Capital asset pricing model (CAPM) indicates what should be the expected or required rate of return on risky assets like Walmart Inc. common stock.
Rates of Return
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| t | Date | PriceWMT,t1 | DividendWMT,t1 | RWMT,t2 | PriceS&P 500,t | RS&P 500,t3 |
| Feb 29, 2020 | $35.89 | 2,954.22 | ||||
| 1. | Mar 31, 2020 | $37.87 | $0.18 | 6.02% | 2,584.59 | -12.51% |
| 2. | Apr 30, 2020 | $40.52 | 7.00% | 2,912.43 | 12.68% | |
| 3. | May 31, 2020 | $41.35 | $0.18 | 2.49% | 3,044.31 | 4.53% |
| . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| 70. | Dec 31, 2025 | $111.41 | $0.235 | 1.03% | 6,845.50 | -0.05% |
| 71. | Jan 31, 2026 | $119.14 | 6.94% | 6,939.03 | 1.37% | |
| Average (R): | 1.98% | 1.33% | ||||
| Standard deviation: | 5.60% | 4.83% | ||||
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| t | Date | PriceWMT,t1 | DividendWMT,t1 | RWMT,t2 | PriceS&P 500,t | RS&P 500,t3 |
| Feb 29, 2020 | $35.89 | 2,954.22 | ||||
| 1. | Mar 31, 2020 | $37.87 | $0.18 | 6.02% | 2,584.59 | -12.51% |
| 2. | Apr 30, 2020 | $40.52 | 7.00% | 2,912.43 | 12.68% | |
| 3. | May 31, 2020 | $41.35 | $0.18 | 2.49% | 3,044.31 | 4.53% |
| 4. | Jun 30, 2020 | $39.93 | -3.43% | 3,100.29 | 1.84% | |
| 5. | Jul 31, 2020 | $43.13 | 8.01% | 3,271.12 | 5.51% | |
| 6. | Aug 31, 2020 | $46.28 | $0.18 | 7.72% | 3,500.31 | 7.01% |
| 7. | Sep 30, 2020 | $46.64 | 0.78% | 3,363.00 | -3.92% | |
| 8. | Oct 31, 2020 | $46.25 | -0.84% | 3,269.96 | -2.77% | |
| 9. | Nov 30, 2020 | $50.93 | 10.12% | 3,621.63 | 10.75% | |
| 10. | Dec 31, 2020 | $48.05 | $0.18 | -5.30% | 3,756.07 | 3.71% |
| 11. | Jan 31, 2021 | $46.83 | -2.54% | 3,714.24 | -1.11% | |
| 12. | Feb 28, 2021 | $43.31 | -7.52% | 3,811.15 | 2.61% | |
| 13. | Mar 31, 2021 | $45.28 | $0.183333 | 4.97% | 3,972.89 | 4.24% |
| 14. | Apr 30, 2021 | $46.64 | 3.00% | 4,181.17 | 5.24% | |
| 15. | May 31, 2021 | $47.34 | $0.183333 | 1.89% | 4,204.11 | 0.55% |
| 16. | Jun 30, 2021 | $47.01 | -0.70% | 4,297.50 | 2.22% | |
| 17. | Jul 31, 2021 | $47.52 | 1.08% | 4,395.26 | 2.27% | |
| 18. | Aug 31, 2021 | $49.37 | $0.183333 | 4.28% | 4,522.68 | 2.90% |
| 19. | Sep 30, 2021 | $46.46 | -5.89% | 4,307.54 | -4.76% | |
| 20. | Oct 31, 2021 | $49.81 | 7.21% | 4,605.38 | 6.91% | |
| 21. | Nov 30, 2021 | $46.88 | -5.88% | 4,567.00 | -0.83% | |
| 22. | Dec 31, 2021 | $48.23 | $0.183333 | 3.27% | 4,766.18 | 4.36% |
| 23. | Jan 31, 2022 | $46.60 | -3.38% | 4,515.55 | -5.26% | |
| 24. | Feb 28, 2022 | $45.05 | -3.33% | 4,373.94 | -3.14% | |
