Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers the keynote for the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference (GTC) at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, U.S. March 18, 2025.Technology stocks were on pace for a winning week Friday on the heels of a volatile stretch spurred by ongoing tariff uncertainty and economic fears.The Nasdaq Composite has jumped nearly 5% this week despite a wild few sessions and is on pace for its best week since November. The index was marginally higher Friday. Megacap technology stocks have bounced ...

Walmart's finance chief said the retailer is facing "day-to-day" sales volatility amid President Donald Trump's tariff uncertainty. "We are one week into this new tariff environment, and we're still working through what it means to us," John Rainey, the company's CFO, said at the Walmart Investment Community Meeting on Wednesday. Rainey said that a third of Walmart's offerings are imported from outside the US. China and Mexico are the "most significant" countries that Walmart imports from, he said. As Ch ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Average daily sales declined 4.7% year over year, with a sequential decline of 5.5% despite January and February outperforming historical trends [6][20] - Fiscal second quarter sales were $892 million, down 4.7% year over year [20] - Gross margin was 41%, a decline of 50 basis points year over year, while adjusted operating margin was 7.1%, down 340 basis points year over year [22][24] - GAAP earnings per share were $0.70 compared to $1.10 in the prior year quarter, and adjusted earnings per share were $0.72 compared to $1.18 in the prior year [25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Public sector sales grew 13.2% year over year, while national accounts declined 5.4% and core and other customers declined 6.8% [20] - Average daily sales through vending programs were up 1% year over year, representing 18% of total company net sales [21] - Sales through implant programs also grew 1% year over year, accounting for approximately 18% of total company net sales [21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The industrial production (IP) readings across most top manufacturing end markets continued to contract, impacting performance [12] - Customer sentiment and future outlook have shown improvement, with recent MBI readings hovering around 50 [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on improving execution and returning to growth despite a soft demand environment [6] - Key initiatives include enhancing the website for better customer experience, expanding the OEM product line, and maintaining momentum in high-touch solutions [8][11] - The company is navigating the tariff landscape with a playbook covering purchasing, pricing, assortment management, and productivity tools for customers [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism about future prospects, citing a solid long-term manufacturing outlook and improving execution [12][13] - The company is well-positioned to navigate uncertainties due to tariff impacts and inflation concerns [12][14] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 158,000 shares during the quarter, returning approximately $60 million to shareholders [26] - Expectations for the fiscal third quarter include average daily sales down 2% to flat compared to the prior year [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: Thoughts on the back half of the fiscal year - Management indicated cautious optimism, not assuming significant further erosion in end markets, and focusing on share gain initiatives [32][33] Question: Details on price increases announced in March - The price increase was small, primarily covering items where the company is the importer of record, with an estimated half a point of price benefit [44][45] Question: Update on web enhancements and marketing initiatives - Progress is on track, with improvements in customer acquisition and website traffic noted [56][58] Question: Insights on individual end markets, particularly automotive and aerospace - Management noted continued improvement in heavy manufacturing end markets, with automotive remaining soft but aerospace showing a robust outlook [70][71] Question: Pricing dynamics and expectations for the third quarter - Management explained that pricing was affected by customer sector mix, with expectations for flat pricing in the third quarter due to various factors [75][76] Question: Digital KPIs and future sales expectations - Management reported improvements in conversion rates and average order value, indicating positive momentum for future sales [86][87] Question: Impact of export customers on demand - Management acknowledged the difficulty in sizing export exposure but noted that a decline in export demand would impact domestic performance [90][91]