Walmart FY2027 EPS Forecast Lowered by Erste Group Bank

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) – Research analysts at Erste Group Bank decreased their FY2027 earnings per share estimates for Walmart in a research report issued on Thursday, August 27th. Erste Group Bank analyst S. Lingnau now anticipates that the retailer will earn $2.88 per share for the year, down from their prior estimate of $2.89. Erste Group Bank currently has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Walmart’s current full-year earnings is $2.87 per share. Erste Group Bank also issued estimates for Walmart’s FY2028 earnings at $3.20 EPS.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.68 earnings per share. Walmart’s revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on WMT. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price objective on Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 21st. KeyCorp reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $128.00 price target (down from $137.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Evercore set a $125.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $125.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $131.88.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $105.92 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The company has a market cap of $840.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.59. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $111.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.08. Walmart has a 1-year low of $96.51 and a 1-year high of $135.15.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMT. Bell & Brown Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the second quarter worth about $6,451,000. Advisortrust Partners LLC lifted its position in Walmart by 20.2% in the first quarter. Advisortrust Partners LLC now owns 67,142 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,344,000 after purchasing an additional 11,283 shares during the period. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA boosted its holdings in Walmart by 253.3% in the 1st quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 384,034 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $47,728,000 after purchasing an additional 275,337 shares in the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC boosted its holdings in Walmart by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 2,416,580 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $300,333,000 after purchasing an additional 68,632 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vise Technologies Inc. increased its position in Walmart by 42.1% during the 4th quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 275,341 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $30,676,000 after purchasing an additional 81,635 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 201,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,246,145.20. The trade was a 20.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143 in the last ninety days. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Opioid lawsuit ends with limited financial impact: Walmart agreed to pay approximately $50 million to resolve a Justice Department lawsuit involving its pharmacies’ opioid-distribution practices. The settlement is described as immaterial relative to Walmart’s profits and substantially below the potentially multibillion-dollar penalties once threatened, reducing a major legal overhang. Walmart escapes major legal penalty for a fraction of the cost
• Positive Sentiment: Marketplace growth remains strong: Walmart’s U.S. marketplace sales reportedly increased 52%, helped by a broader product assortment, increased fulfillment adoption and expansion into Mexico and Canada. Continued marketplace momentum could improve customer engagement and support higher-margin advertising and third-party seller revenue. Walmart’s Marketplace Momentum Builds
• Positive Sentiment: International digital operations are improving: Rising e-commerce penetration and reduced losses in Walmart International are improving the segment’s economics. However, ongoing investment and margin pressure could limit the near-term earnings benefit. Walmart International’s Digital Mix Rises
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst remains bullish: Tigress Financial reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $155 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. SAIC, Walmart And 3 Stocks To Watch
• Neutral Sentiment: Value comparison offers limited direction: Articles comparing Walmart with J. Sainsbury PLC focus on relative valuation rather than a new company-specific catalyst. Walmart’s strong operating profile is balanced by a comparatively elevated earnings multiple, making valuation-sensitive investors more selective. JSAIY vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: EPS estimates were trimmed: Erste Group Bank lowered its fiscal 2027 earnings-per-share estimates for Walmart, reinforcing concerns that elevated investment, e-commerce costs or margin pressure could constrain profit growth. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Walmart Cut by Erste Group Bank

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.