| 25. | Mar 31, 2022 | $49.64 | $0.186667 | 10.60% | 4,530.41 | 3.58% |
| 26. | Apr 30, 2022 | $51.00 | 2.74% | 4,131.93 | -8.80% | |
| 27. | May 31, 2022 | $42.88 | $0.186667 | -15.56% | 4,132.15 | 0.01% |
| 28. | Jun 30, 2022 | $40.53 | -5.48% | 3,785.38 | -8.39% | |
| 29. | Jul 31, 2022 | $44.02 | 8.61% | 4,130.29 | 9.11% | |
| 30. | Aug 31, 2022 | $44.18 | $0.186667 | 0.79% | 3,955.00 | -4.24% |
| 31. | Sep 30, 2022 | $43.23 | -2.15% | 3,585.62 | -9.34% | |
| 32. | Oct 31, 2022 | $47.44 | 9.74% | 3,871.98 | 7.99% | |
| 33. | Nov 30, 2022 | $50.81 | 7.10% | 4,080.11 | 5.38% | |
| 34. | Dec 31, 2022 | $47.26 | $0.186667 | -6.62% | 3,839.50 | -5.90% |
| 35. | Jan 31, 2023 | $47.96 | 1.48% | 4,076.60 | 6.18% | |
| 36. | Feb 28, 2023 | $47.38 | -1.21% | 3,970.15 | -2.61% | |
| 37. | Mar 31, 2023 | $49.15 | $0.19 | 4.14% | 4,109.31 | 3.51% |
| 38. | Apr 30, 2023 | $50.32 | 2.38% | 4,169.48 | 1.46% | |
| 39. | May 31, 2023 | $48.96 | $0.19 | -2.33% | 4,179.83 | 0.25% |
| 40. | Jun 30, 2023 | $52.39 | 7.01% | 4,376.86 | 4.71% | |
| 41. | Jul 31, 2023 | $53.29 | 1.72% | 4,588.96 | 4.85% | |
| 42. | Aug 31, 2023 | $54.20 | $0.19 | 2.06% | 4,507.66 | -1.77% |
| 43. | Sep 30, 2023 | $53.31 | -1.64% | 4,288.05 | -4.87% | |
| 44. | Oct 31, 2023 | $54.47 | 2.18% | 4,193.80 | -2.20% | |
| 45. | Nov 30, 2023 | $51.90 | -4.72% | 4,567.80 | 8.92% | |
| 46. | Dec 31, 2023 | $52.55 | $0.19 | 1.62% | 4,769.83 | 4.42% |
| 47. | Jan 31, 2024 | $55.08 | 4.81% | 4,845.65 | 1.59% | |
| 48. | Feb 29, 2024 | $58.61 | 6.41% | 5,096.27 | 5.17% | |
| 49. | Mar 31, 2024 | $60.17 | $0.2075 | 3.02% | 5,254.35 | 3.10% |
| 50. | Apr 30, 2024 | $59.35 | -1.36% | 5,035.69 | -4.16% | |
| 51. | May 31, 2024 | $65.76 | $0.2075 | 11.15% | 5,277.51 | 4.80% |
| 52. | Jun 30, 2024 | $67.71 | 2.97% | 5,460.48 | 3.47% | |
| 53. | Jul 31, 2024 | $68.64 | 1.37% | 5,522.30 | 1.13% | |
| 54. | Aug 31, 2024 | $77.23 | $0.2075 | 12.82% | 5,648.40 | 2.28% |
| 55. | Sep 30, 2024 | $80.75 | 4.56% | 5,762.48 | 2.02% | |
| 56. | Oct 31, 2024 | $81.95 | 1.49% | 5,705.45 | -0.99% | |
| 57. | Nov 30, 2024 | $92.50 | 12.87% | 6,032.38 | 5.73% | |
| 58. | Dec 31, 2024 | $90.35 | $0.2075 | -2.10% | 5,881.63 | -2.50% |
| 59. | Jan 31, 2025 | $98.16 | 8.64% | 6,040.53 | 2.70% | |
| 60. | Feb 28, 2025 | $98.61 | 0.46% | 5,954.50 | -1.42% | |
| 61. | Mar 31, 2025 | $87.79 | $0.235 | -10.73% | 5,611.85 | -5.75% |
| 62. | Apr 30, 2025 | $97.25 | 10.78% | 5,569.06 | -0.76% | |
| 63. | May 31, 2025 | $98.72 | $0.235 | 1.75% | 5,911.69 | 6.15% |
