Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Trading 2% Higher – Time to Buy?

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) shares traded up 2% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $120.51 and last traded at $120.36. 31,001,757 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 22% from the average session volume of 25,427,973 shares. The stock had previously closed at $117.97.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Nasdaq‑100 inclusion and mechanical index buying: Investors are pricing in passive‑fund flows and greater tech‑index visibility as Walmart prepares to join the Nasdaq‑100, a move that helped push the stock to record highs. Walmart Stock Gaining Steam Ahead of Debut on Nasdaq-100
• Positive Sentiment: Google / Alphabet AI partnership: Walmart and Sam’s Club inventory will be integrated into Google’s Gemini/Universal Commerce Protocol (agent‑led commerce), boosting e‑commerce reach and signaling Walmart’s shift toward tech‑enabled retail. This deal is a major catalyst cited across outlets. Walmart Stock Jumps on Google AI Partnership
• Positive Sentiment: Drone delivery expansion: Walmart is scaling drone deliveries to many more locations this year, which improves last‑mile capability and supports margin and service competitiveness vs. peers. Walmart partners with Alphabet unit, expands drone deliveries
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call‑option activity and record‑high trading: Elevated call buying and above‑average volume point to bullish positioning from traders and institutions ahead of index changes and partnership news.
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart being viewed as more of a tech/omnichannel company: Coverage noting Walmart’s transformation (including Investopedia and others) changes investor framing from pure retail to a tech‑enabled consumer staple; that can attract different buyers but also raises growth expectations. Is Walmart a Tech Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Sam’s Club membership strength: Membership income trends are constructive for recurring revenue, but analysts will watch renewal rates and margin mix for sustainability. Walmart’s Sam’s Membership Grows
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation/rotation and rate sensitivity risk: Market commentary warns that a rotation away from tech or any reversal in rate expectations could remove the multiple expansion that helped WMT; being added to Nasdaq‑100 improves demand but also raises exposure to tech‑style multiple volatility. Tech Wreck or Valuation Reset?
• Negative Sentiment: Company‑specific downside scenarios highlighted: A recent Forbes piece outlines operational and macro risks that could pressure WMT shares if e‑commerce growth stalls, margins compress, or competitive/exec transitions (e.g., leadership changes) create execution gaps. What Can Send Walmart Stock Price Down?

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMT has been the subject of several analyst reports. Truist Financial set a $127.00 target price on Walmart in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Mizuho set a $125.00 price objective on shares of Walmart and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and set a $120.00 price objective (up previously from $115.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Evercore ISI set a $120.00 price target on Walmart and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Thirty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $122.37.

Walmart Trading Up 2.0%

The firm has a market capitalization of $959.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.08, a PEG ratio of 5.29 and a beta of 0.66. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $110.06 and a 200-day moving average price of $103.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.02. Walmart had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.31%. The company had revenue of $179.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $175.15 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.58 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.91, for a total transaction of $1,508,193.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 733,841 shares in the company, valued at $84,325,669.31. This represents a 1.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Kathryn J. Mclay sold 4,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.21, for a total transaction of $460,840.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 1,031,455 shares in the company, valued at $118,833,930.55. This represents a 0.39% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 125,628 shares of company stock valued at $13,690,065. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Walmart

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMT. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.