Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Sold by Employees Retirement System of Texas

Employees Retirement System of Texas lessened its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,143,800 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 64,600 shares during the period. Walmart makes up 0.9% of Employees Retirement System of Texas’ holdings, making the stock its 18th biggest position. Employees Retirement System of Texas’ holdings in Walmart were worth $117,880,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter worth about $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new position in Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc lifted its holdings in Walmart by 212.6% in the third quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the period. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $39,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other Walmart news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.10, for a total value of $1,694,437.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 591,084 shares in the company, valued at approximately $76,308,944.40. This trade represents a 2.17% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.71, for a total transaction of $2,460,201.36. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,023,209 shares in the company, valued at approximately $509,780,812.39. This trade represents a 0.48% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 279,703 shares of company stock valued at $34,140,843. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WMT has been the subject of several recent research reports. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $147.00 target price (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Bank of America started coverage on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $150.00 price objective for the company. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $130.00 price objective (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Raymond James Financial restated an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, March 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $135.76.

Walmart Stock Up 1.4%

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $125.27 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $998.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.60 and a beta of 0.66. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $122.89 and its 200-day simple moving average is $111.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $79.81 and a 52-week high of $134.69.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 net margin of 3.07% and a return on equity of 21.44%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.66 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

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

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart reported strong digital momentum: eCommerce sales rose ~24% in the fiscal Q4, reinforcing its omnichannel strategy and recurring revenue diversification that supports higher-margin pickup and delivery services. This underpins confidence in sales resilience and future growth. Walmart eCommerce Up 24%
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy and raised its price target to $150, citing Walmart’s transition to a tech-driven, omnichannel retailer — a vote of confidence that can support further upside and attract investor interest. Tigress Financial Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Flipkart IPO potential: Reports that Walmart-backed Flipkart is preparing for an IPO as soon as this year raise the prospect of a significant liquidity/monetization event for Walmart’s international eCommerce stake, which could unlock shareholder value if executed. Flipkart IPO Report
• Positive Sentiment: Defensive retail demand theme: Market commentary on ETFs that gain from consumers tightening budgets highlights Walmart as a beneficiary of value-oriented spending, which supports steady traffic and margins in down-cycle consumer environments. ETFs That Could Benefit
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term comparison with Amazon: Several pieces debate WMT vs AMZN for a 10‑year hold — useful for strategic allocation decisions but not an immediate catalyst. These compare capital intensity, margins, growth runway and ecosystem differences. AMZN vs. WMT Comparison
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate housekeeping / optics: Commentary on Walmart’s prior stock split and long-term total-return track record reinforces retail accessibility and shareholder-friendly history but is not a near-term earnings catalyst. MarketBeat Stock Split Note
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and sentiment concerns: Retail investor chatter (Reddit) and analysis have flagged a high forward multiple (~46x in commentary) and a recent month‑long pullback, prompting bearish social sentiment and questions about near-term upside versus current price. Elevated multiple and heightened retail skepticism can pressure short-term performance if earnings guidance disappoints. Reddit Valuation Critique
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation re-checks after momentum: Coverage noting recent share-price gains has prompted fresh valuation analysis — some investors are pausing for confirmation that top-line digital gains and margin expansion justify premium multiples. That caution can cap upside until clarity on sustainable EPS progression. Valuation Look

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.