Norges Bank Buys New Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 57,970,822 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $6,458,529,000. Walmart accounts for 0.7% of Norges Bank’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest position.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Walmart by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 439,957,146 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $49,015,626,000 after purchasing an additional 4,304,436 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Walmart by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 184,805,978 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $19,046,104,000 after purchasing an additional 2,242,364 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Walmart by 6.8% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 103,010,709 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $11,426,753,000 after purchasing an additional 6,517,394 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Walmart by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 40,626,852 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,526,238,000 after purchasing an additional 328,229 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc raised its holdings in Walmart by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 27,268,463 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,810,288,000 after acquiring an additional 934,468 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Trading Down 2.6%

Walmart stock opened at $115.75 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The stock has a market cap of $922.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.44 and a beta of 0.65. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $93.43 and a 12 month high of $135.15. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $126.11 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $120.61.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The business had revenue of $177.75 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.Walmart’s revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.61 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have commented on WMT. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $138.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $137.00 price target (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, May 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $137.00 price target (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 22nd. BNP Paribas Exane cut their price target on Walmart from $147.00 to $146.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $145.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $138.85.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In related news, Director C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.63, for a total transaction of $2,303,320.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 4,174,579 shares in the company, valued at $495,230,306.77. This trade represents a 0.46% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total value of $1,308,670.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 120,203 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,300,550.91. This trade represents a 8.38% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 137,008 shares of company stock worth $17,048,504 over the last three months. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Walmart News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Sam’s Club reported strong member engagement, with its Member’s Mark community topping 150,000 participants, highlighting growth in Walmart’s warehouse-club business and its ability to build loyalty around private-label products. Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark Community Surges to Over 150000 Participants
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary from market watchers suggested Walmart’s recent pullback could be a buying opportunity, with analysts still pointing to meaningful upside versus current trading levels. Why the Walmart Dip Is the Best Buying Opportunity of 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart was highlighted in a value-comparison piece versus Kroger, reinforcing ongoing investor interest in the stock as a defensive retail name rather than signaling a clear catalyst. KR vs. WMT Which Stock Is the Better Value Option
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s name came up in broader coverage about slower consumer spending and inflation, which may support its value-oriented positioning but also underscores a cautious macro backdrop. Amazon and Walmart Turn to Platform Economics as Consumer Spending Slows
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of executive departures during Walmart’s leadership transition may raise concerns about stability as the company prepares for a CEO change. Walmart Faces Executive Departures Amid Leadership Transition
• Negative Sentiment: Two senior insiders sold shares, including EVP Latriece Watkins and Director C. Douglas McMillon, which can weigh on sentiment even though McMillon’s sale was made under a pre-arranged trading plan. Insider trade: Latriece Watkins Insider trade: C Douglas Mcmillon

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.