Nippon Life Global Investors Americas Inc. Boosts Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Nippon Life Global Investors Americas Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 6.8% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 360,040 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 22,960 shares during the quarter. Walmart accounts for about 1.6% of Nippon Life Global Investors Americas Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Nippon Life Global Investors Americas Inc.’s holdings in Walmart were worth $37,106,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of WMT. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. PFS Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Walmart by 267.8% in the second quarter. PFS Partners LLC now owns 320 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 233 shares in the last quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc lifted 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 acquiring an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC boosted its holdings in Walmart by 55.3% during the 2nd quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 323 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the period. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at about $39,000. 26.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Walmart Trading Up 0.4%

WMT opened at $119.70 on Friday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $111.49 and its 200-day simple moving average is $104.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.80. The company has a market cap of $954.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.85, a PEG ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 0.66. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $79.81 and a one year high of $121.24.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $179.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $175.15 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.31%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.58 earnings per share. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart

In other Walmart news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,388 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total transaction of $166,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 645,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $77,477,040. This represents a 0.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.83, for a total value of $2,171,291.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 4,315,333 shares in the company, valued at approximately $482,583,689.39. The trade was a 0.45% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 139,215 shares of company stock valued at $15,502,810. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Executive succession clarified: John Furner will become CEO next month and promoted longtime insider David Guggina to CEO of Walmart U.S., a move investors interpret as continuity-focused and supportive for execution on omnichannel and AI strategies. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: AI/digital momentum: Coverage highlights Walmart’s AI initiatives and partnerships (Google/Alphabet, OpenAI/ChatGPT) as starting to produce sales/efficiency upside — a strategic story driving valuation premium and analyst optimism. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Fintech and ancillary growth: Walmart‑backed OnePay reached a $4B valuation milestone, signaling potential non‑retail upside from financial-services partnerships. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Multiple firms recently reiterated/raised Buy/Outperform views and targets, reinforcing short‑term institutional demand. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive positioning: Analysts note Walmart is narrowing Amazon’s online lead — a positive strategic trend but one that still leaves intense competition and execution requirements. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Several senior execs disclosed share sales (combined millions), which can be interpreted as routine diversification but may pressure sentiment short term. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: International leadership turnover: Walmart International CEO Kathryn McLay will depart (staying through transition), raising near‑term succession and execution questions for overseas growth. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Legal/tax uncertainty: India’s top court is set to rule on tax treatment of the 2018 Flipkart stake sale (Tiger Global → Walmart), a potential precedent with financial or reputational implications. Read More.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on WMT shares. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $126.00 price target (up previously from $123.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday. Truist Financial set a $127.00 price objective on Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. UBS Group set a $130.00 target price on Walmart in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday. Thirty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $123.03.

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.