Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas Has $78.66 Million Stake in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas decreased its position in shares of Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 3.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 694,499 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 26,996 shares during the period. Walmart accounts for about 3.8% of Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas’ investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest holding. Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas’ holdings in Walmart were worth $78,659,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Walmart in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Walmart during the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Montgomery Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the second quarter worth about $32,000. Sankala Group LLC acquired a new position in Walmart during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new stake in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $128.00 price target (down from $137.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Walmart from $147.00 to $132.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Tigress Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $155.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, August 31st. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $125.00 target price (down from $140.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating and set a $126.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, August 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Walmart presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $131.88.

More Walmart News

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $132 price target, implying meaningful upside from recent levels. BTIG Research likewise maintained a “buy” rating with a $140 target. These endorsements suggest analysts view the recent selloff as an attractive entry point. Analyst rating reports
• Positive Sentiment: Walmart is being highlighted as a potential defensive holding if persistent inflation causes the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates again. Its essential-goods exposure and dividend history could make the stock more attractive relative to economically sensitive companies. 3 Dividend Kings to Buy if the Fed Starts Raising Rates
• Positive Sentiment: New initiatives could strengthen Walmart’s convenience and omnichannel proposition. The retailer is expanding tap-to-pay support for Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, contactless cards and wearables, while adding Papa John’s to its restaurant-delivery partner network. Walmart Expands Tap to Pay
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart’s recent fashion and brand-marketing activity, including a New York Fashion Week event, may improve visibility but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Walmart New York Fashion Week event
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported September short-interest data shows zero shares and a zero-day days-to-cover ratio, but the figures appear incomplete or unreliable and provide no meaningful trading signal.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts caution that Walmart’s roughly 14% six-month decline does not eliminate concerns about its premium valuation, rising costs and weaker earnings estimates. Higher interest rates could also pressure consumers and test the stock’s technical support. Should You Buy Walmart Stock After a 14% Decline in Six Months?

Walmart Trading Up 1.3%

WMT traded up $1.42 during trading on Friday, reaching $107.15. The company had a trading volume of 17,046,075 shares, compared to its average volume of 25,517,236. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $110.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is $118.96. The company has a market cap of $850.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.68, a PEG ratio of 4.04 and a beta of 0.59. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $98.88 and a 12-month high of $135.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The retailer reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.07. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.83% and a net margin of 3.00%.The firm had revenue of $187.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.64 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.68 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its Q3 2027 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 2.800-2.870 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.87 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Walmart

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,950 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.14, for a total value of $415,303.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 622,349 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $65,433,773.86. This trade represents a 0.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Christopher Nicholas sold 2,900 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.34, for a total transaction of $308,386.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 569,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,523,730.02. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 69,264 shares of company stock valued at $7,401,242 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Profile

Walmart Inc is a multinational retail and technology company that operates supercenters, discount stores, neighborhood markets, e-commerce platforms and membership warehouse clubs. Its merchandise includes groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, health and beauty products, general merchandise and other consumer products.

Founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated in 1969, Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company serves customers through operations in the United States and international markets, including Mexico, Canada, China, India and several countries in Central America and Africa.