Ritholtz Wealth Management Boosts Position in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Ritholtz Wealth Management lifted its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 5.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 241,330 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 12,733 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for approximately 0.5% of Ritholtz Wealth Management’s portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Ritholtz Wealth Management’s holdings in Walmart were worth $26,887,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of WMT. Fox Run Management L.L.C. purchased a new position in Walmart in the third quarter worth approximately $1,709,000. CWM LLC grew its position in Walmart by 24.2% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,175,703 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $121,168,000 after acquiring an additional 229,220 shares during the period. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. grew its position in Walmart by 16.6% in the third quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. now owns 63,782 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $6,567,000 after acquiring an additional 9,061 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its position in Walmart by 2.9% in the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,010,886 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $104,182,000 after acquiring an additional 28,026 shares during the period. Finally, World Investment Advisors grew its position in Walmart by 5.2% in the third quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 293,866 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $30,286,000 after acquiring an additional 14,487 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on WMT. Mizuho increased their price objective on Walmart from $125.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $140.00 price objective (up from $130.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Craig Hallum set a $150.00 price target on Walmart in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating and set a $147.00 price target (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $137.12.

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

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, CEO John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.10, for a total value of $1,694,437.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 591,084 shares in the company, valued at approximately $76,308,944.40. This trade represents a 2.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.17, for a total value of $2,313,804.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 4,274,856 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $509,434,589.52. This trade represents a 0.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 274,278 shares of company stock valued at $33,825,793 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Trading Up 0.0%

WMT opened at $126.82 on Monday. Walmart Inc. has a 52 week low of $90.01 and a 52 week high of $134.69. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $125.86 and a 200-day simple moving average of $115.27. The firm has a market cap of $1.01 trillion, a P/E ratio of 46.28, a P/E/G ratio of 4.72 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The retailer reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $190.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $188.37 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.66 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. 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 analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Walmart Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 4th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be issued a $0.2475 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. Walmart’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 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.