Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Hits New 12-Month High – Time to Buy?

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $121.62 and last traded at $118.7260, with a volume of 7539229 shares. The stock had previously closed at $119.70.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PhonePe regulatory approval moves closer to an IPO in India — this could let Walmart monetize or revalue its stake, strengthen international growth narrative, and boost sentiment around WMT’s India exposure. Walmart’s PhonePe Gets Regulatory OK for Indian IPO
• Positive Sentiment: RBC Capital kept an Outperform rating and nudged the price target higher to $126 — a corroborating buy-side signal that may support upside momentum. RBC Capital Retains an Outperform Rating on Walmart Inc. (WMT)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts/coverage suggest Walmart’s dividend could rise as international (China, India) growth and higher-margin businesses (ad, e‑commerce) expand — supports the income/total-return thesis for long-term investors. Walmart stock dividend may surge thanks to China, India
• Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly earnings preview: market will watch comps, margin guidance and the company’s FY26 EPS range — the report can amplify moves in either direction depending on beats/guide. Walmart earnings preview: What to expect
• Neutral Sentiment: WSJ notes Walmart is upgrading higher-end home goods to attract wealthier shoppers and compete with Amazon — strategic diversification that may lift average transaction values over time but is a longer-term play. Can a $1,699 Espresso Machine Help Walmart Challenge Amazon?
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry/ETF commentary is circulating but not directly company-specific; may influence sector flows rather than WMT fundamentals. Winners & Losers: The ETF Playbook to Glide Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling reported (EVP sales of ~$166k and ~$1.57M) — while insider sales can be routine, multiple recent disposals can spook short-term traders. Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) EVP Sells $166,560.00 in Stock Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) EVP Sells $1,574,868.75 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns: commentary that WMT may be overvalued amid recent gains could temper further upside and invite profit-taking if growth expectations slip. Walmart Stock Has Been a Big Winner Recently. But Is It Overvalued Now?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on WMT. Tigress Financial lifted their target price on Walmart from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $119.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Walmart from $110.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Thirty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $123.03.

Walmart Stock Down 1.3%

The business has a 50 day moving average of $111.83 and a two-hundred day moving average of $104.74. The stock has a market capitalization of $941.99 billion, a PE ratio of 41.35, a PEG ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.80.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $179.50 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $175.15 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.58 earnings per share. The firm’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 predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Walmart news, EVP Donna Morris sold 9,384 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.19, for a total value of $1,127,862.96. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 536,312 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $64,459,339.28. The trade was a 1.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.83, for a total value of $2,171,291.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 4,315,333 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $482,583,689.39. This represents a 0.45% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 135,215 shares of company stock valued at $15,071,810 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Matrix Trust Co raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 20.0% in the fourth quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 547 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $61,000 after buying an additional 91 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Walmart by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 9,926 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,023,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares during the period. Atlas Legacy Advisors LLC raised its stake in Walmart by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Atlas Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 8,707 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $851,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. Meridian Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in Walmart by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Meridian Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,804 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $470,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the period. Finally, Hemington Wealth Management grew its stake in Walmart by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Hemington Wealth Management now owns 5,695 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $586,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

About Walmart

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.