Safeguard Investment Advisory Group LLC Makes New Investment in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Safeguard Investment Advisory Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund acquired 6,924 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $784,000.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. MFA Wealth Services raised its stake in Walmart by 0.7% during the first quarter. MFA Wealth Services now owns 10,909 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,356,000 after buying an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Realta Investment Advisors raised its position in shares of Walmart by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Realta Investment Advisors now owns 4,089 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $508,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC raised its position in shares of Walmart by 4.1% during the 1st quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC now owns 2,081 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Group LLC lifted its stake in Walmart by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 9,636 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,074,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Calton & Associates Inc. increased its stake in Walmart by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 27,220 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,033,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $102.63 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $95.70 and a one year high of $135.15. The company has a market capitalization of $816.74 billion, a PE ratio of 37.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.96 and a beta of 0.61. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $112.18 and a 200-day moving average of $120.57.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 business had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $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, equities analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WMT has been the topic of a number of research reports. Truist Financial set a $114.00 target price on shares of Walmart and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $130.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $131.88.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,710 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.10, for a total value of $419,601.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 626,299 shares in the company, valued at approximately $70,834,416.90. The trade was a 0.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a 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 Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. The trade was 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. Insiders have sold a total of 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart reported fiscal Q2 2027 revenue of approximately $187.9 billion, while global e-commerce increased 23% and advertising revenue surged 38%. The results highlight continued momentum in digital retail and higher-margin businesses. Walmart Q2 2027 Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators view the selloff as a potential buying opportunity, arguing that Walmart’s e-commerce, advertising, automation and AI-assisted shopping initiatives can support long-term cash-flow growth. Walmart’s Big Sell-Off Could Be a Buying Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts cited in recent coverage put Walmart’s consensus price target at $138.50, substantially above the current trading range, while unusually heavy call-option activity suggests some traders are positioning for a rebound. Walmart Consensus Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart and Sam’s Club raised more than $39 million for the Children’s Miracle Network. The announcement supports the company’s community reputation but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings or valuation. Walmart and Sam’s Club Children’s Miracle Network Support
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary says the stock’s recent selloff reflects investor concern that Walmart may be fully valued after a roughly 127% five-year gain. Slower store-sales growth and a high earnings multiple could limit further upside even if digital businesses remain strong. Walmart Stock Looks Fully Priced
• Negative Sentiment: An executive vice president sold 50,644 shares worth about $5.3 million. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan to cover tax withholding on vested equity awards, reducing its negative signaling value but still adding to investor focus on insider selling. Walmart Insider Trading Filing

Walmart 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.