Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC Reduces Stake in Walmart Inc.

Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC has reduced its investment in Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) by 18.5% during the fourth quarter, according to the firm's latest 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Following the sale of 13,008 shares, the firm now holds 57,348 shares of Walmart. This stake represents approximately 0.9% of Sugarloaf’s total investment portfolio, making Walmart the 18th largest position in their holdings. As of the last filing, Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC's investment in Walmart is valued at around $5,181,000.

In addition to Sugarloaf's adjustments, several other institutional investors have also changed their positions in Walmart recently. Brophy Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Walmart during the third quarter, amounting to $2,072,000. Similarly, Bank of New Hampshire increased its holdings by 13.7% during the fourth quarter and now owns 47,949 shares, valued at approximately $4,332,000 after purchasing an additional 5,786 shares. Iowa State Bank significantly increased its Walmart stake by 213.8%, reaching 26,807 shares valued at $2,422,000 following the acquisition of 18,263 additional shares during the same period. Fisher Asset Management LLC also raised its stake in Walmart by 4.6%, holding 47,659,844 shares valued at around $3.85 billion after a recent purchase of over two million shares. Lastly, Virtu Financial LLC also initiated a new position in Walmart during the third quarter, valued at $541,000. Currently, about 26.76% of Walmart's stock is owned by hedge funds and institutional investors.

Walmart Stock Performance

On Friday, shares of Walmart (NYSE:WMT) increased by $1.67, reaching $93.47. A total of 11,966,674 shares were traded, which is slightly below its average trading volume of 12,693,666 shares. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.85, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Over the past year, Walmart’s stock has seen a low of $53.39 and a high of $96.18. The 50-day simple moving average stands at $90.16, while the 200-day simple moving average is $80.29. Walmart's market capitalization is approximately $750.88 billion, with a PE ratio of 38.36, a P/E/G ratio of 4.47, and a beta of 0.55.

Recent Earnings Report

Walmart reported its latest quarterly earnings on November 19th, revealing earnings per share (EPS) of $0.58, which surpasses the analysts' expectations of $0.53. The retailer generated revenue of $169.59 billion in the quarter, exceeding forecasts of $167.69 billion. During this quarter, Walmart also recorded a return on equity of 21.78% and a net margin of 2.92%. The year-over-year revenue growth was reported at 5.5%, with the company having earned $0.51 EPS during the same quarter of the previous year. Analysts estimate that Walmart will achieve EPS of 2.47 for the current year.

Analyst Ratings

Walmart's stock has received varied attention from analysts recently. Jefferies Financial Group raised its target price for Walmart shares from $105.00 to $111.00, maintaining a “buy” rating. Guggenheim also increased its price objective from $90.00 to $100.00 with a “buy” rating. Meanwhile, StockNews.com downgraded Walmart from a “strong buy” to a “buy” rating. Oppenheimer boosted its target price from $81.00 to $90.00, rating the stock as “outperform.” Wells Fargo & Company raised its price target from $96.00 to $100.00, categorizing Walmart as “overweight.” Overall, two analysts currently maintain a hold rating on the stock, while twenty-nine give it a buy rating, and one analyst rates it as a strong buy. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” with an average target price of $94.08.

Insider Transactions

In other news related to corporate actions, Executive Vice President Daniel J. Bartlett sold 2,065 shares on October 15th, with an average price of $80.69, culminating in a total transaction value of approximately $166,624.85. Post-sale, Bartlett now owns 457,493 shares valued at about $36.92 million. Another insider, Director Robert Edward Jr. Moritz, purchased 5,446 shares on November 27th at an average price of $91.81, totaling $499,997.26. Following this purchase, Moritz holds 7,805 shares worth around $716,577. Over the last ninety days, insiders collectively sold 140,412 shares valued at $12.48 million, with company insiders currently owning 45.58% of Walmart's stock.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc. operates a vast retail and wholesale network globally, comprising three main segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. The company functions through supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, and discount stores under various brand names including Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market. Additionally, Walmart has a strong presence in eCommerce, operating websites like walmart.com, as well as mobile commerce applications.

Investment, Walmart, Stock