Danske Bank A S Buys New Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 2,858,734 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $294,621,000. Walmart accounts for 0.7% of Danske Bank A S’s portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest holding.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new stake in Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc raised its holdings in Walmart by 212.6% in the third quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 219 shares during the period. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $39,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have issued reports on WMT. Bank of America started coverage on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $150.00 price objective for the company. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on shares of Walmart from $110.00 to $121.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $130.00 price target (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $145.00 price objective (up from $128.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $135.76.

Walmart Trading Down 0.7%

WMT opened at $125.08 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $123.64 and its 200-day moving average is $112.47. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $79.81 and a 52-week high of $134.69. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $996.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.65, a P/E/G ratio of 4.69 and a beta of 0.66.

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. Walmart had a net margin of 3.07% and a return on equity of 21.44%. The business had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.66 earnings per share. The business’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. Analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal 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 given a $0.2475 dividend. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.13%.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is being recognized as a practical AI leader in retail—deploying inventory self‑healing, route optimization and a generative shopping assistant that raises average order value and trims costs; these initiatives support margins and long‑term growth.
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s international segment showed strength in Q4 fiscal 2026 (roughly 7.5% sales growth and ~17% e‑commerce growth), providing another growth lever outside the US that can help offset domestic pressures. Walmart’s International Business Shows Strength
• Positive Sentiment: Leadership transition has been orderly; management is pushing AI and omnichannel execution that management expects will drive operating income and sales growth, which reassures long‑term investors.
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart goes ex‑dividend on March 20 with a boosted payout; the headline dividend supports income investors, though some pieces debate sustainability. Walmart Is About to Pay a Boosted Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: WMT is drawing heavy retail investor attention and appears on multiple “trending” and comparison writeups; this increases volume and sentiment volatility but is not a direct catalyst. Walmart Is a Trending Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Amazon announced faster 1‑hour and 3‑hour delivery in US cities—heightening competition in same‑day/ultra‑fast delivery where Walmart has been investing. Faster Amazon service can pressure Walmart’s online share and margins in urban markets. Amazon launches 1-hour shipping in US cities
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts note Walmart trades at a premium valuation versus history/peers given its growth profile (e‑commerce, ads and omnichannel gains); concerns that the stock is “rich” make it vulnerable to any negative surprise or competitive threat. Walmart’s Valuation Looks Rich

Insider Activity at Walmart

In related news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.46, for a total value of $1,214,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 108,294 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $13,153,389.24. This represents a 8.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total value of $4,158,004.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 533,466 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $65,082,852. This trade represents a 6.01% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 278,278 shares of company stock valued at $33,974,118. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by 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.