Are Wall Street Analysts Predicting Walmart Stock Will Climb or Sink?

Core Insights - Walmart Inc. has a market capitalization of $816.9 billion and operates through three main segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club, focusing on delivering value and convenience to customers with everyday low prices [1] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, Walmart's stock has increased by 25.9%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index, which gained 18.3% [2] - Year-to-date, Walmart shares are up 13.4%, lagging behind the S&P 500's nearly 17% increase [2] - Compared to the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund, which declined by 4.7% over the past 52 weeks, Walmart's stock has shown stronger performance [3] Financial Results - In Q2 2026, Walmart reported an adjusted EPS of $0.68, missing consensus estimates, while revenue rose 4.8% year-over-year to $177.4 billion, exceeding expectations [4] - Operating income fell by 8.2% to $7.3 billion due to legal and restructuring costs, higher liability claims, wage increases, and strategic investments [4] Earnings Forecast - For the fiscal year ending January 2026, analysts project Walmart's adjusted EPS to grow by 3.6% year-over-year to $2.60 [5] - Walmart has a mixed earnings surprise history, beating consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters [5] Analyst Ratings - Among 38 analysts covering Walmart, the consensus rating is a "Strong Buy," with 31 "Strong Buy" ratings, six "Moderate Buys," and one "Hold" [5] - The current analyst configuration is more bullish than three months ago, when there were 29 "Strong Buys" [6] Price Targets - RBC Capital analyst Steven Shemesh reaffirmed a "Buy" rating on Walmart with a price target of $116 [7] - The mean price target of $114.24 indicates a 10.6% premium to Walmart's current price, while the highest price target of $129 suggests a potential upside of 24.9% [7]