Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Reaches New 1-Year High – Here’s What Happened

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $117.60 and last traded at $116.8930, with a volume of 7095907 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $114.53.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart struck a partnership with Google to integrate Walmart and Sam’s Club assortments into Google’s Gemini AI assistant, making it easier for customers to discover and buy items via chat-based “agent-led” commerce — a material boost to Walmart’s digital distribution and online conversion potential. Walmart Teams With Google to Promote ‘Agent-Led Commerce’
• Positive Sentiment: Confirmation that WMT will join the Nasdaq?100 (replacement of AstraZeneca, effective Jan. 20) should trigger index/ETF rebalancing flows and lift demand for the shares. Walmart shares jump after confirmation of Nasdaq-100 index inclusion
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding drone delivery rapidly (plans for 150–270 locations over the next year), which should lower last?mile costs, improve same?day fulfillment economics and bolster e?commerce competitiveness versus peers. Walmart Expanding Drone Delivery to Hundreds More Stores
• Positive Sentiment: Sam’s Club membership income rose in Q3 with strong renewals and rising Plus penetration, supporting recurring revenue and margins for Walmart’s membership businesses. Walmart’s Sam’s Membership Grows: Will Renewal Strength Last?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and market sentiment is moving positive: Bernstein raised its WMT price target and coverage tone reflects expectations for consumer resilience in 2026, supporting a re?rating. Bernstein Raises Walmart (WMT) Price Target on 2026 Consumer Spending Expectations
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart?backed fintech OnePay’s reported $4B valuation after an employee share repurchase highlights ancillary asset value and fintech optionality that investors may view favorably. Walmart’s OnePay Employee Share Repurchase Hints at $4 Billion Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market uncertainty — including headlines about a DOJ subpoena to the Fed Chair and questions around Fed independence — is pressuring futures and could cap risk appetite; such macro volatility can limit sector-wide upside even for defensive retailers. 5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Truist Financial set a $127.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $125.00 price objective (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Walmart from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Mizuho set a $125.00 price target on Walmart and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Thirty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $122.37.

Walmart Trading Up 3.5%

The firm has a market cap of $944.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.29 and a beta of 0.66. The business has a 50 day moving average of $109.73 and a 200 day moving average of $103.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its earnings results 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. Walmart had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.31%. The firm had revenue of $179.50 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $175.15 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.58 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 2,200 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.23, for a total value of $244,706.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 617,318 shares in the company, valued at approximately $68,664,281.14. This represents a 0.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,425 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.00, for a total value of $166,725.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 641,363 shares in the company, valued at approximately $75,039,471. The trade was a 0.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 125,628 shares of company stock worth $13,690,065 in the last three months. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Walmart

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter worth $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new position in Walmart in the third quarter valued at about $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the third quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, PFS Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walmart by 267.8% during the second quarter. PFS Partners LLC now owns 320 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 233 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

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.