Mufg Securities Americas Inc. Acquires 10,770 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Mufg Securities Americas Inc. grew its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 8.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 132,041 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 10,770 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for about 0.8% of Mufg Securities Americas Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. Mufg Securities Americas Inc.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $14,955,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the second quarter worth about $7,455,131,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $6,458,529,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,905,655,000. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 188.1% during the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,199,907,000 after acquiring an additional 7,614,172 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $796,677,000. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Price Performance

Walmart stock opened at $105.92 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.23. The stock has a market cap of $840.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.59. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $111.38 and a two-hundred day moving average of $120.08. 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 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $186.64 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.68 earnings per share. The company’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. On average, research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Roth Capital restated a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $128.00 target price (down from $137.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on shares of Walmart from $137.00 to $131.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Tigress Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $155.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday. Finally, Erste Group Bank cut Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $131.88.

Key Walmart News

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

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 569,153 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,775 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.64, for a total value of $413,891.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 630,009 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $69,074,186.76. This represents a 0.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 77,292 shares of company stock valued at $8,421,143. Company insiders own 0.09% 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.