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Buy Day today: Good (62) Broad market participation · no major macro event
WMT

Walmart Inc.

Consumer Defensive · Discount Stores · listed since 1972

106.80$ -0.7% vs. previous close Closing price · As of: Sep 17, 2026
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Assessment

Our Rating

A journalistic assessment by our editorial team at the time of the deep dive — it rates the company, not the entry point. Not investment advice and not a solicitation to buy or sell.

Quality confirmed quietly dropped targets

Business model, numbers and balance sheet hold up to our review. Whether the current price supports an entry is a separate question — it hangs on the price, not on the company.

Why this colour

The substance is documented and it is not thin: $99,617 million of shareholders' equity against $34,624 million of long-term debt, $41,565 million of operating cash flow, $14,923 million of free cash flow, and operating income that covers the $2,793 million of interest paid more than ten times over. The operating margin has held between 4.2 and 4.4 percent for three years, operating income rose in every one of them, all three segments make money, and the 59.1 percent grocery share at Walmart U.S. is the least cyclical corner of retail. There is no going-concern language here, no negative equity, no accounting or governance breach — hence green. That is expressly not a claim that everything runs smoothly: almost a quarter of operating income does not come from selling merchandise, merchandise at Sam's Club now contributes a loss, dividends and buybacks exceeded free cash flow for the first time, and the company's own annual report names agentic shopping tools as a traffic risk. On top of that the stock is decidedly expensive for a retailer earning a 4.2 percent margin, at roughly 39 times trailing earnings and 9.2 times book value — that is a price argument, and it does not set this rating. The decision is yours.

What the thesis turns on

Assessment: Opportunities & Risks

Walmart is the largest retailer in the world and runs a remarkably stable operating margin of 4.2 to 4.4 percent: $706,413 million of revenue, $29,825 million of operating income and $41,565 million of operating cash flow in fiscal 2026. What stands out is where the profit comes from: 22.6 percent of operating income is membership and other income, and at Sam's Club the figure is 103.4 percent. Add a $2,075 million valuation gain on equity investments, shareholder returns that exceeded free cash flow, and an annual report that names agentic shopping tools as a traffic risk for the first time. Not investment advice.

Market position and business model

The largest retailer in the world: $706,413 million of revenue in fiscal 2026, 10,955 locations across 19 countries, roughly 2.1 million associates. All three segments are growing and profitable; Walmart U.S. comparable sales rose 4.3 percent after 4.8 percent a year earlier, and global eCommerce sales passed $150 billion (Form 10-K fiscal 2026, DEF 14A dated April 23, 2026).

Earnings mix

Of fiscal 2026 operating income of $29,825 million, $6,750 million — 22.6 percent — came from membership and other income. At Sam's Club the share is 103.4 percent, with merchandise contributing minus $83 million. That is commercially smart and high-margin, but it ties the result to member counts, advertising budgets and marketplace fees rather than to selling goods (Form 10-K fiscal 2026, segment disclosures).

Quality of earnings

Consolidated net income of $22,270 million includes a $2,075 million valuation gain on equity investments, whereas the prior years carried losses of $794 million and $3,027 million. That $2.9 billion swing in a single year has nothing to do with retailing. Working the other way, a $0.7 billion non-cash PhonePe charge and roughly $0.9 billion of higher self-insured claims expense weighed on the result (Form 10-K fiscal 2026, Note 7 and Item 7).

Balance sheet and capital discipline

The balance sheet is solid: $99,617 million of shareholders' equity, $34,624 million of long-term debt and $41,565 million of operating cash flow as of January 31, 2026. But in fiscal 2026 the dividend ($7,507 million) and buybacks ($8,088 million) together came to $15,595 million, exceeding free cash flow of $14,923 million for the first time in three years, while capital expenditures rose to $26,642 million (Form 10-K fiscal 2026, statement of cash flows).

Competition and channel shift

The fiscal 2026 annual report names AI-enabled search and purchasing platforms and "agentic" shopping tools as a risk to traffic in stores and clubs for the first time — and therefore to the add-on sales that traffic creates. The word "agentic" does not appear in the prior-year report. A company operating 4,611 U.S. stores has more to lose from a shift online than a pure online retailer does (Form 10-K fiscal 2026, Item 1A).

Ownership and leadership

Walton Enterprises held 44.11 percent of the votes as of April 10, 2026 — in practice a controlling stake, even though the board is majority independent. Effective February 2026, John Furner succeeded Doug McMillon, who had led the company since 2014, as president and chief executive; Furner is the sixth CEO in company history and previously ran Walmart U.S. (DEF 14A dated April 23, 2026).

Worth Noting

Hook: ranking of the 100 largest U.S. stocks by market value (as of July 28, 2026); Walmart sat at number 13 and had no analysis yet.

Fiscal year: Walmart's fiscal year ends on January 31. Fiscal 2026 ran from February 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026 and covers essentially calendar year 2025. Every annual figure in this analysis follows that convention.

Data as of: annual figures from the Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (filed March 13, 2026), quarterly figures from the Form 10-Q for the period ended April 30, 2026 (filed May 29, 2026) and the earnings release on Form 8-K dated May 21, 2026 (Item 2.02, Exhibit 99.1). Every filing from March 13, 2026 onward was reviewed. Valuation multiples as of July 29, 2026.

One-off note: fiscal 2026 earnings include a $2,075 million valuation gain on equity investments and are weighed down by a $0.7 billion non-cash PhonePe charge. Neither item is suitable for extrapolation, which is why fiscal 2024 through 2026 appear in full in the article.

Listing venue: the shares trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Older sources and databases still show the New York Stock Exchange — the change was filed as a Form 25 on December 8, 2025.

