Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) Holdings Lifted by NorthRock Partners LLC

NorthRock Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) by 64.4% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 63,741 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 24,968 shares during the quarter. NorthRock Partners LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $5,759,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Horizon Financial Services LLC grew its position in Walmart by 1,007.7% during the 4th quarter. Horizon Financial Services LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 262 shares in the last quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Noble Wealth Management PBC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the fourth quarter worth approximately $37,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walmart Stock Performance

Walmart stock opened at $95.86 on Wednesday. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $59.44 and a 12-month high of $105.30. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $90.70 and a 200 day simple moving average of $92.16. The stock has a market capitalization of $766.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.78, a P/E/G ratio of 4.42 and a beta of 0.70.

Walmart (NYSE:WMT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 20th. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.64 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $180.55 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $178.83 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.87% and a net margin of 2.85%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 12th will be paid a $0.235 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 0.95%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 9th. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 39.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 2,200 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.37, for a total transaction of $214,214.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 632,718 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $61,607,751.66. This trade represents a 0.35% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.99, for a total transaction of $166,384.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 423,597 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $44,049,852.03. The trade was a 0.38% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 133,857 shares of company stock valued at $12,444,743. Company insiders own 45.58% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have commented on WMT shares. Roth Mkm restated a “buy” rating and issued a $108.00 target price (up previously from $97.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 21st. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on Walmart from $100.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 7th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, May 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, May 5th. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Walmart from $111.00 to $107.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-one have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $103.94.

Walmart Company Profile

Walmart Inc engages in the operation of retail, wholesale, other units, and eCommerce worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. It operates supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores, and discount stores under Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands; membership-only warehouse clubs; ecommerce websites, such as walmart.com.mx, walmart.ca, flipkart.com, PhonePe and other sites; and mobile commerce applications.