Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Updates Q1 2027 Earnings Guidance

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) updated its first quarter 2027 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.610-0.610 for the period. The company issued revenue guidance of $164.0 billion-$164.0 billion. Walmart also updated its FY 2027 guidance to 2.750-2.850 EPS.

Walmart Stock Performance

NASDAQ:WMT opened at $126.62 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.01 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.27, a PEG ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.65. The business has a 50 day moving average of $119.05 and a 200 day moving average of $108.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.24. Walmart has a 1-year low of $79.81 and a 1-year high of $134.69.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.31%. The firm had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Walmart will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on WMT. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $135.00 price objective (up previously from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $150.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, January 18th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, February 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Walmart presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $128.59.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In related news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 506,764 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $61,962,034.28. This trade represents a 3.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.99, for a total transaction of $1,574,868.75. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 727,155 shares in the company, valued at approximately $87,251,328.45. The trade was a 1.77% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 210,441 shares of company stock worth $25,009,289 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results: Walmart reported $0.74 EPS (beat by $0.01) and revenue of $190.66B (above consensus). The quarter showed margin improvement and operating income gains, supporting the business-quality narrative. WSJ: Walmart Reports Strong Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend hike: Board approved a 5% raise to an annual $0.99/share (53rd consecutive increase) — supports income investors and signals confidence in cash flow. BusinessWire: Dividend Increase
• Positive Sentiment: Top-line drivers: Global revenue +5.6% (4.9% cc), global e?commerce +24%, and Walmart Connect advertising grew strongly — these secular growth engines (online fulfillment, marketplace, ads) underpin longer-term upside. BusinessWire: Revenue Growth & Segment Highlights
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional buying/analyst support: Several funds boosted WMT stakes, and DA Davidson reiterated a Buy with a $135 target — incremental demand and analyst backing can limit downside. TipRanks: Institutional Stake Increases StreetInsider: DA Davidson Reiterates Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: New CEO transition: This is John Furner’s first earnings cycle as CEO — investors are watching execution but the change is framed as “steady management,” so near-term impact is unclear. CNBC: Earnings Preview / New CEO
• Negative Sentiment: FY 2027 guidance below consensus: Walmart set FY2027 EPS at $2.75–2.85 versus a ~2.94 consensus — that shortfall is the main catalyst pressuring the stock (investors repricing near-term earnings).
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 guidance limited: Q1 EPS guided to $0.610 (flat range) — conservative near?term outlook increases sensitivity to macro/consumer weakness.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and “priced-in” expectations: Shares have rallied (~year-to-date strength, $1T market cap), so some analysts warn the rally may be priced for perfection — guidance miss + rich multiple amplify downside risk. Seeking Alpha: Earnings Expectations / Valuation

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Walmart

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of WMT. Birchwood Financial Partners Inc. purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 4th quarter worth approximately $50,000. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter worth $52,000. Ankerstar Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at $64,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart during the 3rd quarter valued at $61,000. Finally, Chapman Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at $59,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.