Butensky & Cohen Financial Security Inc. Makes New Investment in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Butensky & Cohen Financial Security Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 14,746 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,643,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new stake in Walmart during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Roble Belko & Company Inc boosted its holdings 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 buying an additional 219 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total transaction of $4,158,004.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 533,466 shares in the company, valued at $65,082,852. This represents a 6.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.17, for a total transaction of $2,313,804.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 4,274,856 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $509,434,589.52. The trade was a 0.45% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last three months, insiders have sold 274,278 shares of company stock valued at $33,825,793. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have issued reports on WMT. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $147.00 target price (up from $135.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $135.00 price objective (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $134.00 target price (up from $129.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $150.00 target price on Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $135.76.

Walmart Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WMT opened at $122.89 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 1 year low of $79.81 and a 1 year high of $134.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $979.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.55 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $124.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $113.51.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The company had revenue of $190.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $188.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.66 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.610-0.610 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.2475 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. Walmart’s payout ratio is presently 36.13%.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlight Walmart’s accelerating digital initiatives (AI tools, ads, memberships) and a disciplined buyback program that can lift margins and justify a higher multiple — a primary driver of investor optimism. Assessing Walmart (WMT) Valuation As Digital Growth AI Tools And Buybacks Reshape The Business
• Positive Sentiment: Comparisons to peers (Costco) emphasize Walmart’s omnichannel scale, growing ad business and membership-like initiatives as margin levers — reinforcing the narrative that Walmart can sustain steady, profitable growth vs. competitors. Walmart or Costco: Who’s Winning the Modern Retail Game Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader retail comparisons (Amazon, Target) and sector commentary keep Walmart in investors’ crosshairs as a defensive, cash-generative retail leader; these pieces frame relative valuation and strategic positioning but don’t contain immediate catalysts. Amazon vs Walmart: Which is a Better Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage noting executive comments about AI and leadership transitions (including past remarks by former CEO Doug McMillon) underscores management focus on AI but is more background than an immediate stock mover. Major outgoing CEOs are citing AI as a factor in their decisions to step down
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory headwinds: Washington state fined Walmart >$380k for selling motor vehicle A/C cans with banned hydrofluorocarbons. The penalty is modest financially but raises scrutiny of compliance and ESG risks, which can affect reputation and investor sentiment. Walmart Fine Raises Questions On Climate Compliance And Investment Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Governance/legal risk: A shareholder law firm is investigating Walmart’s board over alleged oversight failures tied to Spark driver pay practices, which could lead to litigation, reputational harm or regulatory scrutiny if claims advance. Berger Montague PC Investigates Walmart Inc.’s Board of Directors for Breach of Fiduciary Duty (NASDAQ: WMT)

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.