Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Cut to Hold at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report released on Sunday morning.

A number of other research firms have also commented on WMT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Walmart from $128.00 to $129.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, November 21st. DA Davidson set a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $135.00 price objective (up previously from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. UBS Group set a $130.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $125.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Thirty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $123.03.

Walmart Trading Down 0.8%

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $118.71 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $946.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.51, a PEG ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 0.66. Walmart has a 1-year low of $79.81 and a 1-year high of $121.62. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $112.14 and a 200 day moving average price of $104.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.80.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $179.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $175.15 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.31% and a net margin of 3.26%.The company’s revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.58 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Walmart will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In related news, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.91, for a total transaction of $1,508,193.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 733,841 shares in the company, valued at approximately $84,325,669.31. This trade represents a 1.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 4,365 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.19, for a total value of $524,629.35. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 238,583 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,675,290.77. This represents a 1.80% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 135,215 shares of company stock valued at $15,071,810 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Walmart

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new position in Walmart during the third quarter worth $28,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the third quarter valued at $30,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target raises signal continued confidence in Walmart’s execution — Truist bumped its target to $127 (from $119), citing solid across-the-board performance and improving convenience options for customers. Walmart (WMT) Gets Price Target Hike Amid Expanding Convenience Alternatives
• Positive Sentiment: RBC Capital reiterated an Outperform and nudged its price target to $126, reflecting positive discussions with Walmart management (including AI/product leadership) and reinforcing buy-side sentiment. RBC Capital Retains an Outperform Rating on Walmart Inc. (WMT)
• Positive Sentiment: Digital momentum remains strong — Walmart reported ~27% digital sales growth in Q3 driven by faster delivery, marketplace expansion and member adoption, supporting revenue diversification and margin upside from ads and marketplace fees. WMT Sees Broad-Based Digital Gains: Is the 20%+ Growth Sustainable?
• Positive Sentiment: PhonePe IPO progress could unlock value — regulatory clearance in India moves the fintech (part-owned by Walmart) closer to a public listing, a potential catalyst for value realization. Walmart’s PhonePe Gets Regulatory OK for Indian IPO
• Positive Sentiment: Retail assortment wins (brand rollouts) and capital returns underpin long-term fundamentals — a national launch of Viking Revolution in 900 stores and a decade of ~$132B returned to shareholders (dividends + buybacks) support steady cash returns and merchandising strength. Fast-Growing Men’s Grooming Brand Viking Revolution Launches in 900 Walmart Locations Nationwide Walmart Investors Had A $130 Billion Decade
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings preview pieces and strategic experiments (e.g., higher-end home goods like a $1,699 espresso machine) highlight management’s efforts to attract higher-income shoppers, but near-term impact on margins/traffic is uncertain. Walmart earnings preview: What to expect Can a $1,699 Espresso Machine Help Walmart Challenge Amazon?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary and analyst debate about sustainability of elevated growth rates (and how ETFs/sector moves affect Walmart exposure) create mixed near-term sentiment. Winners & Losers: The ETF Playbook to Glide Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — recent EVP stock sales totaling roughly $1.7M reported; while not uncommon, such sales can pressure sentiment and raise questions about near-term insider convictions. Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) EVP Sells $1,574,868.75 in Stock Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) EVP Sells $166,560.00 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns and “is it overvalued?” commentary — rising multiples (current trailing P/E ~41.5) and some bearish takes have prompted debates about whether recent gains are priced for perfection. Walmart Stock Has Been a Big Winner Recently. But Is It Overvalued Now?

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.