Walmart Inc. Executive Vice President John D. Rainey Sells Shares

On December 2, 2023, John D. Rainey, the Executive Vice President of Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT), sold 3,000 shares of the company. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.47, resulting in a total transaction value of $277,410. Following this sale, Rainey retains ownership of 375,165 shares in Walmart, which are valued at approximately $34,691,507.55. This transaction reflects a decrease of 0.79% in his overall stock holdings. The details of this sale were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), making them publicly accessible.

Walmart Stock Performance

On Wednesday, December 4, shares of Walmart traded higher, gaining $0.94 to reach $94.45 during market hours. The stock's trading volume was 17,308,457 shares, surpassing the average volume of 16,888,473 shares. As for its financial ratios, Walmart has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.85, and a quick ratio of 0.23. Over the last year, Walmart's stock has seen a low of $49.85 and a high of $94.51, with a 50-day simple moving average of $83.85 and a 200-day simple moving average of $75.44. The company's market capitalization stands at approximately $759.21 billion, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 38.45 and a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio of 4.40, along with a beta of 0.54.

Recent Earnings Report

Walmart recently reported its quarterly earnings on November 19, 2023. The retailer achieved an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.58, surpassing analysts' expectations of $0.53 by $0.05. The revenue for the quarter totaled $169.59 billion, exceeding analyst predictions of $167.69 billion. Walmart reported a net margin of 2.92% and a return on equity of 21.78%. This marks a year-over-year revenue increase of 5.5%. Last year, during the same quarter, Walmart's EPS was $0.51. Analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post an EPS of 2.47 for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors' Activity

Hedge funds have been active in buying and selling Walmart shares recently. For instance, Oddo BHF Asset Management Sas acquired a new position in Walmart during the third quarter, investing $626,000. Garde Capital Inc. increased its stake in Walmart by 8%, owning 2,080 shares worth $168,000 after purchasing an additional 154 shares. Similarly, Denver PWM LLC raised its holdings in Walmart by 10.7%, bringing its total to 3,043 shares valued at $246,000. Additionally, Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC boosted its Walmart shares by 56.9%, now owning 4,278 shares valued at $345,000 after acquiring 1,552 shares. Finally, American Trust increased its position by 2.3%, now holding 11,085 shares worth $895,000. Collectively, hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of Walmart's stock.

Analysts' Price Target Adjustments

Recently, several brokerages have revised their price targets for Walmart shares. Roth MKM raised its target from $81.00 to $97.00, maintaining a "buy" rating on the company. Barclays increased its target from $78.00 to $90.00, assigning an "overweight" rating in a report. TD Cowen lifted its price target from $90.00 to $100.00, also issuing a "buy" rating. Citigroup adjusted its target from $75.00 to $98.00, maintaining a "buy" rating. Stifel Nicolaus proposed an increase from $85.00 to $89.00, giving it a "hold" rating. Overall, two analysts have rated Walmart as a hold, twenty-nine have issued buy ratings, and one has a strong buy rating. According to MarketBeat data, Walmart holds a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $92.11.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc. operates as a worldwide retail and wholesale entity, including eCommerce. The company is structured into three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. It features various retail formats, including supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores, and discount stores under the Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands, alongside eCommerce platforms such as walmart.com and flipkart.com.

Walmart, shares, sale