Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. Sells 24,010 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. cut its holdings in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 2.7% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 871,352 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 24,010 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $98,689,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in WMT. Bell & Brown Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 2nd quarter worth $6,451,000. Advisortrust Partners LLC raised its holdings in Walmart by 20.2% in the 1st quarter. Advisortrust Partners LLC now owns 67,142 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,344,000 after acquiring an additional 11,283 shares during the period. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA lifted its position in Walmart by 253.3% during the 1st quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 384,034 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $47,728,000 after acquiring an additional 275,337 shares during the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC lifted its position in Walmart by 2.9% during the 1st quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 2,416,580 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $300,333,000 after acquiring an additional 68,632 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vise Technologies Inc. boosted its holdings in Walmart by 42.1% during the fourth quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 275,341 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $30,676,000 after acquiring an additional 81,635 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares in the company, valued at $21,246,145.20. The trade was a 20.07% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143 in the last ninety days. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Walmart Stock Up 1.0%

NASDAQ WMT opened at $105.92 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $111.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.08. 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. Walmart Inc. has a 1-year low of $96.51 and a 1-year high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $186.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.68 EPS. Walmart’s quarterly revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walmart News Roundup

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on WMT shares. Citigroup lowered their price target on Walmart from $147.00 to $132.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $130.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Truist Financial set a $114.00 price target on Walmart and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $120.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three 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 data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $131.88.

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.