Walmart Inc. $WMT Stake Lessened by Johnson Investment Counsel Inc.

Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. decreased its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 755,338 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 8,491 shares during the period. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $77,845,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMT. Collier Financial bought a new stake in Walmart in the third quarter worth about $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 212.6% in the 3rd quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new stake 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.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of WMT opened at $129.02 on Tuesday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $116.79 and its 200-day moving average is $107.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The company has a market capitalization of $1.03 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.11, a P/E/G ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 0.65. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $79.81 and a fifty-two week high of $131.79.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $179.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $175.15 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.31%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.58 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Walmart news, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.79, for a total value of $9,430,445.99. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 402,072 shares in the company, valued at $49,772,492.88. The trade was a 15.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $122.27, for a total value of $2,445,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 506,764 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $61,962,034.28. This trade represents a 3.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 229,196 shares of company stock valued at $26,957,858. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho raised its price target on WMT to $137 and put an “outperform” rating on the stock, implying upside from current levels — a direct bullish signal that can drive buying interest from funds that follow analyst guidance. Mizuho raises WMT price target
• Positive Sentiment: DBS initiated/maintained a buy on WMT (press coverage), adding third‑party validation that could support inflows from Asia‑focused or model‑driven investors. DBS buys WMT
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlighting WMT’s rise to a ~$1 trillion market cap frames the company’s omnichannel and automation progress as a growth story — a sentiment boost for investors focused on structural earnings improvement. Walmart reaches $1T valuation
• Positive Sentiment: A Barron’s piece argues Walmart can benefit from big‑tech AI investment without matching their huge capex, suggesting Walmart could capture AI-driven gains (better supply chain, personalization, automation) while preserving capital — a potentially margin‑supportive narrative. Walmart letting big tech foot AI bill
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger naming ex‑Walmart executive Greg Foran as CEO is notable for talent flow in the grocery sector; it could sharpen competition execution but is not an immediate direct negative for Walmart’s core omnichannel thesis. Kroger names ex‑Walmart exec CEO
• Negative Sentiment: Macro risk: commentary on the bond market and potential Fed policy shifts (yield curve moves, Fed chair nomination coverage) raises recession/inflation volatility concerns — a headwind for broad equity multiples and highly valued consumer names. Bond market warning / macro risk

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have issued reports on WMT. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of Walmart from $110.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 21st. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $135.00 price target (up previously from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Thirty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $125.94.

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.