The Motley Fool·2026-02-22 06:45Core Insights - Walmart and Amazon are experiencing divergent trends in the retail market, with Amazon's market value exceeding Walmart's by more than double [1][2] - Amazon's valuation is significantly influenced by its cloud computing segment, AWS, which is benefiting from increased demand for AI computing [2] - Walmart's stock has risen as it is perceived to be less affected by AI developments, achieving a market valuation surpassing $1 trillion [2] Walmart Performance - Walmart is regaining market share, attracting more middle-class shoppers, with a revenue growth of 4.9% in Q4 and 5.1% for the full year on a constant currency basis [5] - Comparable sales increased by 4% for the quarter and 5.1% for the full year, bolstered by a 24% growth in its e-commerce business [5] - Earnings per share (EPS) rose by 13.3% last year, with free cash flow reaching $14.9 billion, up from $12.7 billion the previous year [7] - Despite strong results, Walmart's guidance for the upcoming year is seen as underwhelming, with expected sales growth of only 4% [7][10] Amazon Performance - Amazon's capital expenditure of $200 billion for 2026 has raised concerns among investors, despite strong Q4 results [11] - AWS revenue growth accelerated to 24% last quarter, indicating strong demand that continues to outstrip supply [12] - Amazon's advertising business has been a key growth driver, contributing to improvements in operating margins [11] - The stock trades at about 26 times forward earnings estimates, which is considered attractive compared to Walmart's valuation [15]