Trump’s Final Shocking Act Begins February 24

Dear Reader,

After signing more than 220 Executive Orders… more than any president in American history… Donald Trump is preparing for one final move.

On February 24th — I have every reason to believe he will sign his Final Executive Order.

When I say that it’s his FINAL executive order…

It’s not because he’s leaving office.

It’s not because he’s sick or having any health issues.

It’s not because he’ll be impeached for the Epstein files, or some dark, twisted scandal.

There’s another reason that, despite a long future in front of him, this will be Trump’s very last Executive Order…

Click here or below for this unbelievable story…

Regards,

Turn Your Images On


Ian King
Chief Strategist, Strategic Fortunes





Further Reading from MarketBeat Media

Why Walmart Continues to Rally While Executives Sell the Stock

Written by Jeffrey Neal Johnson. Originally Published: 1/27/2026. 

Walmart logo over grocery aisle with rising arrow, highlighting WMT stock and retail sales growth.

In Brief

  • Walmart is rapidly evolving into a high-margin technology company by automating its supply chain and expanding its lucrative digital advertising business.
  • The recent wave of executive stock sales is a standard practice tied to a leadership transition, rather than a signal of weak corporate fundamentals.
  • Institutional investors continue to buy the stock because the company dominates the retail sector, has a massive competitive moat, and pays a reliable dividend.

Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) is currently defying expectations. The stock is trading near all-time highs — around $118 per share — and the company is closing in on a historic $1 trillion market capitalization. By most financial measures, the retail giant is firing on all cylinders, outperforming competitors and the broader retail sector. Yet for investors watching the insider trading dashboard, a contradictory signal appears: while the market is buying aggressively, many executives are selling.

Over the last 12 months, tracking data shows a clear disparity: zero open-market purchases by insiders and more than $60 million in sales. Typically, insider selling can be interpreted as reduced confidence in a company’s prospects. Still, Walmart’s stock price is up over 5% in the last 30 days and up 10% in the past 90 days.

This Isn’t a Portfolio. It’s an AI Engine. (Ad)

First comes real enterprise traction. Then comes structural leverage. Then comes compounding.

RAD Intel is an AI company already past step one. With $60M+ raised, 14,000+ investors, and a reserved Nasdaq ticker $RADI, the foundation is in place.This is typically where repricing begins. Invest now at $0.85 per share.

To reconcile that disconnect, investors need to look beyond the headline numbers. Walmart is evolving from a primarily brick-and-mortar grocer into a higher-margin, technology-enabled business. That transition, combined with the company’s strength during uncertain economic times, suggests institutional confidence is considerably stronger than the caution flagged by executive sales.

Profit Taking or Loss of Faith?

When a CEO liquidates millions in company stock it attracts attention. In January 2026, outgoing CEO Doug McMillon sold approximately 19,416 shares, a transaction valued at over $2.3 million. Incoming CEO John Furner also sold roughly $1.5 million in stock, and other senior executives, including Executive Vice President Daniel Bartlett, executed sizable sales during the same period.

At first glance, a ledger showing 10 insiders selling and zero buying over the last year looks bearish. However, three key factors provide important context that reduces the perceived risk:

  • The changing of the guard: The selling coincides with a major leadership transition. McMillon is retiring on January 31, 2026, and Furner assumes the CEO role on February 1. Executives commonly liquidate shares for estate planning, tax planning or to diversify their portfolios when leaving a role or taking on new responsibilities.
  • Selling into strength: These sales occurred near recent highs — roughly $118–$120 per share — after about a 24% annual rally. Exiting positions at elevated valuations is often rational profit-taking rather than a sign of panic.
  • Market absorption: Despite millions of dollars of insider supply hitting the market, the stock has held up. Buyer demand from institutional investors has been sufficient to absorb those sales, suggesting that market participants still see value.

The Ultimate Recession Hedge: Winning the Trade-Down

The 2026 economic backdrop remains mixed, with lingering inflationary pressures and uneven growth. In such environments, consumers tend not to stop spending; they change where they spend. This “trade-down” effect sees shoppers move from premium grocers like Whole Foods or mid-tier chains such as Target (NYSE: TGT) to Walmart to stretch their budgets.

Walmart’s Everyday Low Price promise attracts value-conscious customers, and the composition of that customer base is shifting. Data from the company’s third-quarter earnings indicates market-share gains are being driven in part by higher-income households earning over $100,000 annually.

This demographic broadening creates a durable competitive moat, insulating Walmart from economic swings that typically hurt retailers dependent primarily on lower-income shoppers. When the economy wobbles, Walmart’s customer base tends to expand rather than contract.

For conservative investors, the stock also provides an income cushion:

That mix of steady income and defensive demand helps cement Walmart’s role as a core holding for investors seeking stability without forgoing growth exposure.

Beyond Brick and Mortar: The Tech-Powered Future

Value investors often balk at Walmart’s valuation. The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio near 41x, well above historical retail averages around 20x–25x. But the market increasingly values Walmart as more than a traditional grocer — it’s being re-rated as a hybrid of retail and technology.

The rationale for a premium valuation lies in higher-margin revenue streams that don’t depend on selling physical goods:

  • Advertising business: Walmart’s global advertising operations, helped by the Vizio acquisition, grew 53% in the most recent quarter. Selling digital ads on Walmart.comand connected-TV inventory generates much higher profit margins than selling groceries, and expansion of this segment can disproportionately boost earnings.
  • AI and automation: Walmart is deploying technology to improve its cost structure. The company is rolling out Sparky, an AI shopping assistant developed in partnership with OpenAI, to personalize the shopping experience. More than half of its e-commerce fulfillment volume is now automated, permanently lowering the cost to serve and enabling Walmart to compete on price while protecting margins.

Even Walmart’s strategic move to list on the NASDAQ signals an alignment with technology peers rather than legacy retailers, and investors appear willing to pay a premium for that strategic shift.

Why Fundamentals Outweigh the Noise

Insider-trading alerts can be unnerving, but good investing separates noise from signal. The recent executive selling at Walmart appears structural — tied to a historic leadership transition and reasonable profit-taking at elevated prices — and has not halted the stock’s momentum because broader market buying is grounded in solid fundamentals.

Walmart combines defensive stability through grocery dominance with offensive growth from advertising and automation. Whether the economy slows or accelerates, the company is positioned to capture value. For investors navigating 2026, Walmart remains a core holding that offers downside protection alongside upside potential.

This email is a sponsored message from Banyan Hill Publishing, a third-party advertiser of MarketBeat. Why did I receive this email content?. 


If you would like to unsubscribe from receiving offers for Strategic Fortunes, please click here.


If you have questions or concerns about your newsletter, please don’t hesitate to email our U.S. based support team at contact@marketbeat.com.

If you would no longer like to receive promotional emails from MarketBeat advertisers, you can unsubscribe or manage your mailing preferences here.

© 2006-2026 MarketBeat Media, LLC. 
345 N Reid Place #620, Sioux Falls, SD 57103. United States..

See Also: This Isn’t a Portfolio. It’s an AI Engine. (From RAD Intel)

Unknown's avatar

Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

Leave a Comment