Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Sold by Employees Retirement System of Texas

Employees Retirement System of Texas decreased its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 5.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,143,800 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 64,600 shares during the quarter. Walmart comprises 0.9% of Employees Retirement System of Texas’ holdings, making the stock its 18th largest position. Employees Retirement System of Texas’ holdings in Walmart were worth $117,880,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth $5,367,770,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 9,648.7% during the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,486,374 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,123,138,000 after acquiring an additional 11,368,549 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 431,817,510 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,223,116,000 after acquiring an additional 5,856,468 shares during the last quarter. Amundi grew its holdings in shares of Walmart by 23.5% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 19,493,644 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,902,775,000 after purchasing an additional 3,710,506 shares during the period. Finally, Holocene Advisors LP acquired a new stake in Walmart during the second quarter worth about $273,784,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMT has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $147.00 target price (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $145.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $145.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Erste Group Bank reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $135.76.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $122.27, for a total transaction of $2,445,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 506,764 shares in the company, valued at $61,962,034.28. This trade represents a 3.80% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.79, for a total value of $9,430,445.99. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 402,072 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,772,492.88. This represents a 15.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 279,703 shares of company stock worth $34,140,843 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Stock Performance

NASDAQ:WMT opened at $125.27 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $998.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.72, a PEG ratio of 4.60 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $122.89 and a 200 day moving average price of $111.62. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $79.81 and a fifty-two week high of $134.69.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The company had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $188.37 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.66 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be issued a $0.2475 dividend. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s payout ratio is currently 34.31%.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart reported strong digital momentum: eCommerce sales rose ~24% in the fiscal Q4, reinforcing its omnichannel strategy and recurring revenue diversification that supports higher-margin pickup and delivery services. This underpins confidence in sales resilience and future growth. Walmart eCommerce Up 24%
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy and raised its price target to $150, citing Walmart’s transition to a tech-driven, omnichannel retailer — a vote of confidence that can support further upside and attract investor interest. Tigress Financial Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Flipkart IPO potential: Reports that Walmart-backed Flipkart is preparing for an IPO as soon as this year raise the prospect of a significant liquidity/monetization event for Walmart’s international eCommerce stake, which could unlock shareholder value if executed. Flipkart IPO Report
• Positive Sentiment: Defensive retail demand theme: Market commentary on ETFs that gain from consumers tightening budgets highlights Walmart as a beneficiary of value-oriented spending, which supports steady traffic and margins in down-cycle consumer environments. ETFs That Could Benefit
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term comparison with Amazon: Several pieces debate WMT vs AMZN for a 10?year hold — useful for strategic allocation decisions but not an immediate catalyst. These compare capital intensity, margins, growth runway and ecosystem differences. AMZN vs. WMT Comparison
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate housekeeping / optics: Commentary on Walmart’s prior stock split and long-term total-return track record reinforces retail accessibility and shareholder-friendly history but is not a near-term earnings catalyst. MarketBeat Stock Split Note
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and sentiment concerns: Retail investor chatter (Reddit) and analysis have flagged a high forward multiple (~46x in commentary) and a recent month?long pullback, prompting bearish social sentiment and questions about near-term upside versus current price. Elevated multiple and heightened retail skepticism can pressure short-term performance if earnings guidance disappoints. Reddit Valuation Critique
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation re-checks after momentum: Coverage noting recent share-price gains has prompted fresh valuation analysis — some investors are pausing for confirmation that top-line digital gains and margin expansion justify premium multiples. That caution can cap upside until clarity on sustainable EPS progression. Valuation Look

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.