Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Erste Group Bank from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday.
A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on WMT. Oppenheimer reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $140.00 price target (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, February 9th. HSBC lowered Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $122.00 to $131.00 in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $137.00 price target (up from $130.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $138.85.
Get Our Latest Research Report on WMT
Walmart Trading Up 0.7%
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The firm had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.Walmart’s revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.61 EPS. 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 forecast that Walmart will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.
Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart
In related news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total value of $1,308,670.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 120,203 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,300,550.91. This trade represents a 8.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,335 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.63, for a total transaction of $166,381.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 636,843 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $79,369,743.09. The trade was a 0.21% 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 117,008 shares of company stock worth $14,492,704. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Walmart
Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of WMT. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $6,458,529,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Walmart by 188.1% during the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after buying an additional 7,614,172 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Walmart by 6.8% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 103,010,709 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $11,426,753,000 after buying an additional 6,517,394 shares during the period. Capital International Investors purchased a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $592,848,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Walmart by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 439,957,146 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $49,015,626,000 after buying an additional 4,304,436 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Walmart News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart expanded its delivery offering to include Subway from in-store restaurant locations, which could make its app more useful, increase delivery orders, and strengthen its competitive position against DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Amazon. Walmart Adds Express Delivery From In-Store Restaurants, Starting With Subway®
- Positive Sentiment: Shareholders approved management’s direction at the annual meeting, with CEO John Furner highlighting strong FY26 results and continued omnichannel performance, reinforcing confidence in Walmart’s business model. Walmart Announces 2026 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting Voting Results
- Neutral Sentiment: Investors rejected a proposal requiring a report on how AI and automation affect workers, removing a potential compliance burden but not changing near-term fundamentals. Walmart Shareholders Reject Bid to Require AI Workplace Impact Report
- Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s broader AI and retail-tech initiatives, including internal coding tools and efforts to avoid vendor lock-in, support longer-term efficiency gains but are not immediate stock catalysts. Code Puppy: Walmart’s secret weapon against AI lock-in
- Negative Sentiment: A new lawsuit over hiring practices in Massachusetts adds a legal and compliance overhang that could create distraction and headline risk for the stock. Walmart Lawsuit Puts Massachusetts Hiring Practices And Investor Risks In Focus
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.
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