Core Insights - Walmart's Q4 earnings call was overshadowed by the news that Amazon surpassed it in total sales, alongside a cautious forecast from the new CEO John Furner [1] - Key issues discussed included consumer spending trends, membership growth, AI impact on sales, and advertising revenue [2][4][9] Consumer Spending - Consumer spending remains resilient, but there is a widening income gap; most share gains are from households earning over $100,000, while those below $50,000 are under financial stress [2] - The importance of convenience is now nearly equal to price, pressuring Walmart to maintain low prices while enhancing delivery services [2] Membership Growth - Membership is evolving from a perk to a core business line, with membership income rising over 15% globally and Walmart+ membership income in the U.S. growing at a double-digit rate [4] - Strong sign-ups and high usage of Walmart+ benefits, particularly faster delivery, contribute to a more predictable base of frequent shoppers [8] AI and Sales Metrics - Walmart's AI assistant "Sparky" has led to a 35% increase in average order size for users compared to non-users, with about half of app users having tried it [8] - The company aims to bridge digital shopping assistance with physical fulfillment through agentic commerce [8] Advertising and Seller Services - Advertising income and membership fees accounted for nearly one-third of operating profit in the quarter, with significant growth in advertising revenue [9] - 52% of marketplace sellers utilize Walmart Fulfillment Services, indicating a shift towards more integrated seller services [10] Economic and Policy Challenges - Walmart's leadership expressed caution due to economic uncertainties, including lower Q1 operating profit growth and challenges related to tariffs [11] - Drug pricing policies are expected to create a 100-basis-point headwind for the year, contributing to a prudent outlook despite momentum in digital and higher-margin businesses [12] Financial Performance - Walmart reported Q4 revenue of $190.7 billion, a 5.6% increase, with global eCommerce sales up 24% and operating profit rising 10.8% [13] - Earnings per share were reported at $0.53 and adjusted at $0.74, with a new $30 billion share repurchase authorization announced [13]

U.S. stocks traded lower toward the end of trading, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 300 points on Thursday.The Dow traded down 0.64% to 49,346.38 while the NASDAQ fell 0.45% to 22,650.78. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.42% to 6,852.56.Check This Out: How To Earn $500 A Month From Goldman Sachs Stock Ahead Of Q4 EarningsLeading and Lagging SectorsEnergy shares gained by 1.1% on Thursday.In trading on Thursday, financial stocks fell by 1%.Top HeadlineWalmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) posted upbeat result ...

U.S. equity markets experienced a volatile afternoon of trading on Thursday, February 19th, 2026, as investors grappled with a mix of disappointing corporate guidance from retail giants and escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. While the major indexes attempted to find their footing following a mid-week rally, the sentiment turned cautious as the reality of "higher-for-longer" interest rates was reinforced by recent Federal Reserve minutes and fresh economic data.Major Index Performance and S ...

U.S. stocks traded lower toward the end of trading, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 300 points on Thursday.The Dow traded down 0.64% to 49,346.38 while the NASDAQ fell 0.45% to 22,650.78. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.42% to 6,852.56.Check This Out: How To Earn $500 A Month From Goldman Sachs Stock Ahead Of Q4 EarningsLeading and Lagging SectorsEnergy shares gained by 1.1% on Thursday.In trading on Thursday, financial stocks fell by 1%.Top HeadlineWalmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) posted upbeat result ...

The Walmart AnalystJPMorgan analyst Christopher Horvers maintained an Overweight rating on Walmart with a price target of $137.The Analyst TakeawaysWalmart's fourth quarter showed "solid fundamentals," Horvers said in a new investor note."Overall, WMT's 4Q results and operating income were likely a bit light vs. expectations," he added.The analyst said there may be a "high bar" for the company.Walmart's first-quarter guidance came in shy of analyst estimates."The stock had run and earnings likely provide a ...

