After an impressive 2025 that capped off three straight years of double-digit gains, the S&P 500 has struggled in the new year -- down about 4.6% year to date through March 26, as the broader tech sector has pulled back a bit. While a lot of attention has been given to the market's struggles, one Vanguard ETF has been moving in the opposite direction: the Vanguard Value ETF (NYSEMKT: VTV). It doesn't have the flash of a tech-heavy or growth ETF, but it's performing nearly 7% better than the S&P 500 to beg ...

Better Stock To Buy In 2026: Costco or Walmart - 24/7 Wall St. S&P 5006,435.70 +1.36% Dow Jones45,640.20 +0.83% Nasdaq 10023,328.60 +1.63% FTSE 10010,195.20 +1.13% Better Stock To Buy In 2026: Costco or Walmart By Vandita JadejaPublished Mar 31, 10:42AM EDT Russell 20002,449.63 +1.48% Nikkei 22551,752.30 +1.42% Stock Market Live March 31, 2026: S&P 500 (SPY) Pops on News Trump Could End War Investing Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free toolcan match you with a financial advisor in m ...

Core Insights - Walmart Inc.'s grocery business is crucial for attracting shoppers and driving sales, significantly contributing to the company's overall momentum in the U.S. market during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 [1] Group 1: Sales Performance - Walmart U.S. comparable sales increased by 4.6% in the quarter, with transactions up by 2.6% and average ticket size increasing by 2% [2] - Grocery sales were a major contributor to this performance, particularly in pantry and fresh food categories, with strong unit volume growth and market share gains [2] Group 2: Pricing Strategy - Walmart focused on rollbacks and everyday low prices in grocery to maintain relevance in a challenging spending environment, with grocery inflation at a modest 0.6%, which is 70 basis points lower than the previous quarter [3] - The deflation in eggs and dairy contributed to this pricing strategy, allowing Walmart to reinforce its value message [3] Group 3: Customer Demographics - Walmart gained market share across various income groups, particularly from households earning over $100,000, while still appealing to budget-conscious shoppers [4] - The grocery segment is vital for maintaining relevance among lower-income customers who are more cautious with their spending [4] Group 4: Market Comparison - Walmart's shares have increased by 40% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 38.1%, while competitors Costco and Target saw gains of 4% and 14.8%, respectively [5] Group 5: Valuation Metrics - Walmart's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio is 41.71, higher than the industry average of 38.11, and trades at a premium compared to Target's 14.77 but at a discount to Costco's 45.82 [8] Group 6: Future Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects Walmart's current fiscal-year sales and earnings per share to grow by 4.7% and 9.5% year-over-year, respectively [10]

For Immediate ReleasesChicago, IL – March 30, 2026 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include  Walmart Inc. (WMT) and Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) .Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:Walmart or Costco: Who's Winning the Modern Retail Game Right Now?Walmart Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp. are two of th ...

Core Insights - Walmart's acquisition of Jet.com for $3.3 billion in 2016 was initially met with skepticism due to Jet's financial struggles and Walmart's stagnant e-commerce growth compared to Amazon [1][2] - The Jet.com acquisition ultimately provided Walmart with Marc Lore, a key figure with extensive e-commerce experience, which significantly enhanced Walmart's online capabilities [2] - Walmart's e-commerce division expanded rapidly under Lore, increasing its online product assortment from 8 million to over 35 million items within a year, leading to substantial growth in e-commerce sales [4] E-commerce Growth - Walmart's U.S. e-commerce sales grew by 29% in 2017 and 63% in Q1 2018, positioning the company to handle a 74% surge in e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic [4] - In Q3 FY26, Walmart reported a 27% increase in global e-commerce revenue for the seventh consecutive quarter, with international e-commerce, particularly Flipkart, growing over 20% [6] Strategic Acquisitions - Walmart's acquisition of a 77% stake in Flipkart for $16 billion in 2018 was initially viewed negatively by the market, but it has proven to be a strategic move as India's e-commerce market has grown significantly [5] - In FY26, Walmart's online sales surpassed $150 billion for the first time, with its advertising business reaching $6.4 billion globally, growing 46% year over year [8] Advertising Revenue - Walmart Connect's advertising revenue in the U.S. grew by 41% in Q4, significantly outpacing Amazon's ad growth rate of 22% [9] - A third of Walmart's operating profit in Q4 came from advertising and membership income, highlighting a shift in the company's revenue model [9] Competitive Landscape - Amazon's advertising revenue penetration is around 8% of its GMV, while Walmart's is approximately 4%, indicating that Walmart has room for growth in this area [12] - Amazon's CFO acknowledged that Walmart has made significant strides in e-commerce strategy, suggesting that Walmart is closing the gap with Amazon [12][13]

Core Viewpoint - Walmart has experienced significant stock price appreciation, raising questions about whether it is still a good investment opportunity [2][11] Group 1: Business Model and Performance - Walmart's business model focuses on providing low prices across a wide range of products, which has been a key factor in its success [1][3] - The company has also developed strong e-commerce capabilities, enhancing customer convenience and driving sales [3] - Revenue growth has been substantial, although Walmart's profitability on goods sold is relatively low due to its value-oriented pricing strategy [4] Group 2: Growth Areas - Membership and advertising revenues are key growth drivers, with membership fee revenue increasing by 15% and global advertising revenue growing by 37% in the recent quarter [6] - The growth in these areas indicates that customers are likely to shop regularly at Walmart, contributing to long-term sales increases [6] Group 3: Investment Appeal - Investors are attracted to Walmart for its stability in selling essential goods and its growth potential from membership and advertising [7] - The stock currently trades at approximately 41 times forward earnings estimates, reflecting a high valuation compared to historical levels [9] Group 4: Market Context - Walmart's performance has been strong amid economic uncertainty, as consumers tend to prioritize shopping at stores that offer value [10] - While the stock is not considered a bargain at its current price, it remains a candidate for monitoring and potential purchase on price dips [11]

T-20 cricket has always been about mega bucks. But as the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League gets underway it is clear that its financialisation has assumed global proportions. This could alter the manner in which IPL monies are invested and its returns split between various stakeholders. PE/VC funding could reshape the commerce of cricket — and maybe the game itself.Even before the first ball was bowled, it was the sale of franchises Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) at eye ...

