Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. Grows Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 8.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 201,673 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 15,272 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $22,468,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in Walmart during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new stake in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired 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.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.79, for a total value of $2,555,800.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 486,764 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $62,203,571.56. This represents a 3.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,250 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $133.77, for a total value of $167,212.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 635,593 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $85,023,275.61. This trade represents a 0.20% 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. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 167,190 shares of company stock valued at $20,975,838. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on WMT shares. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $137.00 target price (up from $130.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $147.00 price target (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Erste Group Bank raised shares of Walmart from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. Truist Financial increased their target price on Walmart from $127.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, HSBC cut Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $122.00 to $131.00 in a report on Friday, February 20th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Walmart has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $138.88.

Walmart Trading Up 1.4%

Shares of Walmart stock opened at $133.34 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $126.57 and a 200-day simple moving average of $119.46. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $93.43 and a fifty-two week high of $134.69. The firm has a market cap of $1.06 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.85 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The firm had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $188.37 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.66 earnings per share. Walmart’s revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. 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, equities analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be issued a $0.2475 dividend. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. Walmart’s payout ratio is presently 36.13%.

Key Stories Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s push into AI and automation could support margins over time by improving fulfillment efficiency, boosting order values, and lowering operating costs. Walmart’s AI and Automation Push: Long-Term Cost Advantage?
• Positive Sentiment: Investor focus is turning to Walmart’s upcoming earnings report, with analysts watching key operating metrics beyond revenue and EPS for signs that the business is still executing well. Exploring Analyst Estimates for Walmart (WMT) Q1 Earnings, Beyond Revenue and EPS
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart remains a favored defensive retail name as investors compare it with other consumer staples and grocery operators during a volatile market backdrop. Forget Walmart. The Grocer Beating It on Trust and Margin Trades at a Third of the Multiple
• Neutral Sentiment: Several hedge fund filings showed mixed positioning in Walmart, with some managers adding shares and others trimming, which does not clearly change the near-term outlook. Moore Capital Management Boosts Walmart Stake by 3,454 Shares
• Negative Sentiment: EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,250 shares in a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 transaction, adding a small insider-sale headline that may slightly pressure sentiment. SEC Form 4 filing
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market attention on geopolitical risk, including the Strait of Hormuz closure, may keep investors cautious and can weigh on sentiment even for defensive stocks like Walmart. NVDA, WMT Report This Week, but News on the Strait Is Key

Walmart 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.