XY Planning Network Inc. Acquires New Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

XY Planning Network Inc. acquired a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 8,182 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $912,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMT. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its position in Walmart by 188.1% in the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after acquiring an additional 7,614,172 shares during the period. Amundi increased its position in Walmart by 20.5% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 23,497,921 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,413,236,000 after acquiring an additional 4,004,277 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Walmart by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 435,652,710 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $44,898,368,000 after acquiring an additional 3,835,200 shares during the period. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $294,621,000. Finally, Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC increased its position in Walmart by 1,991.9% in the 2nd quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 2,549,719 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $249,312,000 after acquiring an additional 2,427,834 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walmart Stock Up 0.0%

Walmart stock opened at $124.82 on Friday. 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 12-month low of $91.34 and a 12-month high of $134.69. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $125.71 and its 200 day moving average is $115.70. The company has a market capitalization of $995.11 billion, a PE ratio of 45.55, a PEG ratio of 4.65 and a beta of 0.66.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a net margin of 3.07% and a return on equity of 21.44%. The company had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.66 EPS. Walmart’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. 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, sell-side analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a dividend of $0.2475 per share. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s payout ratio is presently 36.13%.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Flipkart (Walmart-owned) will enter India’s movie and concert ticketing market, tapping a fast-growing entertainment spend that diversifies digital revenue and leverages Flipkart’s large user base. Walmart’s Flipkart plans foray into India’s ticketing market as live events boom, sources say
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is investing heavily in its U.S. store footprint — remodeling ~650 stores, opening ~20 new locations (plus state-level reinvestments) — actions aimed at improving customer experience, delivery speed and same-store sales. These capital investments support longer-term sales and fulfillment efficiencies. Walmart Upgrades 650 Stores Amid Interest From High-Stress Shoppers
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart expanded Better Care Services to include weight-management support for customers using or exploring GLP‑1s (virtual care, nutrition and pharmacy integration). That positions Walmart to capture incremental pharmacy and services revenue from a fast-growing healthcare category. Walmart Expands Access to Weight Management Support Services for Customers on or exploring GLP-1s
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart launched Upstream Facility Services (HVAC and maintenance) using its store network — a B2B service offering that monetizes physical footprint and creates a recurring revenue stream outside traditional retail sales. Walmart’s Upstream Launch Expands Its Long-Term Growth Runway
• Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim raised its WMT price target to $137 (from $120) and reiterated a Buy, highlighting Walmart’s scale and mix as supportive of upside — analyst upgrades can lift sentiment and flows. Walmart (WMT) – Among the Early Retirement Portfolio: Top 15 Stocks to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart refreshed its Great Value private-label packaging and launched a fashion collection tie‑in (The Devil Wears Prada). Brand updates can support merchandising and margin but are unlikely to move near-term revenue materially. Fashion moves: Walmart launches a collection tied to The Devil Wears Prada
• Neutral Sentiment: Filings show some funds (e.g., BCS Wealth Management) increased stakes in WMT — a modest vote of confidence but not large enough to signal material ownership shifts. BCS Wealth Management Has $1.61 Million Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT
• Negative Sentiment: Sam’s Club is raising membership fees — a revenue-positive move for Walmart’s club business but one that could provoke member churn or boost competitors (e.g., Costco) if customers balk at higher costs. Will Increased Membership Fees at Walmart’s Sam’s Club Actually Boost Costco’s Stock Instead?

Insider Activity at Walmart

In related news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 533,466 shares in the company, valued at $65,082,852. The trade was a 6.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 402,072 shares in the company, valued at $49,772,492.88. The trade was a 15.93% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 246,016 shares of company stock worth $30,431,872 over the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WMT has been the subject of several recent research reports. Raymond James Financial restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $145.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $125.00 price objective (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. CICC Research assumed coverage on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, December 26th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $125.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $138.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $137.64.

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.