Spartan Wealth Advisory Services LLC Purchases New Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Spartan Wealth Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm purchased 43,739 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $5,436,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Walmart by 57.4% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the period. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Walmart by 193.0% in the 4th quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMT has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wolfe Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 price objective (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, May 11th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Truist Financial set a $140.00 price target on Walmart in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $137.00 price target (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, June 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $138.85.

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $114.24 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $94.43 and a 12-month high of $135.15. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $118.82 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $122.04. The firm has a market cap of $909.13 billion, a PE ratio of 40.08, a PEG ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42.

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

Insider Activity

In other Walmart news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 125,067 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 120,203 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,300,550.91. The trade was a 8.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 87,145 shares of company stock worth $10,691,920. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: June U.S. retail sales held up, suggesting consumers are still spending as Walmart heads into the back-to-school season; that could support traffic and sales volumes if the company remains aggressive on pricing. Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is also being discussed in multiple market and analyst roundups, with commentary focusing on its strong digital growth and role as a defensive stock, but these pieces do not appear to include a major new business update. Walmart Commands a 36.74X Forward P/E: Is the Stock Worth Buying?
• Neutral Sentiment: An article about AI and retail highlighted that Walmart is investing in automation while still emphasizing workers, which reinforces its long-term strategy but is unlikely to move the stock on its own. Walmart’s people chief says these 10 jobs are still hot in the age of AI
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts argue Walmart’s premium valuation leaves limited room for disappointment, with one note saying momentum alone may not justify the stock’s high forward P/E. Walmart’s Momentum Cannot Justify The Premium
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart has also been the subject of bearish commentary saying the recent sell-off may not be over, adding to investor caution around the shares. Walmart: The Sell-Off Isn’t Over Yet (Rating Upgrade)

Walmart Profile

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.