Fiduciary Alliance LLC Grows Stock Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Fiduciary Alliance LLC boosted its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 6.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 111,231 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 6,810 shares during the period. Walmart makes up approximately 0.8% of Fiduciary Alliance LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Fiduciary Alliance LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $12,392,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of WMT. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Walmart by 188.1% during the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,663,172 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,199,907,000 after buying an additional 7,614,172 shares during the period. Amundi raised its holdings in Walmart by 20.5% during the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 23,497,921 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,413,236,000 after buying an additional 4,004,277 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Walmart by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 435,652,710 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $44,898,368,000 after buying an additional 3,835,200 shares during the period. Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 3rd quarter valued at $294,621,000. Finally, Holocene Advisors LP purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 2nd quarter valued at $273,784,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.10, for a total transaction of $1,694,437.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 591,084 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $76,308,944.40. This represents a 2.17% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Donna Morris sold 76,181 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.79, for a total value of $9,430,445.99. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 402,072 shares in the company, valued at $49,772,492.88. The trade was a 15.93% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 274,278 shares of company stock worth $33,825,793. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst note: Zacks highlights Walmart as well‑positioned for industry trends — omnichannel execution, digital transformation, advertising and membership initiatives should help WMT navigate margin pressure and capture share. 2 Supermarket Stocks Well-Positioned to Capitalize on Industry Trends
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional endorsement: Billionaire Israel Englander’s Millennium (longtime 13F holder) lists WMT among top picks, signaling sustained hedge‑fund conviction that can support the stock. Walmart Inc. (WMT): Israel Englander Is Bullish on This Retail Giant
• Positive Sentiment: Media bullishness: Jim Cramer called Walmart a “juggernaut,” which tends to attract retail interest and can amplify momentum buying. Jim Cramer Calls Walmart “A Stock That Truly Defines the Term Juggernaut”
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic growth levers: independent analysis notes Walmart is accelerating AI, higher‑margin ad revenue and membership/automation initiatives — structural profit drivers that can justify multiple expansion if execution continues. Assessing Walmart (WMT) Valuation As AI And Higher‑Margin Profit Engines Reshape The Business
• Positive Sentiment: New initiatives: coverage notes an EV‑charging rollout tied to Walmart sites — diversifies services, adds traffic to stores and strengthens ESG/infra narrative. Walmart EV Charging Push Adds New Dimension To Investment Case
• Neutral Sentiment: Market context: Barron’s piece on CEO changes notes retailer stocks (including Walmart) have moved with leadership transitions — supportive background but not a direct catalyst today. Retail CEO Changes Really Can Move Stocks. Just Look at Walmart and Target.
• Neutral Sentiment: Increased attention: Zacks reports heavy investor search activity for WMT — more eyeballs can boost liquidity and volatility but is non‑directional. Investors Heavily Search Walmart Inc. (WMT): Here is What You Need to Know
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and profit‑taking concerns: several pieces note WMT is up ~14% YTD and trades at a premium multiple, prompting discussion of “buy, hold or take profits” and creating room for near‑term selling. Walmart Stock Gains 14% YTD: Buy, Hold or Take Profits Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Small analyst tweak: Erste Group nudged FY2028 EPS slightly lower (minor cut), showing some analyst sensitivity to outlook — not a large revision but contributes to cautious tone. Erste Group reduces FY2028 estimate for Walmart

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $140.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $130.00 target price (up from $125.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Argus upgraded Walmart to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, HSBC lowered Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $122.00 to $131.00 in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $137.12.

Walmart Price Performance

WMT opened at $126.82 on Friday. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $90.01 and a 12-month high of $134.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $125.86 and its 200-day simple moving average is $115.09. The company has a market capitalization of $1.01 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.28, a PEG ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 0.66.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $188.37 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.66 EPS. The business’s revenue 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. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walmart Dividend Announcement

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 of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.13%.

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.