Walmart Inc. $WMT Holdings Trimmed by Stack Financial Management Inc

Stack Financial Management Inc reduced its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 0.6% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 1,046,996 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 6,592 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for approximately 9.0% of Stack Financial Management Inc’s holdings, making the stock its 2nd largest position. Stack Financial Management Inc’s holdings in Walmart were worth $107,903,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Access Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart in the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. 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 purchasing an additional 219 shares during the period. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart in the third quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Harbor Asset Planning Inc. bought a new position in Walmart in the second quarter worth approximately $46,000. Finally, Quaker Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Walmart by 200.0% during the 2nd quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 486 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $48,000 after purchasing an additional 972 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of WMT opened at $116.57 on Thursday. Walmart Inc. has a 1-year low of $79.81 and a 1-year high of $121.62. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $113.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $105.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $929.08 billion, a PE ratio of 40.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.99 and a beta of 0.66.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $179.50 billion during 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 business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.58 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Key Headlines Impacting Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is accelerating its healthcare strategy by elevating 3,000 pharmacy technician roles and raising average wages (from $22 to $28/hr), positioning the company to grow pharmacy and digital health services — a higher‑margin revenue stream that supports long‑term growth. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart’s broader tech push (AI, e‑commerce automation and advertising) continues to be a market thesis for higher valuation and margin expansion — analysts highlight rising AI adoption that could boost productivity and profitability. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Brand and customer engagement initiatives (e.g., the Major League Soccer “Walmart Saturday Showdown” sponsorship) support visibility and traffic, helping sustain sales momentum and higher‑income shopper mix. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Leadership change: CEO Doug McMillon’s announced retirement is a material governance event but was expected and managed as a planned transition; investors will watch execution under the new CEO rather than react immediately. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is generally constructive (some firms reiterate buys), and MarketBeat notes that insider sales amid the leadership handover look like scheduled/diversification transactions rather than a sell signal — but perception varies among investors. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some quality and reputation studies have criticized Walmart on product/service quality metrics, which could pressure foot traffic or brand perception if amplified. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Notable insider stock sales (covered in media) remain a headline risk — even if sales appear linked to the leadership transition, they can trigger short‑term investor caution. Article Title

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Donna Morris sold 9,384 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.19, for a total value of $1,127,862.96. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 536,312 shares in the company, valued at $64,459,339.28. This represents a 1.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the chief executive officer owned 4,274,856 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $509,434,589.52. This represents a 0.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 135,215 shares of company stock valued at $15,304,608 in the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on WMT shares. Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $125.00 price target (up previously from $108.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $119.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group set a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Mizuho set a $125.00 price objective on shares of Walmart and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Tigress Financial boosted their price objective on shares of Walmart from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Thirty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $123.20.

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.