Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) Shares Up 1.2% – Here’s Why

02 Jan 2026, 17:28 by Jessica Moore · The Cerbat Gem

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report)’s stock price rose 1.2% during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $112.79 and last traded at $112.76. Approximately 14,028,353 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 22% from the average daily volume of 17,908,004 shares. The stock had previously closed at $111.41.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on WMT. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $135.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $123.00 target price (up previously from $111.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, November 21st. DA Davidson set a $130.00 price target on shares of Walmart and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 21st. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of Walmart from $110.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Thirty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $120.69.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Walmart

Walmart Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $898.72 billion, a PE ratio of 39.43, a P/E/G ratio of 5.14 and a beta of 0.66. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $108.53 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $102.98. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.02. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.31% and a net margin of 3.26%.The business had revenue of $179.50 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $175.15 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.58 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 1,425 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction on Monday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.00, for a total transaction of $166,725.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 641,363 shares in the company, valued at approximately $75,039,471. The trade was a 0.22% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP John R. Furner sold 13,125 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.91, for a total transaction of $1,508,193.75. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 733,841 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $84,325,669.31. This trade represents a 1.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 125,628 shares of company stock worth $13,690,065. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Walmart during the third quarter worth $25,000. Access Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, PFS Partners LLC boosted its position in Walmart by 267.8% in the 2nd quarter. PFS Partners LLC now owns 320 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 233 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Walmart Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Walmart is a multinational retail corporation that operates a broad portfolio of store formats and digital services. Its core business includes large-format supercenters, discount department stores, neighborhood grocery stores and a membership warehouse chain, Sam’s Club. The company’s merchandising mix covers groceries, household goods, apparel, electronics and pharmacy services, supplemented by private-label products and category-specific offerings. Walmart pairs its physical store network with online platforms and mobile applications to provide omnichannel shopping, fulfillment and delivery options for consumers and businesses.