Key Points
- Walmart EVP Daniel Bartlett sold 1,250 shares on May 15 at an average price of $133.77, totaling about $167,212.50. The sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, and Bartlett still holds more than 635,000 shares.
- Walmart continues to show solid operating performance, with its latest quarterly results beating expectations on both earnings and revenue. The company also posted 5.6% year-over-year revenue growth and maintained strong profitability metrics.
- Analysts remain broadly positive on Walmart, with a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $138.88. Several firms recently raised targets, reflecting continued confidence in the stock despite the insider-sale headline.
Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) EVP Daniel Bartlett sold 1,250 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.77, for a total transaction of $167,212.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 635,593 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $85,023,275.61. This trade represents a 0.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.
Walmart Price Performance
Walmart stock opened at $133.34 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $1.06 trillion, a P/E ratio of 48.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.85 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $126.57 and a 200-day simple moving average of $119.46. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $93.43 and a 12-month high of $134.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT - Get Free Report) last released 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. The business had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $188.37 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.07% and a return on equity of 21.44%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.66 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 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. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a dividend of $0.2475 per share. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. Walmart's payout ratio is 36.13%.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter valued at about $28,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter valued at about $30,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Walmart News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s push into AI and automation could support margins over time by improving fulfillment efficiency, boosting order values, and lowering operating costs. Walmart's AI and Automation Push: Long-Term Cost Advantage?
- Positive Sentiment: Investor focus is turning to Walmart’s upcoming earnings report, with analysts watching key operating metrics beyond revenue and EPS for signs that the business is still executing well. Exploring Analyst Estimates for Walmart (WMT) Q1 Earnings, Beyond Revenue and EPS
- Neutral Sentiment: Walmart remains a favored defensive retail name as investors compare it with other consumer staples and grocery operators during a volatile market backdrop. Forget Walmart. The Grocer Beating It on Trust and Margin Trades at a Third of the Multiple
- Neutral Sentiment: Several hedge fund filings showed mixed positioning in Walmart, with some managers adding shares and others trimming, which does not clearly change the near-term outlook. Moore Capital Management Boosts Walmart Stake by 3,454 Shares
- Negative Sentiment: EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,250 shares in a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 transaction, adding a small insider-sale headline that may slightly pressure sentiment. SEC Form 4 filing
- Negative Sentiment: Broader market attention on geopolitical risk, including the Strait of Hormuz closure, may keep investors cautious and can weigh on sentiment even for defensive stocks like Walmart. NVDA, WMT Report This Week, but News on the Strait Is Key
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on WMT shares. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $145.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Walmart from $125.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Citigroup reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $147.00 price target (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They set a "buy" rating and a $150.00 price target on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Walmart presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $138.88.
View Our Latest Report on WMT
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.
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