Grocery giant Walmart (WMT) is scheduled to announce its first-quarter results on May 21. In the year-to-date, WMT stock has climbed 18% as its value-driven business model helps customers during these times of economic uncertainty and higher inflation. In this article, we break down who owns WMT and what it could mean for investors.
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The company’s ownership structure provides valuable insight into both confidence and caution surrounding this stock ahead of earnings.
Who Owns WMT Stock?
According to TipRanks’ Ownership Tool, public companies and individual investors own 66.74% of Walmart. They are followed by ETFs, mutual funds, insiders and institutional investors at 12.86%, 9.05%, 6.63% and 4.72% respectively.
A significant share of WMT is held by public and individual investors, reflecting broad market interest and confidence in the company. However, this can make the stock more sensitive to market sentiment, news, and short-term price swings. Meanwhile, insider ownership at 6.63% is notable, meaning that management has a good level of direct ownership compared to other stocks.
Who are the Top Shareholders?
As can be seen above, the Walton Family Holdings Trusts is in the lead position with over 13 million shares and a 6.44% holding. It is followed by Vanguard and Vanguard Index Funds.
However, it should be noted by investors that the Walton Family Holdings Trust – see above – has been selling down its shares as part of WMT’s Insider Trading Activity. That could give some investors pause for thought ahead of the Q1 earnings report.
What to Expect from WMT’s Q1 Earnings?
Wall Street expects WMT to post earnings per share of $0.66, up from $0.61 in the same period last year. Its revenues are tipped to come in at $174.73 billion, up from $165.6 billion in the same period last year.
Is WMT a Good Stock to Buy Now?
On TipRanks, WMT has a Strong Buy consensus based on 28 Buy and 2 Hold ratings. Its highest price target is $150. WMT stock’s consensus price target is $140.08, implying a 6.55% upside.
