Manchester Financial Inc. Acquires Shares of 17,208 Walmart Inc. $WMT

Manchester Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 17,208 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,949,000.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in WMT. MFA Wealth Services lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. MFA Wealth Services now owns 10,909 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,356,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the period. Realta Investment Advisors lifted its position in Walmart by 2.0% during the first quarter. Realta Investment Advisors now owns 4,089 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $508,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares during the period. Compton Financial Group LLC grew its stake in Walmart by 4.1% during the first quarter. Compton Financial Group LLC now owns 2,081 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $259,000 after buying an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Group LLC increased its holdings in Walmart by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 9,636 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,074,000 after buying an additional 83 shares during the period. Finally, Calton & Associates Inc. raised its position in shares of Walmart by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 27,220 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,033,000 after buying an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Walmart news, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total value of $1,435,203.96. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,710 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.10, for a total value of $419,601.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 626,299 shares in the company, valued at $70,834,416.90. The trade was a 0.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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 three months, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on WMT shares. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $137.00 price objective (down from $146.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Evercore set a $125.00 target price on Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Roth Capital restated a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $131.88.

Walmart Stock Performance

NASDAQ WMT opened at $105.92 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $840.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.24, a PEG ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $96.51 and a twelve month high of $135.15. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $111.38 and a 200 day simple moving average of $120.08.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.68 EPS. The business’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. Sell-side analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

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.