Walmart Shares Rise 0.7% - Is It Time to Invest?

Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) saw its share price increase by 0.7% during trading on Wednesday. The stock reached a high of $92.25 before settling at $91.94. Approximately 3,295,722 shares were traded during the day, marking a significant decline of 80% from the average daily trading volume of 16,856,260 shares. The previous closing price was $91.31.

Recent Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have expressed their opinions on Walmart's stock. The Telsey Advisory Group raised their price target for Walmart shares from $92.00 to $100.00, recommending it as an "outperform" on November 19th. Meanwhile, JPMorgan Chase increased their price target from $81.00 to $83.00, assigning the stock an "overweight" rating on August 16th. The Royal Bank of Canada also bumped their price target from $88.00 to $92.00, giving a similar "overweight" rating on November 18th. Goldman Sachs raised its target price from $73.00 to $81.00 with a "buy" rating, while Piper Sandler raised their target price from $83.00 to $93.00 on November 18th, maintaining an "overweight" rating. Overall, two analysts have rated Walmart with a hold, while 29 have recommended buying, with one strong buy. Walmart currently holds an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $91.88 according to MarketBeat.

Walmart Stock Performance Insights

The company's fifty-day moving average stands at $82.55, while the two-hundred day moving average is $74.36. Walmart boasts a market capitalization of approximately $738.47 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.73. The company has a PEG ratio of 4.25 and a beta of 0.51. Additionally, Walmart's debt-to-equity ratio is 0.56, a quick ratio of 0.23, and a current ratio of 0.85. Recently, Walmart announced its quarterly earnings, showing earnings per share (EPS) of $0.58, which exceeds analysts' expectations of $0.53. The company reported a net margin of 2.92% and a return on equity of 21.78%. The revenue for the quarter reached $169.59 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $167.69 billion, which was a 5.5% increase year-over-year.

Insider Trading Activity

In terms of insider trading, Alice L. Walton, a major shareholder, sold 2,709,163 shares at an average price of $77.37 on September 3rd, totaling about $209.6 million. After this sale, she retains 630,501,148 shares valued at approximately $48.78 billion, reflecting a 0.43% decrease in her holdings. S Robson Walton also sold 4,057,369 shares at an average of $77.20 on September 9th, amounting to about $313.2 million. He currently holds 611,988,318 shares valued at approximately $47.25 billion, indicating a 0.66% decrease in his stake. In total, insider trading over the last three months has seen 12,337,337 shares sold, valued at $958.8 million, with corporate insiders owning 45.58% of Walmart's stock.

Institutional Investor Movements

Large institutional investors have also made adjustments to their Walmart holdings. For instance, Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC increased their stake by 0.5% during the third quarter, now owning 23,720 shares valued at $1.92 million. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC raised their position by 0.3%, holding 43,549 shares worth $3.59 million. Additionally, 3Chopt Investment Partners LLC increased its holdings by 0.4%, now totaling 32,633 shares valued at $2.64 million. CAP Partners LLC boosted its stake by 2.1%, owning 6,054 shares worth $489,000. Lastly, Investment Advisory Group LLC raised its stake by 2.1%, holding 6,182 shares valued at $499,000. Collectively, institutional investors own about 26.76% of Walmart's stock.

Understanding Walmart

Walmart Inc. operates in retail, wholesale, and eCommerce globally. The company consists of three main segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. Walmart runs supercenters, supermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry outlets, and discount stores under its brand names, in addition to various eCommerce platforms and mobile applications.

Should You Invest in Walmart?

Investors should carefully evaluate whether to invest in Walmart at this time. While the stock currently holds a "Moderate Buy" rating from analysts, others suggest there may be better investment opportunities available. Research analysts have identified five stocks they believe might be more attractive at the moment, excluding Walmart from their recommended list.

In conclusion, while Walmart's share price has seen a recent increase and has positive analyst ratings, potential investors should consider various perspectives and alternative opportunities in the market before making investment decisions.

Walmart, Shares, Analysis