Walmart Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NASDAQ:WMT)

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Monday. Traders purchased 142,172 call options on the stock. This is an increase of 35% compared to the average daily volume of 105,142 call options.

Walmart Stock Performance

Walmart stock opened at $120.36 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $959.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.08, a P/E/G ratio of 5.03 and a beta of 0.66. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $110.42 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $104.13. Walmart has a 52-week low of $79.81 and a 52-week high of $120.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.24.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The retailer reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. Walmart had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.31%. The company had revenue of $179.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $175.15 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.58 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Walmart has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.580-2.630 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Walmart will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Kathryn J. Mclay sold 4,000 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.63, for a total value of $406,520.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 1,040,455 shares in the company, valued at approximately $105,741,441.65. The trade was a 0.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 19,416 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.57, for a total value of $2,127,411.12. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 4,334,747 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $474,958,228.79. This represents a 0.45% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 124,078 shares of company stock valued at $13,523,502. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Capital Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Walmart by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 147,888 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $16,476,000 after acquiring an additional 1,464 shares during the last quarter. Dakota Wealth Management lifted its position in Walmart by 17.9% during the 4th quarter. Dakota Wealth Management now owns 106,321 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $11,845,000 after purchasing an additional 16,125 shares during the period. Stephens Consulting LLC boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 1.9% in the 4th quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC now owns 5,753 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $641,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares during the last quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 9.4% in the 4th quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 47,771 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,322,000 after purchasing an additional 4,088 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Matrix Trust Co grew its position in shares of Walmart by 20.0% during the 4th quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 547 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $61,000 after buying an additional 91 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 26.76% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Walmart

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Nasdaq-100 inclusion should trigger index and ETF buying and has been cited as a primary reason for recent upside in WMT shares. Walmart Stock Gaining Steam Ahead of Debut on Nasdaq-100
• Positive Sentiment: Partnership with Google/Alphabet to integrate Walmart and Sam’s Club assortments into Gemini AI (agent‑led commerce) boosts WMT’s e‑commerce credibility and long‑term growth narrative. Walmart Stock Jumps on Google AI Partnership
• Positive Sentiment: Drone delivery expansion to ~150 locations accelerates last‑mile capabilities and shows execution on cost and service improvements that investors reward. Walmart Drone Delivery Service Surges
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call‑option activity and a disclosed insider buy (Shishir Mehrotra acquired about $93k of WMT) suggest speculative and insider confidence in near‑term upside. Shishir Mehrotra’s Recent Buy: Acquires $93K In Walmart Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive media/analyst commentary (e.g., Jim Cramer) highlights management execution and merchandising improvements, supporting sentiment but not necessarily changing fundamentals. Jim Cramer on Walmart CEO
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro piece on rotation to value argues consumer staples (including Walmart) are beneficiaries of a shift away from high‑duration tech, which is supportive but depends on broader rate/Fed developments. Tech Wreck or Valuation Reset? Rotating to Value in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Critical takes argue Walmart may be overvalued after the run and that some holders are trimming — investor caution on multiples could cap further gains. Walmart Is Overvalued – I’ve Just Sold My Shares
• Negative Sentiment: Forbes and other outlets highlight what could push WMT lower (macro risk, margin pressure, execution missteps); these reminders add caution for more risk‑averse investors. What Can Send Walmart Stock Price Down?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on WMT shares. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price target (up from $120.00) on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, November 21st. Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $123.00 price objective (up previously from $111.00) on shares of Walmart in a report on Friday, November 21st. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Walmart in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $125.00 target price (up from $115.00) on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Walmart from $110.00 to $121.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Thirty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $122.60.

About Walmart

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.

The company was founded by Sam Walton, who opened the first store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962; it is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas.