Polar Capital Holdings Plc Buys 39,406 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Polar Capital Holdings Plc grew its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 12.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 366,034 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 39,406 shares during the period. Polar Capital Holdings Plc’s holdings in Walmart were worth $40,780,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in WMT. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new position in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Walmart by 57.4% in the fourth quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the period. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walmart by 193.0% in the fourth quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 193 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.92, for a total value of $359,368.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 577,853 shares in the company, valued at approximately $71,607,543.76. This trade represents a 0.50% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total value of $1,435,203.96. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% 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. Insiders sold 128,986 shares of company stock valued at $15,927,908 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Price Performance

NASDAQ:WMT opened at $121.03 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $93.62 and a one year high of $135.15. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $125.09 and a 200 day moving average price of $121.96. The stock has a market cap of $963.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.47, a PEG ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.59.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. Walmart had a net margin of 3.13% and a return on equity of 21.25%. The company had revenue of $177.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.61 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s advertising business is reportedly surging as marketplace activity, seller spending, and digital engagement boost retail media revenue, reinforcing a fast-growing higher-margin profit stream. Walmart’s Advertising Revenues Soar: Is Retail Media Paying Off?
• Positive Sentiment: New delivery options, including Subway meals through Walmart delivery, suggest the company is continuing to expand convenience offerings and deepen customer engagement. Walmart Inc (WMT) Adds Subway Meals Delivery. Get the Bigger Picture
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart was highlighted among the best S&P 500 stocks to buy now according to analysts, signaling continued confidence in its defensive business model and growth profile. Walmart (WMT) – Among the 14 Best S&P 500 Stocks to Buy Now According to Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings season coverage showed Walmart outperforming many large-format grocery and general merchandise peers, reinforcing relative strength versus competitors. Q1 Earnings Outperformers: Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) And The Rest of the Large-format Grocery & General Merchandise Retailer Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles debated whether Walmart’s recent rally is fully justified and whether the stock’s party is over, but these pieces were more commentary than a direct business catalyst. Walmart (WMT) Stock After Recent Retail Sentiment Shifts Is The Rally Justified
• Neutral Sentiment: One executive stock sale and a price-prediction style article could create some headline noise, but they do not appear to materially change the company’s operating outlook. Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) EVP Sells $1,435,203.96 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: One article argued another e-commerce and fintech company may be a better buy than Walmart, which could slightly temper enthusiasm at the margin, though it does not alter Walmart’s fundamentals. Forget Walmart: This E-Commerce and Fintech Giant Is Growing 40% YoY and Is a Better Buy

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on WMT shares. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $135.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, June 8th. BNP Paribas Exane decreased their price target on shares of Walmart from $147.00 to $146.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 22nd. UBS Group set a $141.00 price target on Walmart and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $145.00 price objective on Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $138.85.

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.