Key Points
- CEO John Furner sold 13,125 shares on March 19 at an average price of $121.96 for about $1.6M, trimming his stake by ~1.87% to 687,287 shares (SEC filing).
- Quarterly results and guidance: Walmart reported $0.74 EPS (vs. $0.73 expected) and revenue of $190.66B (+5.6% YoY), and set FY2027 guidance of $2.75–$2.85 EPS while sell-side analysts currently model roughly $2.55 for the year.
- Market sentiment: Analysts and coverage are increasingly framing Walmart as an AI-enabled retail growth story, supporting a "Moderate Buy" consensus and a mean price target around $135.76; the stock trades at a P/E near 43 and yields ~0.8%.
Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) CEO John Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.96, for a total value of $1,600,725.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 687,287 shares in the company, valued at $83,821,522.52. The trade was a 1.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.
Walmart Trading Down 1.7%
Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $119.02 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $79.81 and a 12 month high of $134.69. The company has a market cap of $948.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 43.44, a P/E/G ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.66. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $124.08 and a 200-day simple moving average of $112.74.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The firm had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.66 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter 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. Sell-side analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.
Walmart Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a $0.2475 dividend. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. Walmart's dividend payout ratio is 36.13%.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart
Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in WMT. Purpose Unlimited Inc. bought a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $72,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at $5,991,000. Forty three Eighteen Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at $13,281,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its holdings in Walmart by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 1,677,844 shares of the retailer's stock worth $186,929,000 after purchasing an additional 65,642 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New Hampshire raised its holdings in Walmart by 2.4% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New Hampshire now owns 44,521 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $4,960,000 after buying an additional 1,031 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company's stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several equities analysts have weighed in on WMT shares. Oppenheimer reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $140.00 price objective (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Barclays reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $125.00 target price (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $120.00 price target on Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Walmart from $127.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Evercore reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $130.00 target price (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $135.76.
View Our Latest Stock Report on WMT
Walmart News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Growing AI narrative and modest analyst upside: coverage notes that Walmart’s AI investments (supply-chain, store ops) are reshaping its growth story and one valuation model nudged fair value slightly higher to ~$136, supporting longer-term upside. This bolsters bullish investor interest in WMT as a tech-enabled retailer. How Walmart (WMT) Is Rewriting Its Story With AI Hype And Valuation Questions
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst/technical support for defensive retail: coverage from Barron’s highlights Walmart alongside other defensive retail names on both technical and fundamental grounds, which can attract risk-off flows and relative-strength buyers in uncertain markets. Walmart, Ross Stores, and Other ‘Defensive' Retail Stocks
- Positive Sentiment: Market narrative that Walmart is an AI play: features arguing Walmart (and Target) are meaningful AI plays could lift investor conviction around margin improvement and efficiency gains over time. Forget Chipmakers: Walmart and Target Are the Real AI Plays
- Neutral Sentiment: Higher-than-usual call buying: intraday activity showed a ~42% increase in call option volume, which signals bullish positioning but could be speculative or short-term. Watch whether this leads to sustained buying or just short-term gamma flow.
- Neutral Sentiment: CEO transition focus: commentary on managing and positioning around CEO transitions notes both risk and opportunity — transitions can create volatility but also potential strategic shifts. Investors should watch messaging and execution from leadership. How to Play 3 Major CEO Transitions in Early 2026 (WMT)
- Negative Sentiment: Insider selling by CEO: CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares (~1.87% reduction in his position) in a disclosed SEC filing — insider sales can be interpreted negatively by some investors even if part of routine diversification. Insider Sale SEC Filing
About Walmart
(
Get Free Report)
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.
Further Reading
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