AE Wealth Management LLC Buys 82,909 Shares of Walmart Inc. $WMT

AE Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 17.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 556,531 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 82,909 shares during the quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $57,356,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of WMT. Access Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Walmart during the second quarter worth $26,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc raised its stake in Walmart by 212.6% during the 3rd quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 219 shares during the period. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new position in Walmart during the third quarter worth about $39,000. Harbor Asset Planning Inc. acquired a new position in Walmart in the second quarter valued at about $46,000. Finally, Quaker Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Walmart by 200.0% in the second quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 486 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 972 shares in the last quarter. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is accelerating its healthcare strategy by elevating 3,000 pharmacy technician roles and raising average wages (from $22 to $28/hr), positioning the company to grow pharmacy and digital health services — a higher‑margin revenue stream that supports long‑term growth. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s broader tech push (AI, e‑commerce automation and advertising) continues to be a market thesis for higher valuation and margin expansion — analysts highlight rising AI adoption that could boost productivity and profitability. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Brand and customer engagement initiatives (e.g., the Major League Soccer “Walmart Saturday Showdown” sponsorship) support visibility and traffic, helping sustain sales momentum and higher‑income shopper mix. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Leadership change: CEO Doug McMillon’s announced retirement is a material governance event but was expected and managed as a planned transition; investors will watch execution under the new CEO rather than react immediately. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is generally constructive (some firms reiterate buys), and MarketBeat notes that insider sales amid the leadership handover look like scheduled/diversification transactions rather than a sell signal — but perception varies among investors. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some quality and reputation studies have criticized Walmart on product/service quality metrics, which could pressure foot traffic or brand perception if amplified. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Notable insider stock sales (covered in media) remain a headline risk — even if sales appear linked to the leadership transition, they can trigger short‑term investor caution. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMT has been the subject of a number of research reports. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on Walmart from $110.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. CICC Research began coverage on Walmart in a research note on Friday, December 26th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $125.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $126.00 price target (up from $123.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. DA Davidson set a $130.00 price objective on shares of Walmart and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company restated an “overweight” rating and set a $130.00 price objective (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Thirty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $123.20.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.91, for a total transaction of $1,508,193.75. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 733,841 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $84,325,669.31. This trade represents a 1.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP David Chojnowski sold 7,000 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.65, for a total transaction of $746,550.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 136,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,535,221.85. This trade represents a 4.89% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 135,215 shares of company stock valued at $15,304,608 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WMT opened at $116.57 on Thursday. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $79.81 and a 12 month high of $121.62. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $113.99 and a 200-day moving average of $105.71. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The company has a market capitalization of $929.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.99 and a beta of 0.66.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued 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. Walmart had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.31%. The company had revenue of $179.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $175.15 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.58 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

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.