Walmart Inc. $WMT Shares Purchased by Vest Financial LLC

Vest Financial LLC raised its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 2.8% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 628,589 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 17,301 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for about 0.8% of Vest Financial LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. Vest Financial LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $64,782,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Walmart by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 431,817,510 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,223,116,000 after purchasing an additional 5,856,468 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walmart by 0.3% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 94,557,532 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $9,199,712,000 after buying an additional 263,718 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Walmart during the second quarter worth approximately $5,367,770,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its stake in Walmart by 3.6% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 31,973,329 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,126,775,000 after acquiring an additional 1,098,342 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi raised its holdings in Walmart by 23.5% in the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 19,493,644 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,902,775,000 after acquiring an additional 3,710,506 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PhonePe (Walmart-backed) reportedly received SEBI approval for an India IPO — a potential multi‑billion-dollar liquidity event that could unlock value and strengthen investor sentiment toward Walmart’s international investments. PhonePe SEBI approval
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is expanding its Marketplace into premium categories (musical instruments, premium music gear) and adding new leadership and AI focus — moves that should help mix-shift to higher-margin sales and boost digital marketplace revenue. Marketplace expansion & AI push
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have recently raised price targets (Truist to $127, RBC to $126) and kept favorable ratings, reflecting confidence in Walmart’s top‑line momentum and strategy — supportive for the stock if execution continues. Price target hikes
• Positive Sentiment: Digital sales growth remains a bright spot — reported Q3 digital growth ~27% with faster delivery and marketplace/member adoption — supporting investor hopes for sustained e‑commerce margin improvement. Digital growth analysis
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s long history of returning capital (dividends + buybacks) and commentators positioning it as a defensive, dividend-bearing holding support its appeal to income and value investors. Capital returns decade
• Neutral Sentiment: New product assortments (e.g., premium home goods, a $1,699 espresso machine, and national rollouts like Viking Revolution) aim to attract higher‑income shoppers — strategic but gradual in impact. WSJ on premium goods
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts and writers warn Walmart may be richly valued after recent gains and question whether double‑digit digital growth rates are sustainable — concerns that can pressure the stock if upcoming results disappoint. Valuation concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings previews and sustainability questions mean the market is sensitive to guidance; any sign of slowing digital momentum or margin pressure could drive further weakness. Earnings preview

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on WMT shares. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $130.00 target price (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, December 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Walmart from $128.00 to $129.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Evercore ISI set a $120.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $123.00 price target (up previously from $111.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Thirty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $123.03.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,388 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total value of $166,560.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 645,642 shares in the company, valued at approximately $77,477,040. The trade was a 0.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.99, for a total value of $1,574,868.75. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 727,155 shares in the company, valued at $87,251,328.45. This represents a 1.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 135,215 shares of company stock valued at $15,071,810 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Stock Down 0.8%

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $118.71 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $112.14 and a 200 day moving average price of $104.88. 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 Inc. has a 12-month low of $79.81 and a 12-month high of $121.62. The company has a market cap of $946.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.51, a P/E/G ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 0.66.

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

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.