Amazon's market cap surpassed that of Walmart's a long time ago, but only now have Amazon's sales overall surpassed that of Walmart. Really, over the past few years, we've moved away from comparing Walmart to Target and we've moved toward comparing Walmart to Amazon. And this is just another example.So many on both Main Street and Wall Street discussing this crossover this morning with Amazon surpassing $717 billion in sales in 2025, whereas Walmart posted annual sales of 713.2% billion for 2025. And it goe ...

Key Takeaways Shoppers who use Sparky, Walmart's AI chatbot, spend an average of 35% more than others, Walmart executives said Thursday. The retailer plans to further develop Sparky, while also collaborating with AI bots from tech specialists, such as Gemini and ChatGPT. Sparky is cranking up sales at a massive retailer. Walmart's AI chatbot—named for the company's yellow logo—is bolstering its shoppers' spending, company executives said Thursday. About half of Walmart (WMT) app users have tried th ...

Walmart (WMT) stock is in focus today after the retail behemoth reported market-beating financials for its Q4 as the share of e-commerce sales climbed to a record 23% of its overall sales. And while WMT issued conservative guidance for the full year due to “some pressure on the lowest income cohort,” options traders remain convinced the company’s share price will push higher in 2026. Their confidence in Walmart shares’ future performance is particularly significant given it's already up about 12% versus ...

Core Insights - Walmart's earnings report indicates strong momentum, with a solid holiday quarter and positive outlook for 2026 [2][3] - Amazon has surpassed Walmart in annual revenue for the first time, marking a significant shift in the retail landscape [22][24] - The consumer market is bifurcated, with higher-income households benefiting from wealth effects while lower to middle-income households are more price-sensitive [5][9] Walmart Performance - All three business segments of Walmart—Walmart US, Walmart International, and Sam's Club—are performing well [3] - Walmart typically provides conservative guidance at the beginning of the year, but historically raises its outlook as the year progresses [3][4] - The company is attracting both higher-income and lower-income consumers, indicating broad appeal across demographics [6][10] Consumer Behavior - The consumer landscape shows a divide, with higher-income households spending more while lower-income households are more cautious [5][9] - Walmart is successfully catering to both demographics, enhancing its market position [6][10] AI Integration - Walmart is leveraging AI for both customer-facing and backend operations, which could enhance product discoverability and improve supply chain efficiency [11][12] - The integration of AI is expected to benefit Walmart's top line and margins, positioning it favorably in the retail sector [11][13] Competitive Landscape - Amazon's growth, particularly in its cloud business, presents a different competitive dynamic compared to Walmart [22][24] - Specialty retailers and smaller retailers are at greater risk due to cost pressures and competition from larger retailers like Walmart and Amazon [17][19] Tariff and Inflation Outlook - Tariff pressures are expected to lessen in 2026 compared to 2025, which could positively impact discretionary retailers [20][21] - Inflation remains a concern for retail margins, with a preference for consumer discretionary over staples in the current market [31] Stock Recommendations - Top retail stock picks for 2026 include Amazon, Costco, and Walmart, with a strong buy rating on Amazon [28] - Target is seen as a higher-risk play but still offers value relative to peers [34]

The fourth-quarter earnings season is winding down, but that doesn’t mean this week was lacking in headlines. Retail giant Walmart was front and center with another solid earnings announcement.Walmart reported its fiscal fourth-quarter results this morning, capping a strong year with beats on both revenue and earnings amid resilient consumer demand and omnichannel execution.The company delivered total revenues of $190.7 billion, up 5.6% year-over-year (4.9% in constant currency), exceeding the Zacks Consens ...

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 ...