Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd reduced its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Free Report) by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 899,280 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 5,257 shares during the quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd’s holdings in Walmart were worth $92,680,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Collier Financial bought a new position in Walmart during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 212.6% during the third quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 322 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the third quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.
Key Walmart News
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)
Walmart Price Performance
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.01. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.44% and a net margin of 3.07%.The business had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $188.37 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.66 EPS. The business’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. Equities research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.
Walmart Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a dividend of $0.2475 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio is currently 36.13%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
WMT has been the subject of several research analyst reports. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, February 20th. Oppenheimer reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $140.00 target price (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $150.00 price objective on Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $135.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, March 6th. One investment 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. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $135.76.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.96, for a total value of $1,600,725.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 687,287 shares in the company, valued at $83,821,522.52. This trade represents a 1.87% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Christopher James Nicholas sold 34,082 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 533,466 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $65,082,852. The trade was a 6.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 274,278 shares of company stock worth $33,825,793. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
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.
See Also
Receive News & Ratings for Walmart Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Walmart and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
