Flputnam Investment Management Co. Acquires 64,331 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Flputnam Investment Management Co. lifted its holdings in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 68.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 158,313 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 64,331 shares during the period. Flputnam Investment Management Co.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $17,931,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the first quarter worth approximately $29,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Walmart by 57.4% in the fourth quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Sankala Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on WMT shares. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Oppenheimer reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, August 25th. Freedom Capital upgraded Walmart from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $130.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $120.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $131.88.

Walmart Stock Performance

NASDAQ WMT opened at $105.92 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $111.38 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $840.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.24, a P/E/G ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Walmart Inc. has a 1 year low of $96.51 and a 1 year 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 net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.68 earnings per share. The company’s 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, research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. This trade represents a 20.07% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $60,523,730.02. This trade represents a 0.51% 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 quarter, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock worth $8,421,143. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Opioid lawsuit ends with limited financial impact: Walmart agreed to pay approximately $50 million to resolve a Justice Department lawsuit involving its pharmacies’ opioid-distribution practices. The settlement is described as immaterial relative to Walmart’s profits and substantially below the potentially multibillion-dollar penalties once threatened, reducing a major legal overhang. Walmart escapes major legal penalty for a fraction of the cost
• Positive Sentiment: Marketplace growth remains strong: Walmart’s U.S. marketplace sales reportedly increased 52%, helped by a broader product assortment, increased fulfillment adoption and expansion into Mexico and Canada. Continued marketplace momentum could improve customer engagement and support higher-margin advertising and third-party seller revenue. Walmart’s Marketplace Momentum Builds
• Positive Sentiment: International digital operations are improving: Rising e-commerce penetration and reduced losses in Walmart International are improving the segment’s economics. However, ongoing investment and margin pressure could limit the near-term earnings benefit. Walmart International’s Digital Mix Rises
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst remains bullish: Tigress Financial reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $155 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. SAIC, Walmart And 3 Stocks To Watch
• Neutral Sentiment: Value comparison offers limited direction: Articles comparing Walmart with J. Sainsbury PLC focus on relative valuation rather than a new company-specific catalyst. Walmart’s strong operating profile is balanced by a comparatively elevated earnings multiple, making valuation-sensitive investors more selective. JSAIY vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: EPS estimates were trimmed: Erste Group Bank lowered its fiscal 2027 earnings-per-share estimates for Walmart, reinforcing concerns that elevated investment, e-commerce costs or margin pressure could constrain profit growth. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Walmart Cut by Erste Group Bank

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.