Bleakley Financial Group LLC Acquires 18,266 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Bleakley Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 13.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 155,605 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 18,266 shares during the period. Bleakley Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $17,336,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of WMT. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings 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. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Walmart by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 439,957,146 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $49,015,626,000 after acquiring an additional 4,304,436 shares during the period. Amundi raised its holdings 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. Danske Bank A S bought a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at about $294,621,000. Finally, Axxcess Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Walmart by 1,061.8% in the 4th quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,042,724 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $338,989,000 after acquiring an additional 2,780,817 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of WMT opened at $120.27 on Tuesday. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $93.43 and a 12 month high of $135.15. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $126.67 and its 200-day moving average is $120.29. The stock has a market capitalization of $958.67 billion, a PE ratio of 42.20, a P/E/G ratio of 4.45 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. Walmart had a net margin of 3.13% and a return on equity of 21.25%. The company had revenue of $177.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $174.84 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.61 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $150.00 price target (up from $145.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, May 7th. UBS Group set a $141.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $140.00 price target (up from $130.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. DA Davidson set a $150.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Oppenheimer reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $140.00 price target (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, February 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Walmart has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $138.71.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart posted strong first-quarter revenue of $177.8 billion, up 7.3% year over year, with global e-commerce sales jumping 26% and advertising growing 37%, reinforcing the company’s growth beyond traditional retail. Walmart Stock Fell After Its Earnings Beat. Is the Post-Earnings Dip a Buying Opportunity?
• Positive Sentiment: UBS said its long-term view on Walmart’s higher-margin “second P&L” remains intact, highlighting advertising, marketplace fees, and membership income as key growth drivers. Walmart price target lowered by UBS as Q1 results miss elevated expectations
• Positive Sentiment: Higher gasoline prices could support Walmart’s value-focused traffic, as consumers tend to trade down to low-price retailers when inflation and fuel costs rise. Walmart CEO issues blunt message on rising fuel prices
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS lowered its price target to $141 from $147 after the quarter, but still kept a constructive longer-term stance, suggesting the report was good but not enough to justify prior elevated expectations. Walmart price target lowered by UBS as Q1 results miss elevated expectations
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary largely focused on whether Walmart’s strong e-commerce and membership growth can keep offsetting a more cautious consumer backdrop. Walmart’s Q1 Sales Jump 7.3%: Can E-commerce Sustain 26% Growth?
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart’s cautious second-quarter guidance and pressure from rising fuel costs were cited as a reason the stock sold off after earnings, despite the upbeat revenue results. Walmart Stock Fell After Its Earnings Beat. Is the Post-Earnings Dip a Buying Opportunity?
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley also turned more cautious on Walmart amid high inflation, reinforcing concerns that margins and near-term upside may be limited after the recent run-up. Morgan Stanley resets Walmart forecast on high inflation
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of senior executive departures after John Furner’s arrival added a small layer of leadership uncertainty, though this appears less important than the earnings and outlook issues. Walmart Sees Executives Depart Following New CEO’s Arrival

Insider Activity at Walmart

In related news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.79, for a total transaction of $2,555,800.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 486,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,203,571.56. This trade represents a 3.95% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,335 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.63, for a total transaction of $166,381.05. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 636,843 shares in the company, valued at $79,369,743.09. This represents a 0.21% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders sold 126,008 shares of company stock valued at $15,896,715. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.