Saudi Central Bank Purchases 145,135 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Saudi Central Bank boosted its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 89.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 306,938 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 145,135 shares during the quarter. Saudi Central Bank’s holdings in Walmart were worth $34,764,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp raised its stake in Walmart by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 184,805,978 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $19,046,104,000 after buying an additional 2,242,364 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Walmart by 6.8% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 103,010,709 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $11,426,753,000 after acquiring an additional 6,517,394 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the second quarter worth about $7,455,131,000. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter worth about $6,458,529,000. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Walmart by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 40,626,852 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,526,238,000 after purchasing an additional 328,229 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,950 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.14, for a total value of $415,303.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 622,349 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $65,433,773.86. This trade represents a 0.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total transaction of $5,335,345.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 201,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,246,145.20. The trade was a 20.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 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 sold 81,242 shares of company stock worth $8,836,446 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Dunkin’ delivery expands Walmart’s digital ecosystem. Walmart’s partnership with Dunkin’ adds restaurant delivery to its three-month-old service, broadening convenience offerings and giving the retailer another opportunity to increase customer engagement, order frequency and delivery revenue while competing with DoorDash and Uber Eats. Walmart Shoppers Can Now Get Dunkin’ Delivered
• Positive Sentiment: Fraud prevention could become an additional retail technology opportunity. Walmart’s work with Amazon on fraud prevention highlights its efforts to protect shoppers and potentially develop technology and services that improve trust, retention and the economics of digital commerce. Amazon and Walmart Turn Fraud Prevention Into a Retail Product
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail comparisons show Walmart remains a key consumer bellwether. Recent large-format retailer results point to a divided, or “K-shaped,” consumer economy: higher-income shoppers continue spending in some discretionary categories, while value-focused consumers face pressure from elevated grocery costs. This creates both traffic opportunities and potential margin challenges for Walmart. Retail Earnings Expose a Bigger Divide in the U.S. Consumer Economy
• Neutral Sentiment: Haleon’s improved shelf placement reinforces Walmart’s importance to suppliers. Better positioning for Haleon brands such as Sensodyne may support product visibility and sales, though the report primarily benefits Haleon and does not materially change Walmart’s financial outlook. Haleon Secures Better Shelf Space at Walmart
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff and margin concerns are weighing on the investment case. Mixed retail results suggest Walmart may face pressure balancing value pricing with higher product costs, while its elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for execution disappointments.
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory scrutiny adds an overhang. The Department of Justice’s investigation into rising beef prices has expanded to Walmart and other retailers. No wrongdoing has been established, but the inquiry creates potential legal, reputational and compliance risks.
• Neutral Sentiment: An executive share sale was limited and prearranged. EVP Daniel Bartlett sold 3,950 shares worth approximately $415,000 under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, reducing his direct holdings by only 0.63%; the transaction is therefore a weak trading signal. Daniel Bartlett Sells Walmart Shares

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of WMT stock opened at $107.14 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $98.88 and a 12 month high of $135.15. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $110.81 and its 200-day simple moving average is $119.62. The firm has a market cap of $850.02 billion, a PE ratio of 38.68, a P/E/G ratio of 4.09 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 (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The business had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.68 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter 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 research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMT has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Oppenheimer reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $125.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 21st. Mizuho set a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, July 27th. DA Davidson set a $132.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note 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 given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $131.88.

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.