Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co Acquires 92,900 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co grew its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 15.0% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 711,366 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 92,900 shares during the quarter. Walmart makes up 0.5% of Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest position. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co’s holdings in Walmart were worth $73,313,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in WMT. Collier Financial bought a new stake in Walmart in the third quarter worth $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart in the second quarter worth about $26,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new position in shares of Walmart in the third quarter worth about $28,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc lifted its stake in shares of Walmart by 212.6% in the 3rd quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 3rd quarter valued at about $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have commented on WMT shares. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $140.00 target price (up previously from $126.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $130.00 target price (up from $123.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Raymond James Financial reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $140.00 price target (up previously from $130.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday. Thirty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Walmart presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $127.19.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raising targets and upgrades — Oppenheimer and other firms have lifted price targets and reiterated Outperform/Buy ratings ahead of Walmart’s Q4 print, supporting momentum and investor confidence. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional buying — Fisher Asset Management increased its stake, signaling conviction from a large money manager that can boost demand for the stock. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Earnings cadence and expectations — Walmart scheduled its Q4 earnings call for Feb. 19; markets are watching for a possible beat and forward commentary after the company recently topped EPS and set FY2026 guidance. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Operational initiatives and store rollout — Next‑gen Jacksonville Supercenter and omnichannel tests reinforce Walmart’s long‑term growth/efficiency thesis that analysts cite when valuing the company at premium multiples. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/retail data mixed — December retail sales came in flat, a potential headwind for discretionary categories, but Walmart is often viewed as a beneficiary of “trade‑down” behavior when consumers seek value. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive landscape — Kroger’s leadership change (Greg Foran) sharpens competition in grocery; it’s a strategic risk over time but not an immediate earnings shock. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Major lawsuit from Estée Lauder alleging counterfeit products sold via Walmart’s marketplace — this brings legal, reputational and regulatory risk and could trigger increased compliance costs or marketplace restrictions if proven. Investors are watching how Walmart responds and whether third‑party seller controls will be tightened. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Marketplace scrutiny and investor nervousness — coverage notes the suit also tests marketplace controls and investor sentiment; increased regulatory scrutiny or larger-than-expected damages would be a material negative. Read More.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.83, for a total transaction of $2,171,291.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 4,315,333 shares in the company, valued at approximately $482,583,689.39. This trade represents a 0.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.79, for a total value of $9,430,445.99. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 402,072 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,772,492.88. This represents a 15.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 229,196 shares of company stock worth $26,957,858 over the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Walmart Trading Up 1.6%

NASDAQ WMT opened at $128.77 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.03 trillion, a PE ratio of 45.02, a P/E/G ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 0.65. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $117.36 and its 200 day moving average is $107.82. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $79.81 and a twelve month high of $131.79. 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 posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.02. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.31% and a net margin of 3.26%.The business had revenue of $179.50 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $175.15 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.58 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.