DoorDash’s planned $17 billion acquisition of Instacart strengthens its ability to compete with Amazon and Walmart in online grocery and delivery, potentially increasing pressure on Walmart’s digital growth and margins. DoorDash Makes Instacart Acquisition

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.60, for a total transaction of $349,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 563,353 shares in the company, valued at approximately $67,940,371.80. This trade represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale 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 Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,990 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.41, for a total transaction of $416,595.90. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 618,359 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $64,562,863.19. The trade was a 0.64% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders sold 102,244 shares of company stock worth $11,112,044. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc (NASDAQ:WMT) operates a global retail business through a network of supercenters, supermarkets, discount stores, neighborhood markets, warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms. Its stores and websites sell a broad assortment of merchandise, including groceries, consumables, health and wellness products, apparel, electronics, home goods, toys and other general merchandise.

The company organizes its operations into Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam’s Club U.S. Walmart U.S.