Howland Capital Management LLC Acquires 5,570 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

Howland Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 1.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 365,781 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,570 shares during the quarter. Walmart comprises approximately 1.4% of Howland Capital Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. Howland Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $37,697,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Access Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. PFS Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 267.8% in the second quarter. PFS Partners LLC now owns 320 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 233 shares in the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 55.3% in the second quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 323 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the period. Roble Belko & Company Inc boosted its position in shares of Walmart by 212.6% in 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 period. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart during the third quarter valued at approximately $39,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.57, for a total transaction of $2,127,411.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 4,334,747 shares in the company, valued at approximately $474,958,228.79. The trade was a 0.45% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Daniel Danker sold 4,365 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.19, for a total transaction of $524,629.35. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 238,583 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,675,290.77. The trade was a 1.80% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 139,215 shares of company stock worth $15,502,810. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Walmart Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of WMT stock opened at $119.70 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The company has a market cap of $954.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.85, a PEG ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 0.66. Walmart Inc. has a 1 year low of $79.81 and a 1 year high of $121.24. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $111.49 and a 200-day moving average price of $104.54.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its earnings results 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. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.31% and a net margin of 3.26%.The company had revenue of $179.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $175.15 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.58 earnings per share. Walmart’s quarterly 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. As a group, equities analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $119.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and set a $129.00 target price (up from $122.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Mizuho set a $125.00 target price on Walmart and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Thirty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $123.03.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Executive succession clarified: John Furner will become CEO next month and promoted longtime insider David Guggina to CEO of Walmart U.S., a move investors interpret as continuity-focused and supportive for execution on omnichannel and AI strategies. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: AI/digital momentum: Coverage highlights Walmart’s AI initiatives and partnerships (Google/Alphabet, OpenAI/ChatGPT) as starting to produce sales/efficiency upside — a strategic story driving valuation premium and analyst optimism. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Fintech and ancillary growth: Walmart‑backed OnePay reached a $4B valuation milestone, signaling potential non‑retail upside from financial-services partnerships. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Multiple firms recently reiterated/raised Buy/Outperform views and targets, reinforcing short‑term institutional demand. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive positioning: Analysts note Walmart is narrowing Amazon’s online lead — a positive strategic trend but one that still leaves intense competition and execution requirements. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Several senior execs disclosed share sales (combined millions), which can be interpreted as routine diversification but may pressure sentiment short term. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: International leadership turnover: Walmart International CEO Kathryn McLay will depart (staying through transition), raising near‑term succession and execution questions for overseas growth. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Legal/tax uncertainty: India’s top court is set to rule on tax treatment of the 2018 Flipkart stake sale (Tiger Global → Walmart), a potential precedent with financial or reputational implications. Read More.

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.