Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Trading Down 2.6% on Insider Selling

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT)’s share price fell 2.6% on Friday following insider selling activity. The company traded as low as $114.71 and last traded at $115.75. 42,001,619 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 60% from the average session volume of 26,329,396 shares. The stock had previously closed at $118.90.

Specifically, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total value of $1,308,670.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 120,203 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,300,550.91. The trade was a 8.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.63, for a total value of $2,303,320.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 4,174,579 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $495,230,306.77. This trade represents a 0.46% 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.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WMT. KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $137.00 price target (up from $130.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 15th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their price target on Walmart from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $138.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $138.85.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark community has grown to more than 150,000 participants, reinforcing customer engagement and supporting Walmart’s private-label strategy. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer said he would buy Walmart, adding to the bullish case that the recent weakness may be a buying opportunity. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: One report argued the recent decline in Walmart shares could be the best buying opportunity of 2026, citing meaningful upside to the Street’s average target price. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are comparing Walmart with Kroger on valuation, but the piece is mainly a relative-value discussion rather than a new company-specific catalyst. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on platform economics and slower consumer spending highlights the environment Walmart is operating in, but it does not directly change the company’s fundamentals. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of executive departures amid Walmart’s leadership transition could raise concerns about continuity at the top. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Articles suggesting Walmart may need to raise prices, along with broader inflation pressure on consumers, may worry investors about traffic and margin implications. Article Title

Walmart Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $922.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.42 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a 50 day moving average of $126.24 and a 200 day moving average of $120.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The firm had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.61 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart during the first quarter worth about $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in Walmart during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new stake in Walmart during the third quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new stake in Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.