| 64. | Jun 30, 2025 | $97.78 | -0.95% | 6,204.95 | 4.96% | |
| 65. | Jul 31, 2025 | $97.98 | 0.20% | 6,339.39 | 2.17% | |
| 66. | Aug 31, 2025 | $96.98 | $0.235 | -0.78% | 6,460.26 | 1.91% |
| 67. | Sep 30, 2025 | $103.06 | 6.27% | 6,688.46 | 3.53% | |
| 68. | Oct 31, 2025 | $101.18 | -1.82% | 6,840.20 | 2.27% | |
| 69. | Nov 30, 2025 | $110.51 | 9.22% | 6,849.09 | 0.13% | |
| 70. | Dec 31, 2025 | $111.41 | $0.235 | 1.03% | 6,845.50 | -0.05% |
| 71. | Jan 31, 2026 | $119.14 | 6.94% | 6,939.03 | 1.37% | |
| Average (R): | 1.98% | 1.33% | ||||
| Standard deviation: | 5.60% | 4.83% | ||||
Show all
1 Data in US$ per share of common stock, adjusted for splits and stock dividends.
2 Rate of return on common stock of WMT during period t
3 Rate of return on S&P 500 (the market portfolio proxy) during period t
Variance and Covariance
| t | Date | RWMT,t | RS&P 500,t | (RWMT,t–RWMT)2 | (RS&P 500,t–RS&P 500)2 | (RWMT,t–RWMT)×(RS&P 500,t–RS&P 500) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mar 31, 2020 | 6.02% | -12.51% | 16.32 | 191.48 | -55.89 |
| 2. | Apr 30, 2020 | 7.00% | 12.68% | 25.19 | 129.02 | 57.01 |
| 3. | May 31, 2020 | 2.49% | 4.53% | 0.26 | 10.26 | 1.64 |
| . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| 70. | Dec 31, 2025 | 1.03% | -0.05% | 0.91 | 1.90 | 1.31 |
| 71. | Jan 31, 2026 | 6.94% | 1.37% | 24.59 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Total (Σ): | 2,191.78 | 1,636.00 | 871.29 | |||
| t | Date | RWMT,t | RS&P 500,t | (RWMT,t–RWMT)2 | (RS&P 500,t–RS&P 500)2 | (RWMT,t–RWMT)×(RS&P 500,t–RS&P 500) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mar 31, 2020 | 6.02% | -12.51% | 16.32 | 191.48 | -55.89 |
| 2. | Apr 30, 2020 | 7.00% | 12.68% | 25.19 | 129.02 | 57.01 |
| 3. | May 31, 2020 | 2.49% | 4.53% | 0.26 | 10.26 | 1.64 |
| 4. | Jun 30, 2020 | -3.43% | 1.84% | 29.30 | 0.26 | -2.78 |
| 5. | Jul 31, 2020 | 8.01% | 5.51% | 36.42 | 17.51 | 25.25 |
| 6. | Aug 31, 2020 | 7.72% | 7.01% | 32.97 | 32.27 | 32.62 |
| 7. | Sep 30, 2020 | 0.78% | -3.92% | 1.44 | 27.55 | 6.30 |
| 8. | Oct 31, 2020 | -0.84% | -2.77% | 7.93 | 16.75 | 11.52 |
| 9. | Nov 30, 2020 | 10.12% | 10.75% | 66.26 | 88.91 | 76.75 |
| 10. | Dec 31, 2020 | -5.30% | 3.71% | 53.00 | 5.70 | -17.38 |
| 11. | Jan 31, 2021 | -2.54% | -1.11% | 20.41 | 5.95 | 11.02 |
| 12. | Feb 28, 2021 | -7.52% | 2.61% | 90.17 | 1.65 | -12.19 |
| 13. | Mar 31, 2021 | 4.97% | 4.24% | 8.96 | 8.52 | 8.73 |
| 14. | Apr 30, 2021 | 3.00% | 5.24% | 1.05 | 15.34 | 4.01 |
