Howland, Evergreen Boost Walmart Stakes; EVP Sells 1,388 Shares
Howland Capital raised its Walmart holdings by 1.5% to 365,781 shares after adding 5,570 shares in Q3, while Evergreen Capital grew its position by 13.8% to 56,626 shares valued at $5.84 million. EVP Daniel Bartlett sold 1,388 shares on January 15, reducing his stake by 0.21%.
1. Institutional Position Changes
Howland Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Walmart Inc. by 1.5% during the third quarter, adding 5,570 shares to reach a total ownership of 365,781 shares. At the end of the period, this holding represented approximately 1.4% of Howland’s portfolio and ranked as its 18th largest position. The filing also shows the position was valued at $37.7 million. Other notable moves include Evergreen Capital Management LLC’s 13.8% boost to 56,626 shares, and new positions established by Access Investment Management LLC and Manning & Napier Advisors LLC valued at roughly $26,000 and $39,000 respectively. Institutional investors now account for 26.76% of Walmart’s outstanding shares.
2. Insider Selling Activity
During the recent quarter, Walmart’s Chief Executive Officer C. Douglas McMillon sold 19,416 shares in late November, realizing proceeds of approximately $2.13 million and reducing his direct stake by 0.45% to 4.33 million shares. Executive Vice President Daniel Danker disposed of 4,365 shares in mid-January, generating about $525,000 and trimming his holding by 1.8% to 238,583 shares. Collectively, insiders have sold 139,215 shares valued at roughly $15.5 million over the last three months, leaving corporate insiders with 0.10% ownership.
3. Quarterly Earnings and Guidance
In its fiscal third quarter ending October, Walmart reported earnings per share of $0.62, exceeding the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. Revenues rose 5.8% year-over-year to $179.5 billion, topping analysts’ forecasts of $175.15 billion. Return on equity stood at 21.31% and net margin at 3.26%. The company maintained guidance for full-year 2026 EPS between 2.580 and 2.630, while the average analyst forecast remains at 2.55 earnings per share.
4. Analyst Ratings and Outlook
A total of 34 research firms cover Walmart, with 32 recommending Buy or Outperform and two advising Hold. Price targets range up to $135.00, with an average of $123.03. Recent notable actions include Deutsche Bank’s downgrade to Hold with a $119 objective, Sanford C. Bernstein’s raise to a $129 target, and Mizuho’s $125 Outperform rating. Analysts highlight Walmart’s accelerating omnichannel execution, AI partnerships driving efficiency gains, and the $4 billion valuation milestone for its fintech joint venture as catalysts for sustained valuation support.