IFP Advisors Inc Acquires 13,641 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

IFP Advisors Inc raised its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 9.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 154,200 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 13,641 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc’s holdings in Walmart were worth $17,465,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the 1st quarter worth $29,000. Montgomery Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Sankala Group LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walmart Stock Down 1.0%

WMT opened at $106.05 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $841.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.29, a P/E/G ratio of 4.09 and a beta of 0.59. 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 firm’s fifty day moving average price is $110.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $119.22. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $98.88 and a fifty-two week high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.68 EPS. 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, analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total transaction of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 201,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,246,145.20. This trade represents a 20.07% decrease in their position. The transaction 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. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total value of $308,386.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 69,264 shares of company stock valued at $7,401,242. 0.09% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently commented on WMT. BTIG Research dropped their price objective on Walmart from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded Walmart to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Freedom Broker raised Walmart from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $126.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Wolfe Research reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $115.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $131.88.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Opioid settlement removes a major legal overhang. Walmart agreed to pay $50 million to resolve a federal opioid case, substantially less than the potential multibillion-dollar liability discussed by the Justice Department. The relatively modest settlement limits financial and legal uncertainty. Walmart Settles a Potential Multibillion-Dollar Opioid Case for $50 Million
• Positive Sentiment: Artificial intelligence could support operational and sales growth. TD Cowen identified Walmart among the retailers best positioned to benefit as AI improves shopping, merchandising and store operations. The opportunity could strengthen productivity and customer engagement over time. Walmart, Ulta and Other Retailers That Can Win With AI
• Positive Sentiment: Higher-margin advertising remains a growth opportunity. Walmart’s expanding advertising business is improving its sales mix as digital commerce grows, potentially lifting profits faster than revenue. Walmart’s Ad Business Expands
• Neutral Sentiment: Defensive characteristics may attract investors ahead of CPI and the Federal Reserve decision. Walmart is being viewed as a relatively stable, consumer-oriented holding during macroeconomic uncertainty, although interest-rate expectations could continue to influence its valuation. 5 Defensive Stocks to Watch as CPI and the Fed Put the Rally to the Test
• Neutral Sentiment: Strong participation by older shoppers in major summer e-commerce events indicates continued consumer traffic for Walmart, but the report also underscores intense competition with Amazon. Boomers Fueled Amazon and Walmart Summer Sales Crowds
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term earnings pressure could temper enthusiasm. Although advertising is high margin, costs associated with Walmart’s Vibe initiatives are expected to weigh on fiscal 2027 profit growth. With the stock’s elevated earnings multiple, investors may demand stronger earnings acceleration. Walmart’s Ad Business Expands

Walmart Profile

Walmart Inc is a multinational retail and technology company that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, e-commerce platforms and membership warehouse clubs. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and beauty products, general merchandise and other consumer products.

Founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated in 1969, Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company serves customers through operations in the United States and international markets, including Mexico, Canada, China, India and several countries in Central America and Africa.