Vestor Capital LLC Grows Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Vestor Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 21,583.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 118,389 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 117,843 shares during the quarter. Walmart comprises approximately 1.1% of Vestor Capital LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest position. Vestor Capital LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $14,713,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have issued reports on WMT shares. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Tigress Financial restated a “buy” rating and issued a $155.00 target price (up from $150.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 29th. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Mizuho set a $130.00 price target on Walmart in a research note on Monday. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $145.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $138.65.

Walmart Price Performance

NASDAQ WMT opened at $111.10 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $884.14 billion, a PE ratio of 38.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. The business’s fifty day moving average is $115.35 and its 200 day moving average is $122.01. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $95.42 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.66. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The business had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $174.84 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.61 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Expanded wellness assortment could support growth. Walmart added or expanded placements for products from Magic Science, Kate Farms, Edible Garden AG and Final Boss Sour across stores and Walmart.com ahead of back-to-school shopping. The move reinforces Walmart’s position in health, wellness and everyday essentials, although the near-term financial impact is not yet quantified. How Walmart’s Back-to-School Wellness Push With New Brands Will Impact Walmart Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Potential shareholder-return support from buybacks. Coverage of Walmart’s large repurchase authorization highlights the possibility of reducing shares outstanding, increasing per-share earnings and supporting long-term shareholder returns. The benefit depends on the pace and price of repurchases, particularly given Walmart’s elevated valuation. Walmart’s Stock Buybacks: How Its Massive New Repurchase Program Could Affect Shareholder Returns
• Positive Sentiment: FTC clearance removes a hurdle for the Vibe transaction. The Federal Trade Commission’s decision allowing Walmart’s deal for Vibe to proceed reduces near-term regulatory uncertainty and could provide an additional growth opportunity, though the article provides limited details on the transaction’s expected financial contribution. Walmart’s Deal for Vibe Is Cleared by the FTC to Progress
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer comparisons underscore valuation concerns. Articles comparing Walmart with J. Sainsbury and Costco point to Walmart’s resilient retail model, digital growth and customer loyalty, but also emphasize differences in valuation and earnings drivers. With Walmart trading at a relatively high earnings multiple, investors may require continued strong execution to justify the premium. Walmart vs. Costco: Which Retail Stock Has the Stronger Edge?
• Negative Sentiment: AI shopping-bot findings raised regulatory risk. A study led by former FTC Chair Lina Khan said Amazon and Walmart’s AI assistants can identify potentially false “Made in USA” claims but do not consistently flag them to shoppers. The findings could increase scrutiny over marketplace oversight, consumer protection and the accuracy of Walmart’s AI tools, weighing on sentiment. Amazon, Walmart AI Detect ‘Made in USA’ Fraud but Do Not Flag It, Study Says

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other news, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.63, for a total value of $2,303,320.08. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,174,579 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $495,230,306.77. This represents a 0.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.08, for a total transaction of $1,628,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 661,037 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $82,021,470.96. This represents a 1.95% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 67,729 shares of company stock valued at $8,124,931. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Walmart Company 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.