Dakota Wealth Management lifted its position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT – Free Report) by 17.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 106,321 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 16,125 shares during the quarter. Dakota Wealth Management’s holdings in Walmart were worth $11,845,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Get Walmart alerts: A number of other hedge funds also recently made ...

Core Insights - Walmart Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corporation are leading global retailers leveraging scale, value pricing, and membership-driven ecosystems to achieve consistent traffic and strong sales growth [1] Walmart Overview - Walmart's fiscal 2026 revenues exceeded $713 billion, with a market cap of approximately $974 billion, operating an omnichannel model that includes mass retail, e-commerce, and advertising [2] - The company is experiencing solid top-line momentum, with mid-single-digit revenue growth and faster e-commerce expansion, supported by improved inventory discipline and tighter cost control [4][7] - Walmart's omnichannel ecosystem allows stores to function as fulfillment hubs, enhancing delivery speed and cost efficiency, while gaining market share across various income cohorts [5] - Growth engines such as advertising and membership income are scaling rapidly, with membership revenues growing in double digits, enhancing profitability [6] - Operational productivity initiatives, including automation and AI integration, are helping to offset cost pressures and support margin expansion [7] - Despite some pressures from lower-income consumers and external factors, Walmart is positioned as a resilient retailer with improving earnings quality and multiple growth levers [8] Costco Overview - Costco's operating model is characterized by consistency and discipline, generating durable growth, with net sales rising 9.1% in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, driven by higher traffic and larger ticket sizes [9][10] - The membership-driven model provides a stable revenue stream, with membership fee income growing at a double-digit rate and strong renewal rates in core markets [11] - Costco's limited-SKU strategy and strong private-label offerings enhance buying power and inventory efficiency, supporting competitive pricing and consistent execution [12] - Digital sales are also growing significantly, with a rise of over 21.8%, bolstered by improved traffic and delivery partnerships [12] - The model faces constraints such as modest margin expansion and dependence on high renewal rates, but Costco remains a highly efficient retailer with predictable cash flows [13] Financial Performance and Valuation - Analysts have raised Walmart's earnings estimates, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal-year EPS increasing to $2.89 and $3.25 for the current and next fiscal years, indicating year-over-year growth of 9.5% and 12.5% respectively [14] - Costco's EPS estimates have also risen to $20.32 and $22.32 for the current and next fiscal years, reflecting growth rates of approximately 13% and 9.9% respectively [15] - Over the past year, Walmart shares have increased by 43.5%, significantly outperforming the Zacks Retail – Wholesale sector's return of 6.8%, while Costco shares rose by 5.4% [17] - Walmart trades at a forward P/E of 41.51, reflecting a premium for its scale and resilient earnings profile, while Costco trades at a forward P/E of 45.68, indicating a slightly less stretched premium valuation [18] Comparative Analysis - Both Walmart and Costco are high-quality retailers with resilient demand and strong execution, but they represent different strategies in the retail environment [19] - Costco is recognized for its pricing discipline and membership-driven stability, while Walmart is noted for its broader growth avenues and faster scaling of higher-margin businesses, making it a more dynamic growth option at this stage [19]

Core Insights - Amazon and Walmart are competing for the same consumer dollar but are pursuing fundamentally different business strategies, with Amazon focusing on AI and cloud services while Walmart leverages its physical store network for logistics [5][4]. Amazon's Performance - Amazon reported Q4 revenue of $213.39 billion, a 13.6% year-over-year increase, with AWS generating $35.58 billion in revenue and experiencing 24% growth, the fastest in 13 quarters [2][6]. - Advertising revenue for Amazon reached $21.32 billion, up 23% [2][8]. - The company plans to invest approximately $200 billion in capital expenditures in 2026, primarily for AI infrastructure, custom chips, and satellites, which has led to a significant compression in free cash flow [9][10]. Walmart's Performance - Walmart's Q4 revenue was $190.66 billion, reflecting a 5.6% year-over-year increase, with U.S. eCommerce sales surging 27% and accounting for 23% of net sales [3][7]. - The company achieved a 17.9% increase in free cash flow, totaling $14.92 billion, and announced a new $30 billion share repurchase authorization [3][10]. - Walmart is transforming its store network into a logistics advantage, with expedited delivery services reaching 95% of U.S. households in under three hours [7][8]. Strategic Differences - Amazon is prioritizing long-term growth in AI and cloud services at the expense of near-term cash flow, while Walmart is focused on returning cash to shareholders through dividends and buybacks [4][10]. - Amazon's trailing P/E ratio is 29.49x, while Walmart's is significantly higher at 45.08x, indicating a premium for Walmart's consistent execution [11][13]. Market Outlook - Amazon's stock has seen a year-to-date decline of 8.28%, while Walmart's stock has increased by 10.69%, suggesting differing investor sentiments [14]. - Analyst consensus targets for Amazon are set at $280.47, indicating potential upside from its current price near $211, while Walmart's valuation is seen as demanding consistent performance due to its high P/E ratio [14][15].