Principal Financial Group Inc. Has $736.83 Million Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Principal Financial Group Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 4.0% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 5,928,783 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 248,091 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $736,829,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. MFA Wealth Services boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 0.7% in the first quarter. MFA Wealth Services now owns 10,909 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,356,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the period. Realta Investment Advisors boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 2.0% in the first quarter. Realta Investment Advisors now owns 4,089 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $508,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the period. Compton Financial Group LLC grew its position in Walmart by 4.1% during the first quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC now owns 2,081 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $259,000 after buying an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Group LLC raised its holdings in Walmart by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 9,636 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,074,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Calton & Associates Inc. lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 27,220 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,033,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Price Performance

Walmart stock opened at $114.78 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $94.38 and a 52-week high of $135.15. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $120.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $122.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $913.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.27, a PEG ratio of 4.25 and a beta of 0.60.

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. UBS Group set a $141.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Tigress Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price target (up from $150.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, Truist Financial set a $140.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, May 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $138.85.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary are emphasizing Walmart’s defensive profile versus peers, arguing that WMT offers strong recession-resistant exposure and an edge in AI integration and automation. Walmart Vs. Costco: Buy Walmart Over Costco for Defensive Coverage and AI Integration Superiority
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage says Walmart+ is helping drive recurring revenue, record membership additions, and stronger digital engagement, supported by faster delivery and broader omnichannel growth. Can Walmart+ Membership Keep WMT’s Growth Momentum Alive?
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple articles frame WMT as a stock investors are watching closely, with one note highlighting that the shares have recently moved higher and asking whether they remain attractive to buy. Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Shares Up 1.5% – Time to Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Options-market activity suggests traders are positioning for a larger move in Walmart, but the headline does not specify direction, so the near-term impact is uncertain. Are Options Traders Betting on a Big Move in Walmart Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Other articles mainly compare Walmart with peers or note that it is trending among investors, which adds visibility but does not point to a clear catalyst on its own. JSAIY or WMT: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total transaction of $1,308,670.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 120,203 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,300,550.91. This trade represents a 8.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.84, for a total value of $1,638,525.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 674,162 shares in the company, valued at $84,162,384.08. This trade represents a 1.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 104,505 shares of company stock valued at $12,858,514. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Walmart Company 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.