Trust Co of the South Increases Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Trust Co of the South grew its position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 22.0% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 27,915 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,038 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for approximately 0.5% of Trust Co of the South’s holdings, making the stock its 24th largest position. Trust Co of the South’s holdings in Walmart were worth $3,110,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in Walmart by 1.0% in the third quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 9,926 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,023,000 after buying an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Meridian Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Walmart by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Meridian Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,804 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $470,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Hemington Wealth Management raised its position in shares of Walmart by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Hemington Wealth Management now owns 5,695 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $586,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Boomfish Wealth Group LLC raised its position in shares of Walmart by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter. Boomfish Wealth Group LLC now owns 3,701 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $381,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bailard Inc. lifted its stake in Walmart by 0.3% during the third quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 29,445 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,035,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of WMT stock opened at $119.02 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $124.08 and its 200 day moving average price is $112.74. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The stock has a market capitalization of $948.88 billion, a PE ratio of 43.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.66. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $79.81 and a 52-week high of $134.69.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The company’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $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. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Walmart Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a $0.2475 dividend. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s payout ratio is currently 36.13%.

Insider Activity at Walmart

In related news, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.79, for a total transaction of $9,430,445.99. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 402,072 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $49,772,492.88. This represents a 15.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total transaction of $4,158,004.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 533,466 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $65,082,852. The trade was a 6.01% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 274,278 shares of company stock worth $33,605,809 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have commented on WMT. Erste Group Bank reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $120.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $147.00 target price (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $134.00 price target (up from $129.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $150.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $135.76.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Growing AI narrative and modest analyst upside: coverage notes that Walmart’s AI investments (supply-chain, store ops) are reshaping its growth story and one valuation model nudged fair value slightly higher to ~$136, supporting longer-term upside. This bolsters bullish investor interest in WMT as a tech-enabled retailer. How Walmart (WMT) Is Rewriting Its Story With AI Hype And Valuation Questions
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/technical support for defensive retail: coverage from Barron’s highlights Walmart alongside other defensive retail names on both technical and fundamental grounds, which can attract risk-off flows and relative-strength buyers in uncertain markets. Walmart, Ross Stores, and Other ‘Defensive’ Retail Stocks
• Positive Sentiment: Market narrative that Walmart is an AI play: features arguing Walmart (and Target) are meaningful AI plays could lift investor conviction around margin improvement and efficiency gains over time. Forget Chipmakers: Walmart and Target Are the Real AI Plays
• Neutral Sentiment: Higher-than-usual call buying: intraday activity showed a ~42% increase in call option volume, which signals bullish positioning but could be speculative or short-term. Watch whether this leads to sustained buying or just short-term gamma flow.
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO transition focus: commentary on managing and positioning around CEO transitions notes both risk and opportunity — transitions can create volatility but also potential strategic shifts. Investors should watch messaging and execution from leadership. How to Play 3 Major CEO Transitions in Early 2026 (WMT)
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling by CEO: CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares (~1.87% reduction in his position) in a disclosed SEC filing — insider sales can be interpreted negatively by some investors even if part of routine diversification. Insider Sale SEC Filing

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.