Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) EVP Christopher James Nicholas Sells 2,900 Shares of Stock

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.60, for a total value of $349,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 563,353 shares in the company, valued at approximately $67,940,371.80. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Christopher James Nicholas also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Thursday, September 17th, Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.65, for a total value of $309,285.00.
• On Thursday, August 20th, Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00.

Walmart Trading Up 0.8%

WMT traded up $0.94 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $118.81. 20,604,799 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 22,941,198. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $108.82 and a 200 day moving average price of $116.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $942.61 billion, a PE ratio of 42.89, a PEG ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $98.88 and a 52-week high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%. The company had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.68 EPS. Walmart’s quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Deutsche Bank upgraded Walmart to Buy and raised its price target to $136 from $113. The bank cited a favorable 2027 outlook, inflation-driven customer traffic and growth opportunities in advertising, marketplace services and Walmart+ membership income. Walmart is a buy as inflation attracts more customers, says Deutsche Bank
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are increasingly valuing Walmart’s higher-margin revenue streams. The retailer’s global e-commerce sales rose 23% in the latest quarter, while marketplace, advertising and membership growth could improve profitability beyond its traditional low-price retail model. Walmart also raised fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS guidance to $2.80-$2.87. Walmart Stock Gets an Upgrade as Analyst Sees More Room to Run
• Positive Sentiment: Expanded employee benefits may support Walmart’s long-term investment story. The company added more than 250 free prescription drugs and up to 12 weeks of paid NICU leave. While benefits could raise costs, Deutsche Bank viewed the move alongside fee-based growth as evidence Walmart is investing in employee retention and more profitable operations. How Benefit Expansion At Walmart Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent operating results remain solid. Walmart’s latest quarterly revenue increased 5.9% year over year to $187.94 billion, and EPS exceeded analyst expectations. Faster pickup, delivery and digital initiatives could further support holiday sales and Walmart+ engagement, though the stock’s elevated valuation limits room for disappointment. Can Walmart’s Faster Shopping Options Boost Holiday Sales Growth?
• Negative Sentiment: Rising costs remain a risk. Walmart and Target are facing pressure from higher operating and merchandise costs, which could squeeze margins if the retailers cannot pass expenses on to consumers. Walmart, Target Face a New Price Problem as Costs Surge
• Negative Sentiment: Several executives reported stock sales, including CEO John Furner. The transactions were conducted under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans and executives retained substantial holdings, reducing their significance, but insider selling can still temper sentiment at recent highs.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on WMT shares. Freedom Broker raised shares of Walmart from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded shares of Walmart to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. DA Davidson reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $132.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. Citigroup dropped their target price on shares of Walmart from $147.00 to $132.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-three have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $132.41.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bell & Brown Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the second quarter valued at about $6,451,000. Advisortrust Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Walmart by 20.2% in the 1st quarter. Advisortrust Partners LLC now owns 67,142 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,344,000 after buying an additional 11,283 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $7,455,131,000. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA grew its position in shares of Walmart by 253.3% in the 1st quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 384,034 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $47,728,000 after buying an additional 275,337 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its position in shares of Walmart by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 2,416,580 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $300,333,000 after buying an additional 68,632 shares during the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Walmart Company Profile

Walmart Inc (NASDAQ: WMT) is a multinational retailer that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and wellness products, household essentials and general merchandise. Walmart also provides services such as grocery pickup and delivery, pharmacy services, financial products and digital advertising.

The company serves customers through its Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam’s Club segments.