Heartland Bank & Trust Co Has $4.97 Million Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Heartland Bank & Trust Co increased its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 107.5% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 39,970 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 20,709 shares during the quarter. Walmart makes up about 1.1% of Heartland Bank & Trust Co’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest position. Heartland Bank & Trust Co’s holdings in Walmart were worth $4,967,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new stake in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Walmart by 57.4% in the 4th 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. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC raised its stake in Walmart by 193.0% during the 4th quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 193 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walmart Price Performance

WMT stock opened at $114.24 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $909.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.29 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $94.43 and a 52-week high of $135.15. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $118.82 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $122.04.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.66. The firm had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.61 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. Research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: June U.S. retail sales held up, suggesting consumers are still spending as Walmart heads into the back-to-school season; that could support traffic and sales volumes if the company remains aggressive on pricing. Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is also being discussed in multiple market and analyst roundups, with commentary focusing on its strong digital growth and role as a defensive stock, but these pieces do not appear to include a major new business update. Walmart Commands a 36.74X Forward P/E: Is the Stock Worth Buying?
• Neutral Sentiment: An article about AI and retail highlighted that Walmart is investing in automation while still emphasizing workers, which reinforces its long-term strategy but is unlikely to move the stock on its own. Walmart’s people chief says these 10 jobs are still hot in the age of AI
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts argue Walmart’s premium valuation leaves limited room for disappointment, with one note saying momentum alone may not justify the stock’s high forward P/E. Walmart’s Momentum Cannot Justify The Premium
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart has also been the subject of bearish commentary saying the recent sell-off may not be over, adding to investor caution around the shares. Walmart: The Sell-Off Isn’t Over Yet (Rating Upgrade)

Insider Activity at Walmart

In other Walmart news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.08, for a total transaction of $1,628,550.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 661,037 shares in the company, valued at approximately $82,021,470.96. This trade represents a 1.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total transaction of $1,308,670.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 120,203 shares in the company, valued at $14,300,550.91. This represents a 8.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 87,145 shares of company stock valued at $10,691,920 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Freedom Capital upgraded Walmart from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Erste Group Bank downgraded Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, June 5th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Truist Financial set a $140.00 target price on Walmart in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $138.85.

Walmart Company 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.