Empirical Finance LLC Purchases 5,357 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Empirical Finance LLC increased its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 147,788 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 5,357 shares during the quarter. Walmart accounts for approximately 0.7% of Empirical Finance LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Empirical Finance LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $16,738,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart during the first quarter worth about $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Montgomery Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Sankala Group LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Turim 21 Investimentos Ltda. bought a new stake in Walmart during the 1st quarter worth approximately $37,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Walmart news, EVP Daniel Danker sold 50,644 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.35, for a total value of $5,335,345.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 201,672 shares in the company, valued at $21,246,145.20. This trade represents a 20.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP David W. Guggina sold 11,978 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.82, for a total transaction of $1,435,203.96. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 125,067 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,985,527.94. The trade was a 8.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 81,242 shares of company stock worth $8,836,446 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Stock Down 1.0%

NASDAQ WMT traded down $1.09 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $106.05. The stock had a trading volume of 22,633,471 shares, compared to its average volume of 25,673,854. The company has a market capitalization of $841.37 billion, a PE ratio of 38.29, a P/E/G ratio of 4.09 and a beta of 0.59. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $110.66 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $119.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $98.88 and a 12 month high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $187.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $186.64 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 21.83%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.68 EPS. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMT has been the topic of a number of research reports. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. DA Davidson set a $132.00 price objective on shares of Walmart and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. BNP Paribas Exane restated an “outperform” rating and set a $137.00 price objective (down from $146.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of Walmart from $140.00 to $120.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Walmart from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $131.88.

Key Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AI positioning could support long-term growth. TD Cowen identified Walmart as one of the retailers best positioned to benefit from artificial intelligence, including more personalized shopping, improved inventory management and greater operating efficiency. Walmart, Ulta and Other Retailers That Can Win With AI
• Positive Sentiment: Opioid settlement removes a major legal overhang. Walmart agreed to pay $50 million to resolve a federal opioid case, substantially below the potential multibillion-dollar liability previously suggested by the Justice Department. The relatively modest settlement limits financial damage, although compliance and reputational concerns remain. Walmart Settles a Potential Multibillion-Dollar Opioid Case for $50 Million
• Positive Sentiment: Advertising is improving Walmart’s profit mix. The company’s expanding advertising business is generating higher-margin revenue as digital sales grow, potentially supporting earnings and profitability over time. Walmart’s Ad Business Expands: Can High-Margin Growth Lift Profits?
• Neutral Sentiment: Defensive appeal may attract investors before CPI and the Fed decision. Walmart is being highlighted alongside other defensive companies as a relatively stable retailer during macroeconomic uncertainty. However, interest-rate expectations and inflation data could influence the broader market more than company-specific news. 5 Defensive Stocks to Watch as CPI and the Fed Put the Rally to the Test
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains favorable but highlights relative underperformance. Jim Cramer said he would buy Walmart after its recent weakness, while noting that Target’s turnaround has attracted more attention. The comments may support sentiment but do not change Walmart’s earnings outlook. Jim Cramer Says Buy Walmart as Target’s Turnaround Gains Momentum
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term profit growth could face pressure. While advertising is a promising high-margin growth engine, expected Vibe-related costs may weigh on fiscal 2027 earnings growth. Walmart’s premium valuation makes such cost pressure a potential stock headwind. Walmart’s Ad Business Expands: Can High-Margin Growth Lift Profits?

Walmart Company Profile

Walmart Inc is a multinational retail and technology company that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, e-commerce platforms and membership warehouse clubs. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and beauty products, general merchandise and other consumer products.

Founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated in 1969, Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company serves customers through operations in the United States and international markets, including Mexico, Canada, China, India and several countries in Central America and Africa.