Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Bought by Northeast Investment Management

Northeast Investment Management grew its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 2.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 386,021 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 8,585 shares during the quarter. Walmart comprises about 1.7% of Northeast Investment Management’s holdings, making the stock its 16th largest position. Northeast Investment Management’s holdings in Walmart were worth $43,007,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Argos Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth about $297,000. TradeLink Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth about $1,978,000. Purkiss Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in Walmart by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Purkiss Capital Advisors LLC now owns 13,106 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,460,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Walmart by 7.3% during the 4th quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC now owns 165,062 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,390,000 after purchasing an additional 11,190 shares in the last quarter. Finally, HighPoint Advisor Group LLC increased its position in Walmart by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. HighPoint Advisor Group LLC now owns 176,486 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $19,662,000 after purchasing an additional 1,991 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other news, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.21, for a total transaction of $2,566,989.36. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,193,995 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $554,488,078.95. This trade represents a 0.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.84, for a total transaction of $1,638,525.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 674,162 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $84,162,384.08. The trade was a 1.91% decrease in their position. 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. In the last three months, insiders have sold 167,195 shares of company stock valued at $20,975,804. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Stock Up 2.2%

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $130.35 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $91.89 and a 52-week high of $134.69. The company has a 50 day moving average of $126.12 and a two-hundred day moving average of $118.70. The company has a market capitalization of $1.04 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.75 and a beta of 0.65.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a net margin of 3.07% and a return on equity of 21.44%. The company had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.66 earnings per share. Walmart’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a dividend of $0.2475 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.13%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on WMT. Wolfe Research reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 target price (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday. Argus raised shares of Walmart to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $145.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of Walmart from $127.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $145.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $138.67.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley reiterated its Walmart price target ahead of earnings, reinforcing a favorable analyst outlook for the retailer. Morgan Stanley reiterates Walmart stock price target pre-earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s planned layoffs/relocations of roughly 1,000 corporate workers may be viewed as a cost-cutting move that could improve operating efficiency, especially as the company consolidates technology and AI teams. Walmart Lays Off or Relocates About 1,000 Corporate Workers
• Neutral Sentiment: Other coverage this week noted pressure on Walmart’s margins from its grocery-heavy sales mix, although e-commerce, advertising and efficiency gains are helping offset some of that pressure. Walmart’s Category Mix Pressures Margins: More Pain Ahead?
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart also faces a new higher minimum wage requirement in parts of California, which could add labor cost pressure if passed through broadly across stores. Walmart braces for new $18 California law

About Walmart

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.