Walmart Inc. Executive Sells Shares: A Closer Look at Recent Transactions

Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) Executive Vice President John D. Rainey sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock on Monday, December 2nd. The sale occurred at an average price of $92.47 per share, leading to a total transaction value of $277,410.00. Following this transaction, Rainey holds 375,165 shares of Walmart, which are currently worth approximately $34,691,507.55. This sale represents a decrease of 0.79% in his overall ownership of Walmart stock. The details of this transaction were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), making it accessible for public viewing.

Walmart Stock Performance

On Wednesday, shares of Walmart rose by $0.94 during trading, reaching a price of $94.45. The trading volume for the day was recorded at 17,308,457 shares, surpassing the average volume of 16,888,473. Walmart's financial metrics include a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.85, and a quick ratio of 0.23. The stock has seen a 1-year low of $49.85 and a peak of $94.51. Additionally, the company's 50-day simple moving average stands at $83.85, while the 200-day average is at $75.44. Walmart has a market capitalization of $759.21 billion, and its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 38.45 with a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio of 4.40.

Walmart's last earnings report, released on November 19th, showed that it earned $0.58 per share for the quarter, surpassing analysts' expectations of $0.53. The company's revenue for the quarter amounted to $169.59 billion, exceeding the predicted $167.69 billion. Walmart's net margin was recorded at 2.92%, and its return on equity was noted at 21.78%. Year-over-year revenue growth was reported at 5.5%, with the same quarter last year generating an EPS of $0.51. Analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post an EPS of 2.47 for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investor Activity

Hedge fund activity surrounding Walmart has been noteworthy. In the third quarter, Oddo BHF Asset Management Sas acquired a new stake valued at $626,000. Garde Capital Inc. increased its stake by 8.0%, now owning 2,080 shares worth $168,000 following the purchase of 154 additional shares. Similarly, Denver PWM LLC raised its holdings by 10.7%, now holding 3,043 shares valued at $246,000 after acquiring an extra 294 shares. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC augmented its position by 56.9%, bringing its total to 4,278 shares worth $345,000 after purchasing 1,552 shares. Lastly, American Trust increased its ownership by 2.3%, now owning 11,085 shares valued at $895,000. Approximately 26.76% of Walmart's stock is now owned by hedge funds and institutional investors.

Analysts' Price Predictions

Recent analyst reports on Walmart have resulted in updated price targets. Roth MKM raised their target from $81.00 to $97.00, assigning the stock a "buy" rating. Barclays increased their target from $78.00 to $90.00, providing an "overweight" rating. TD Cowen raised their price target from $90.00 to $100.00 with a "buy" recommendation. Citigroup also increased their target from $75.00 to $98.00 with a "buy" rating. Stifel Nicolaus modified their price target from $85.00 to $89.00, maintaining a "hold" rating. Overall, two analysts have rated Walmart as a hold, 29 analysts have issued buy ratings, and one analyst has given it a strong buy rating, indicating a consensus of "Moderate Buy" with an average target price of $92.11.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc. operates as a multinational retail company, managing a variety of retail stores, eCommerce, and wholesale businesses globally. It operates through three primary segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. Walmart has different formats including supercenters, supermarkets, and discount stores, alongside its eCommerce platforms such as walmart.com and mobile commerce applications.

Walmart, Shares, Finance