When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Walmart (WMT) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.Walmart currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) o ...

The U.S. retail sector has had a turbulent journey over the past year as price pressures have been hampering sales. However, the sector has still managed to hold its ground and sales have largely been impressive.The Commerce Department said last week that retail sales in April totaled $705.2 billion, unexpectedly remaining unchanged month over month after increasing 0.4% in March. This comes as a surprise, given that the retail sector put up a great show in the first quarter despite higher inflation and bor ...

Blue-chip dividend stocks are adding fuel to the market rally.The best dividend stocks can have a tough time keeping pace with a rip-roaring, growth-fueled bull market. After all, the whole idea of a dividend is to pass along a portion of profits directly to shareholders instead of reinvesting them in the business.Naturally, dividend-paying companies tend to be lower growth. But Walmart (WMT 1.51%), Target (TGT -0.59%), Procter & Gamble (PG 0.62%), and Emerson Electric (EMR) have not only paid and raised th ...

Parkev Tatevosian, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Parkev Tatevosian is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool. ...

Walmart has introduced an expanded take on its Neighborhood Market stores.The retail giant is in the midst of opening or converting more than 150 stores in the next five years, including two new Neighborhood Markets in the Dune Lakes area of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Atlanta’s Vine City neighborhood, Walmart announced Tuesday (May 21).“The stores aren’t just new or remodeled. They’re also bigger,” Kyle Kinnard, Walmart’s senior vice president for Neighborhood Markets, wrote on the company blog.“With 57 ...

Investors seek growth stocks to capitalize on above-average growth in financials that help these securities grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. However, it isn't easy to find a great growth stock.That's because, these stocks usually carry above-average risk and volatility. In fact, betting on a stock for which the growth story is actually over or nearing its end could lead to significant loss.However, it's pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks with the help of the Zacks Gro ...

Parkev Tatevosian, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Parkev Tatevosian is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool. ...

Walmart (NYSE:WMT) stock released its Q1 FY25 earnings results on Thursday, May 16, and investors and analysts are impressed with their performance. Consolidated revenue came in at $161 billion, an increase of 6% YOY. Additionally, consolidated gross margin was up 42 bps, on the back of improvements across all segments. Its global advertising business also grew 24% from the year prior, including a 26% bump for Walmart Connect. With the stock now up more than 20% YTD, now is a great time for investors to tak ...

Walmart continues to leverage its massive footprint and sophisticated supply chain to offset the impacts of inflation on consumer spending.Walmart (WMT -0.73%) is up more than 21% year to date and is now the second-best-performing component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2024, behind only American Express.Walmart's outperformance may come as a bit of a surprise given the mega-cap growth stock rally has driven the bulk of the market's gains over the last year-and-a-half or so. But Walmart's results h ...

Walmart impressed again with its latest earnings report.Walmart (WMT -0.44%) stock had a banner week last week after the retail giant delivered strong first-quarter results. It posted comparable sales growth of 3.8% in its core Walmart U.S. division, gaining market share at a time when much of the retail sector is struggling with inflation and a shift in consumer spending to services like travel and restaurants.Walmart also delivered solid operating income growth in all three of its operating segments, and ...