Core Insights - Walmart's fourth-quarter earnings were positively impacted by digital advertising and its third-party marketplace, highlighting its focus on higher-margin businesses beyond traditional retail [1] - Walmart's market value recently surpassed $1 trillion, a significant milestone achieved through a 21% increase over the past year, positioning itself similarly to tech companies like Amazon [2] - Walmart's revenue for the most recent fiscal year was reported at $713.2 billion, just shy of Amazon's $716.9 billion, marking a shift in the competitive landscape as Amazon overtook Walmart in annual revenue for the first time [6] Digital Strategy and AI Integration - Walmart's digital business grew by 27% in the U.S. during the fiscal fourth quarter, benefiting from its extensive store network of over 4,600 Walmart stores and approximately 600 Sam's Club locations [3] - The retailer is actively expanding its third-party marketplace in response to Amazon's dominance, while also exploring new frontiers in AI to enhance efficiency and customer appeal [7] - Walmart has partnered with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini to improve product discoverability, and has introduced its own AI shopping assistant, Sparky, which has led to a 35% increase in average order value for users [8][9] Competitive Landscape - The rivalry between Walmart and Amazon is intensifying as both companies adapt to changing consumer preferences and the rise of AI in retail [5] - Amazon's diverse revenue streams, including cloud computing and advertising, have contributed to its growth, with third-party seller services accounting for 24% of its total sales in 2025 [4] - Amazon has invested heavily in AI infrastructure, planning to spend up to $200 billion this year on AI initiatives, while also developing its own shopping assistant, Rufus, which has generated nearly $12 billion in incremental annualized sales [15][16]

U.S. e-commerce as a share of Walmart’s total sales reached a record 23% in the fourth quarter after growing 27% year over year and drove the majority of its sales growth, underscoring the retail titan’s ability to compete with Amazon in the online and delivery space. For the full year, e-commerce sales exceeded $150 billion for the first time, up 5.5% from two years ago, Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) said in its fourth-quarter earnings report on Thursday. The e-commerce operation has well exceeded the breakeven ...

Core Insights - Walmart's e-commerce operations achieved profitability in 2025, surpassing breakeven levels, with a positive outlook for future growth [1] - The company reported a 4.7% increase in overall sales to $713.2 billion, with e-commerce sales rising nearly 25% to over $150 billion [2] - Walmart's physical presence, with 5,200 locations, enhances its ability to deliver customer experiences, particularly in grocery and everyday essentials [4] E-commerce Growth - High-income households, particularly those earning over $100,000, have significantly contributed to Walmart's share gains in e-commerce [2] - The expansion of product categories, including fashion, has attracted new shoppers, with fashion leading sales growth in general merchandise [5][6] - Walmart's in-house shopping assistant, Sparky, has resulted in 35% larger transaction totals among app users [7] Competitive Landscape - Despite Walmart's growth, Amazon remains the largest company by revenue, with $716.9 billion, but Walmart's e-commerce progress poses a competitive threat [3][8] - Walmart's strategy to leverage its physical stores for e-commerce fulfillment gives it an edge in rapid delivery services compared to Amazon [4]

Walmart is getting packages to shoppers’ doors at a frenzied pace. According to new CEO John Furner, “a large number” of e-commerce orders are now delivered in less than 30 minutes. More from Sourcing Journal “We’re averaging under an hour in our Express Delivery when customers choose that,” said Furner in a fourth-quarter earnings call on Thursday. Furner had noted in November that sub-one-hour delivery was Walmart’s fastest growing channel across the delivery options it offers. Walmart’s Express Deli ...

Key Takeaways Walmart beat Q4 estimates, with 24% e-commerce growth and 37% rise in global ad revenues.WMT posted 12.1% EPS growth, with operating income up 10.5% on a constant-currency basis. Walmart issued FY27 EPS outlook of $2.75-$2.85 and approved a new $30B buyback plan. Walmart Inc. (WMT) reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both top and bottom lines exceeded the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate. Growth was supported by sustained e-commerce momentum, advertising expansion, membersh ...