Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. Acquires 5,190 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 304.0% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 6,897 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,190 shares during the quarter. Hillsdale Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $857,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth $6,458,529,000. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Walmart by 188.1% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after purchasing an additional 7,614,172 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Walmart by 6.8% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 103,010,709 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $11,426,753,000 after purchasing an additional 6,517,394 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors bought a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth about $592,848,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Walmart by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 439,957,146 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $49,015,626,000 after purchasing an additional 4,304,436 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Stock Up 2.2%

NASDAQ:WMT opened at $114.95 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $914.78 billion, a PE ratio of 40.33, a P/E/G ratio of 4.19 and a beta of 0.60. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $94.43 and a twelve month high of $135.15. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The company’s 50 day moving average is $119.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $122.10.

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

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total transaction of $1,308,670.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 120,203 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,300,550.91. The trade was a 8.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.08, for a total value of $1,628,550.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 661,037 shares in the company, valued at approximately $82,021,470.96. The trade was a 1.95% decrease in their position. 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. Insiders sold 87,145 shares of company stock worth $10,691,920 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WMT. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, June 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 price objective (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, May 18th. UBS Group set a $141.00 target price on shares of Walmart and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $145.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $138.85.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s back-to-school push is getting attention as the retailer highlights its lowest prices since 2019 on popular school items, which could help drive traffic and sales into the important seasonal shopping period. Walmart Helps Americans Navigate Their Annual Back-to-School Reset with Unmatched Value, Convenience and Style
• Positive Sentiment: June retail sales rose modestly, suggesting consumers are still spending and reinforcing Walmart’s value-oriented appeal as shoppers look for lower prices on essentials. Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart also announced a partnership with General Mills and ADM to expand regenerative agriculture across 40,000 Midwest wheat acres, a long-term supply-chain and sustainability initiative that may support the company’s brand and sourcing strategy. General Mills, ADM, Walmart Partner to Accelerate Regenerative Agriculture Across 40,000 Midwest Wheat Acres
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to flag Walmart’s premium valuation, with a forward P/E around 36.7x, which suggests investors expect strong execution but also leaves less room for disappointment. Walmart Commands a 36.74X Forward P/E: Is the Stock Worth Buying?
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary on Walmart’s AI-related hiring plans highlights the company’s investment in automation and digital tools, but it does not appear to materially change near-term earnings expectations. Walmart’s people chief says these 10 jobs are still hot in the age of AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market volatility and articles comparing Walmart with other defensive stocks add context, but they are not direct catalysts for the shares. 3 Stocks to Own When the Market Gets Ugly in July
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart’s stock has also recently been under pressure on a day when the broader market was firmer, underscoring some investor caution around the name despite its defensive profile. Walmart (WMT) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here’s Why

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.