Walmart Growth Prospects Remain Solid But Tariff Uncertainty Lingers, Analysts Say

Core Viewpoint - Walmart Inc reported mixed first-quarter results, yet its shares rose in early trading, indicating investor optimism amid a dynamic earnings season [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Walmart's adjusted earnings were 61 cents per share, exceeding consensus estimates by 5% [8] - The company achieved US same-store sales growth of 4.5%, driven by a 1.6% increase in traffic and a 2.8% rise in average ticket size [6] - Global advertising revenue grew by 50% year-on-year during the quarter [2] Group 2: Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - BofA Securities maintained a Buy rating with a price target of $120 [2] - RBC Capital Markets assigned an Outperform rating with a price target of $102 [4] - Goldman Sachs reiterated a Buy rating with a price target of $101 [6] - JPMorgan kept an Overweight rating with a price target of $112 [8] Group 3: Guidance and Future Outlook - Management reiterated fiscal 2026 guidance, projecting net sales growth of 3.5%-4.5% [3] - The fiscal second-quarter guidance suggests a slowdown from the previous quarter's growth of 4.85% [5] - Analysts believe Walmart is well-positioned to mitigate tariff impacts and continue solid earnings growth in 2025 [7][9]