| 15. | May 31, 2021 | 1.89% | 0.55% | 0.01 | 0.60 | 0.07 |
| 16. | Jun 30, 2021 | -0.70% | 2.22% | 7.16 | 0.80 | -2.40 |
| 17. | Jul 31, 2021 | 1.08% | 2.27% | 0.80 | 0.90 | -0.85 |
| 18. | Aug 31, 2021 | 4.28% | 2.90% | 5.29 | 2.48 | 3.62 |
| 19. | Sep 30, 2021 | -5.89% | -4.76% | 61.99 | 37.00 | 47.89 |
| 20. | Oct 31, 2021 | 7.21% | 6.91% | 27.37 | 31.23 | 29.24 |
| 21. | Nov 30, 2021 | -5.88% | -0.83% | 61.80 | 4.66 | 16.97 |
| 22. | Dec 31, 2021 | 3.27% | 4.36% | 1.67 | 9.22 | 3.92 |
| 23. | Jan 31, 2022 | -3.38% | -5.26% | 28.72 | 43.35 | 35.28 |
| 24. | Feb 28, 2022 | -3.33% | -3.14% | 28.15 | 19.91 | 23.67 |
| 25. | Mar 31, 2022 | 10.60% | 3.58% | 74.37 | 5.07 | 19.42 |
| 26. | Apr 30, 2022 | 2.74% | -8.80% | 0.58 | 102.44 | -7.70 |
| 27. | May 31, 2022 | -15.56% | 0.01% | 307.46 | 1.74 | 23.15 |
| 28. | Jun 30, 2022 | -5.48% | -8.39% | 55.64 | 94.43 | 72.49 |
| 29. | Jul 31, 2022 | 8.61% | 9.11% | 43.98 | 60.62 | 51.64 |
| 30. | Aug 31, 2022 | 0.79% | -4.24% | 1.42 | 31.02 | 6.64 |
| 31. | Sep 30, 2022 | -2.15% | -9.34% | 17.05 | 113.75 | 44.04 |
| 32. | Oct 31, 2022 | 9.74% | 7.99% | 60.21 | 44.37 | 51.68 |
| 33. | Nov 30, 2022 | 7.10% | 5.38% | 26.26 | 16.40 | 20.75 |
| 34. | Dec 31, 2022 | -6.62% | -5.90% | 73.93 | 52.17 | 62.10 |
| 35. | Jan 31, 2023 | 1.48% | 6.18% | 0.25 | 23.52 | -2.41 |
| 36. | Feb 28, 2023 | -1.21% | -2.61% | 10.17 | 15.50 | 12.55 |
| 37. | Mar 31, 2023 | 4.14% | 3.51% | 4.66 | 4.75 | 4.70 |
| 38. | Apr 30, 2023 | 2.38% | 1.46% | 0.16 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
| 39. | May 31, 2023 | -2.33% | 0.25% | 18.53 | 1.16 | 4.64 |
| 40. | Jun 30, 2023 | 7.01% | 4.71% | 25.27 | 11.48 | 17.03 |
| 41. | Jul 31, 2023 | 1.72% | 4.85% | 0.07 | 12.39 | -0.92 |
| 42. | Aug 31, 2023 | 2.06% | -1.77% | 0.01 | 9.59 | -0.26 |
| 43. | Sep 30, 2023 | -1.64% | -4.87% | 13.11 | 38.41 | 22.44 |
| 44. | Oct 31, 2023 | 2.18% | -2.20% | 0.04 | 12.42 | -0.69 |
| 45. | Nov 30, 2023 | -4.72% | 8.92% | 44.85 | 57.64 | -50.85 |
| 46. | Dec 31, 2023 | 1.62% | 4.42% | 0.13 | 9.59 | -1.12 |
| 47. | Jan 31, 2024 | 4.81% | 1.59% | 8.04 | 0.07 | 0.75 |
| 48. | Feb 29, 2024 | 6.41% | 5.17% | 19.62 | 14.80 | 17.04 |
| 49. | Mar 31, 2024 | 3.02% | 3.10% | 1.07 | 3.16 | 1.84 |
| 50. | Apr 30, 2024 | -1.36% | -4.16% | 11.17 | 30.11 | 18.34 |
| 51. | May 31, 2024 | 11.15% | 4.80% | 84.11 | 12.09 | 31.88 |
| 52. | Jun 30, 2024 | 2.97% | 3.47% | 0.97 | 4.59 | 2.11 |
| 53. | Jul 31, 2024 | 1.37% | 1.13% | 0.37 | 0.04 | 0.12 |
