Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Trading 3% Higher – What’s Next?

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) was up 3% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $118.84 and last traded at $117.97. Approximately 49,038,647 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 100% from the average daily volume of 24,570,049 shares. The stock had previously closed at $114.53.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Nasdaq‑100 inclusion — confirmation that Walmart will be added to the Nasdaq‑100 is pushing flows into the stock and signaling recognition of its e‑commerce transformation. This is a primary mechanical and sentiment catalyst. Stock Market Today, Jan. 12: Walmart Jumps on Nasdaq 100 Inclusion
• Positive Sentiment: Google/Alphabet (Gemini) partnership — Walmart and Sam’s Club product catalogs will be integrated into Google’s Gemini/Universal Commerce Protocol, increasing discoverability and enabling “agent‑led” purchases via AI assistants — a structural win for online sales and customer acquisition. Walmart and Google Turn AI Discovery Into Effortless Shopping Experiences
• Positive Sentiment: Drone delivery scale‑up — Walmart plans to expand aerial deliveries to many more stores, which could lower last‑mile costs and improve same‑day convenience, supporting higher e‑commerce margins over time. Walmart Expanding Drone Delivery to Hundreds More Stores
• Positive Sentiment: Options and institutional signals — unusual call buying (roughly 142k calls) and a recent analyst price‑target increase from Bernstein indicate short‑term bullish positioning and growing analyst conviction. Bernstein Raises Walmart Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Sam’s Club membership strength — membership income and renewal trends are healthy, which is supportive for recurring revenue but already baked into estimates. Sam’s Club membership article
• Neutral Sentiment: OnePay employee buyback / valuation — Walmart‑backed fintech OnePay’s higher valuation signals fintech upside in Walmart’s ecosystem but it’s a secondary, longer‑term value driver. OnePay valuation report
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and macro risks — Walmart trades at an elevated multiple for a retailer (PE ~41); the stock’s run is partly mechanical (index inclusion) so it may be vulnerable to profit‑taking or broader market rotation. Ongoing macro or regulatory headlines could pressure the name. No direct article

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently commented on WMT shares. Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of Walmart from $110.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $125.00 target price (up from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday. Tigress Financial raised their price target on Walmart from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, KeyCorp reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $128.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Thirty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Walmart currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $122.37.

Walmart Price Performance

The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $110.06 and a 200 day moving average price of $103.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $940.24 billion, a PE ratio of 41.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.29 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $179.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $175.15 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.31% and a net margin of 3.26%.Walmart’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.58 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,425 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.00, for a total value of $166,725.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 641,363 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $75,039,471. This represents a 0.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.91, for a total transaction of $1,508,193.75. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 733,841 shares in the company, valued at approximately $84,325,669.31. This trade represents a 1.76% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 125,628 shares of company stock worth $13,690,065 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Walmart

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Collier Financial bought a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the second quarter worth $26,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new stake in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. 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.