CENTRAL TRUST Co lowered its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Free Report) by 1.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 540,530 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 7,457 shares during the period. Walmart comprises 1.2% of CENTRAL TRUST Co’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. CENTRAL TRUST Co’s holdings in Walmart were worth $55,707,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the second quarter worth $26,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter valued at $28,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 212.6% during the third quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth about $39,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research firms have issued reports on WMT. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $140.00 target price (up from $126.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $130.00 price objective (up previously from $123.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $132.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Raymond James Financial restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Thirty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $127.19.
Walmart News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts raising price targets and ratings — Oppenheimer bumped its WMT target to $140 and kept an Outperform rating, and BTIG also raised its target to $140, supporting upside expectations. Walmart Inc. (WMT) Price Target Increased at Oppenheimer as Firm Eyes Solid Q4
- Positive Sentiment: Additional analyst momentum — Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an Outperform with a $135 target and other firms (Mizuho, BTIG) have issued bullish commentary, lending broad sell‑side support. Analyst coverage (Benzinga)
- Positive Sentiment: Institutional buying — Fisher Asset Management boosted its Walmart stake, signaling confidence from a major asset manager and providing structural demand for the shares. Fisher Asset Management Boosts Walmart Stake
- Positive Sentiment: Expectations for earnings growth — previews from Zacks and coverage around likely beats/guidance have reinforced a buy thesis ahead of the Feb. 19 report. Walmart (WMT) Earnings Expected to Grow: Should You Buy?
- Neutral Sentiment: Earnings event scheduled — Walmart will host its Q4 earnings call on Feb. 19; execution/guidance from that call is the near-term catalyst investors are watching. Walmart To Host Fourth Quarter Earnings Conference Call February 19, 2026
- Neutral Sentiment: Dividend/long-term stories and sector context — pieces highlighting dividend aristocrats and retail winners (including WMT) contribute to steady investor interest but are lower-impact near-term. 3 Dividend Aristocrat Stocks To Buy for Reliable Income In 2026
- Neutral Sentiment: Competitive landscape note — Kroger’s management shakeup got attention this week; a revitalized competitor is a strategic watch but not an immediate earnings shock to Walmart. Kroger’s New CEO: A Turnaround Play in Aisle 4?
- Negative Sentiment: Legal/marketplace risk — Estée Lauder sued Walmart alleging counterfeit products sold via Walmart’s marketplace; this raises reputational and potential remediation costs and keeps marketplace controls under investor scrutiny. Estée Lauder sues Walmart for selling counterfeits
Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.83, for a total transaction of $2,171,291.28. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 4,315,333 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $482,583,689.39. This represents a 0.45% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.79, for a total value of $9,430,445.99. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 402,072 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,772,492.88. This represents a 15.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 229,196 shares of company stock worth $26,957,858. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Walmart Stock Up 3.8%
Shares of WMT opened at $133.66 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $79.81 and a fifty-two week high of $134.49. The company’s fifty day moving average is $117.73 and its two-hundred day moving average is $108.00. The firm has a market cap of $1.07 trillion, a PE ratio of 46.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $179.50 billion for 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%.The company’s revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.58 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. Analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.
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.
Featured Stories
- Five stocks we like better than Walmart
- Nvidia CEO Issues Bold Tesla Call
- Your Bank Account Is No Longer Safe
- Buy this Gold Stock Before May 2026
- What a Former CIA Agent Knows About the Coming Collapse
- New gold price target
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Walmart Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Walmart and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
