Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV Boosts Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV lifted its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 9.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,759,636 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 147,051 shares during the quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV’s holdings in Walmart were worth $181,348,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc grew its stake in Walmart by 212.6% in the third quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares during the period. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart in the third quarter worth $39,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have commented on WMT shares. Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $125.00 price objective (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $140.00 target price (up from $130.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $150.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Craig Hallum set a $150.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, CICC Research began coverage on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, December 26th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $125.00 price objective on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $135.76.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s international segment showed solid momentum in Q4 fiscal 2026: 7.5% sales growth and a 17% e‑commerce increase, supporting top‑line resilience outside the U.S. — this underpins revenue diversification and e‑commerce penetration. Walmart’s International Business Shows Strength: Momentum Ahead?
• Positive Sentiment: Flipkart (Walmart’s India e‑commerce arm) moved its holding company from Singapore to India to clear the path for an Indian listing — a potential value‑realization event that could unlock shareholder value if the IPO proceeds on favorable terms. Walmart’s (WMT) Indian E-Commerce Firm Flipkart Shifts Holding Company to India from Singapore, Reuters Reports
• Positive Sentiment: Analysis highlights Walmart as a frontrunner in applying AI across forecasting, inventory and logistics — AI gains can expand margins, lower shrink/labor costs and boost e‑commerce economics, supporting longer‑term EPS upside. This tech narrative also reinforces Walmart’s re‑rating since shifting to Nasdaq. The AI Checkout Line: The Hidden Tech Play in Your Cart
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart goes ex‑dividend March 20 with a boosted payout; dividends support income investors, but commentary questioning payout safety could prompt short‑term caution among yield‑focused holders. Event risk centers on timing and perception rather than fundamentals. Walmart Is About to Pay a Boosted Dividend, but Is It Actually Safe?
• Neutral Sentiment: Continued media mentions of Walmart as a long‑term retail pick, and as a recent stock‑split candidate/recipient in marketroundups, help retail interest and SEO visibility but are unlikely to move fundamentals materially. The Best 4 Retail Stocks to Buy and Hold for Decades
• Neutral Sentiment: Smaller merchandising news (vendors adding products to Walmart shelves) is positive for assortment but unlikely to affect the stock; such items support the retail moat incrementally. HTVRONT Expands Walmart Retail Presence with Two New Heat Press Machines
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation comparisons to peers (e.g., J. Sainsbury) and retail rankings offer context for investors but don’t change Walmart’s core growth drivers; useful for relative allocation decisions. JSAIY vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total value of $4,158,004.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 533,466 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $65,082,852. The trade was a 6.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.91, for a total transaction of $1,508,193.75. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 733,841 shares in the company, valued at approximately $84,325,669.31. The trade was a 1.76% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders sold 278,278 shares of company stock valued at $33,974,118. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Walmart Trading Down 0.4%

Walmart stock opened at $125.99 on Tuesday. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $79.81 and a 12 month high of $134.69. The company has a market capitalization of $1.00 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.66. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $123.43 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $112.27. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The company’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.66 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.2475 per share. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.31%.

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.