| 54. | Aug 31, 2024 | 12.82% | 2.28% | 117.46 | 0.92 | 10.38 |
| 55. | Sep 30, 2024 | 4.56% | 2.02% | 6.65 | 0.48 | 1.79 |
| 56. | Oct 31, 2024 | 1.49% | -0.99% | 0.24 | 5.36 | 1.14 |
| 57. | Nov 30, 2024 | 12.87% | 5.73% | 118.69 | 19.40 | 47.99 |
| 58. | Dec 31, 2024 | -2.10% | -2.50% | 16.64 | 14.63 | 15.60 |
| 59. | Jan 31, 2025 | 8.64% | 2.70% | 44.42 | 1.89 | 9.17 |
| 60. | Feb 28, 2025 | 0.46% | -1.42% | 2.31 | 7.56 | 4.18 |
| 61. | Mar 31, 2025 | -10.73% | -5.75% | 161.63 | 50.13 | 90.01 |
| 62. | Apr 30, 2025 | 10.78% | -0.76% | 77.38 | 4.36 | -18.37 |
| 63. | May 31, 2025 | 1.75% | 6.15% | 0.05 | 23.30 | -1.09 |
| 64. | Jun 30, 2025 | -0.95% | 4.96% | 8.59 | 13.21 | -10.66 |
| 65. | Jul 31, 2025 | 0.20% | 2.17% | 3.15 | 0.71 | -1.49 |
| 66. | Aug 31, 2025 | -0.78% | 1.91% | 7.62 | 0.34 | -1.60 |
| 67. | Sep 30, 2025 | 6.27% | 3.53% | 18.41 | 4.87 | 9.47 |
| 68. | Oct 31, 2025 | -1.82% | 2.27% | 14.46 | 0.89 | -3.59 |
| 69. | Nov 30, 2025 | 9.22% | 0.13% | 52.45 | 1.43 | -8.66 |
| 70. | Dec 31, 2025 | 1.03% | -0.05% | 0.91 | 1.90 | 1.31 |
| 71. | Jan 31, 2026 | 6.94% | 1.37% | 24.59 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Total (Σ): | 2,191.78 | 1,636.00 | 871.29 | |||
Show all
VarianceWMT = Σ(RWMT,t–RWMT)2 ÷ (71 – 1)
= 2,191.78 ÷ (71 – 1)
= 31.31
VarianceS&P 500 = Σ(RS&P 500,t–RS&P 500)2 ÷ (71 – 1)
= 1,636.00 ÷ (71 – 1)
= 23.37
CovarianceWMT, S&P 500 = Σ(RWMT,t–RWMT)×(RS&P 500,t–RS&P 500) ÷ (71 – 1)
= 871.29 ÷ (71 – 1)
= 12.45
Systematic Risk (β) Estimation
| VarianceWMT | 31.31 |
| VarianceS&P 500 | 23.37 |
| CovarianceWMT, S&P 500 | 12.45 |
| Correlation coefficientWMT, S&P 5001 | 0.46 |
| βWMT2 | 0.53 |
| αWMT3 | 1.27% |
Calculations
1 Correlation coefficientWMT, S&P 500
= CovarianceWMT, S&P 500 ÷ (Standard deviationWMT × Standard deviationS&P 500)
= 12.45 ÷ (5.60% × 4.83%)
= 0.46
2 βWMT
= CovarianceWMT, S&P 500 ÷ VarianceS&P 500
= 12.45 ÷ 23.37
= 0.53
3 αWMT
= AverageWMT – βWMT × AverageS&P 500
= 1.98% – 0.53 × 1.33%
= 1.27%
Expected Rate of Return
| Assumptions | ||
| Rate of return on LT Treasury Composite1 | RF | 4.94% |
| Expected rate of return on market portfolio2 | E(RM) | 17.36% |
| Systematic risk (β) of Walmart Inc. common stock | βWMT | 0.53 |
| Expected rate of return on Walmart Inc. common stock3 | E(RWMT) | 11.55% |
1 Unweighted average of bid yields on all outstanding fixed-coupon U.S. Treasury bonds neither due or callable in less than 10 years (risk-free rate of return proxy).
3 E(RWMT) = RF + βWMT [E(RM) – RF]
= 4.94% + 0.53 [17.36% – 4.94%]
= 11.55%