Easily confused: Walmart Inc. (WMT) is not Walmart de México y Centroamérica (Walmex), the majority-owned subsidiary separately listed in Mexico City. Older time series run under "Wal-Mart Stores Inc."

Analyses are evergreen; a daily quote is not a buy argument.

Stock Watch

This analysis is as of August 26, 2026. Stock Watch will tell you what's changed at WMT since then.

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Price history

Chart

Interactive price chart (TradingView).

52-week range: 100.60 $ to 134.20 $ · Last price: 106.80 $ (As of: September 17, 2026)

Key figures

Key figures at a glance

Every figure we hold for this stock, grouped by topic. The question mark next to a label explains what the number means.

Basics

Market Cap ?The value of the entire company on the market: share price times total shares outstanding. 834.0$B
Shares Outstanding ?Total number of shares issued. Price times share count gives market cap. 7,958m
Float ?Share of stock freely tradable on the market — not locked up in the hands of founders, insiders, or major shareholders. 54.7%
Beta ?Volatility versus the overall market: 1 = moves like the market, 2 = twice as much, under 1 = calmer than the market. 0.6

Performance

Perf. 1M ?Price performance over the last month. -3.60%
Perf. 3M ?Price performance over the last 3 months. -6.60%
Perf. 6M ?Price performance over the last 6 months. 3.10%
YTD Performance (%) ?Price performance since the start of the year (Year to Date). 7.60%
52-Week-High Distance ?How far the price sits below its highest point over the last 52 weeks. 0% means the stock is at its year high. -14.3%
Perf. 1Y ?Price performance over the last 12 months. 3.28%
Perf. 3Y ?Price performance over the last 3 years. 100.81%
Perf. 5Y ?Price performance over the last 5 years. 135.64%
Perf. 10Y ?Price performance over the last 10 years. 419.59%
Perf. Since Inception ?Price performance since the first available trading day (08/25/1972) — with a complete history, that is since the IPO. 920,503.45%

Technical Indicators

MA 38 Days ?Moving average of the last 38 trading days: the smoothed price path. A price above it signals short-term strength. 109.30$
MA 50 Days ?Moving average of the last 50 trading days — the most widely watched medium-term trend line. 110.00$
MA 200 Days ?Moving average of the last 200 trading days — the dividing line between a long-term uptrend and downtrend. 118.70$
RSI (14) ?Relative Strength Index over 14 days, scale 0 to 100: above 70 counts as overbought, below 30 as oversold. A hint on timing, not a verdict on the company. 46.0
Volatility 30 Days ?Price swings over the last 30 trading days, annualized. The higher the value, the more the price fluctuates. 33.6%
Volatility 250 Days ?Price swings over the last 250 trading days (roughly one market year), annualized. 26.1%

Calculated from the price history · as of 09/18/2026

Valuation

P/E ?Price-to-earnings ratio: how many years of profit does the stock cost? The lower, the cheaper the valuation. No earnings means no P/E. 38.3
Forward P/E ?P/E based on expected earnings for the next 12 months instead of past earnings — analysts' bet on the future. 36.8
PEG ?P/E divided by expected earnings growth: puts valuation in relation to growth. Around 1 is considered fair, well above that is pricey. 4.1
P/B ?Price-to-book ratio: market value relative to book equity. 9.2
P/S ?Price-to-sales ratio: market value divided by annual sales. Important for companies that aren't (yet) profitable. 1.1
EV/EBITDA ?Enterprise value including debt (EV) relative to operating profit before depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) — more comparable than P/E because debt counts too. Extreme values arise when EBITDA is near zero. 19.5
Price/FCF ?Market value divided by free cash flow: how many years of freely available cash does the stock cost? More honest than P/E because cash flow is harder to dress up. 61.7

Profitability

Gross Margin ?Gross margin: what's left of sales after only direct production costs are deducted — the product's pricing power. 24.8%
EBIT Margin ?EBIT margin: operating profit as a percentage of sales — the earning power of the core business before interest and taxes. 4.2%
Net Margin ?Net margin: what's left of sales as profit after ALL costs, interest, and taxes. 3.0%
Return on Equity ?Return on equity: how much profit does the company generate per year on shareholders' equity? 24.1%
Return on Assets ?Return on assets: how much profit the company generates from its total assets (equity and debt combined). 6.4%

Balance Sheet & Safety

Equity Ratio ?Equity ratio: equity as a share of total assets. The higher, the more resilient the balance sheet. 32.6%
Debt/Equity ?Leverage ratio: financial debt divided by equity. Under 1 is generally seen as solid; negative values mean negative equity. 1.1
Altman Z″ ?Edward Altman's bankruptcy early-warning score. We use the Z″ variant, built from four balance-sheet ratios — it is designed for service companies and non-manufacturers and uses book value instead of market value. On that scale: below 1.1 = danger zone, 2.6 and up = safe zone, in between a grey area. Because the classic Altman Z is calculated differently, the two numbers are not directly comparable. The formula does not fit banks, insurers, or real-estate stocks. 5.09
Piotroski ?Balance-sheet health check by Joseph Piotroski: 9 yes/no criteria on profit, cash flow, leverage, and efficiency. 7+ is very solid, under 3 is a red flag. 6 out of 9

Growth

Sales Growth Last Quarter ?Sales growth in the most recently reported quarter versus the same quarter a year ago (YoY). 7.30%
EPS Growth Last Quarter ?Growth in earnings per share in the most recently reported quarter versus the same quarter a year ago (YoY). 19.40%
Sales Growth (Year) ?Sales growth in the last fiscal year versus the year before. 4.73%
Forward Sales Growth ?Sales growth analysts expect over the next 12 months — an estimate, not a guarantee. 4.63%
Forward EPS Growth ?Earnings-per-share growth analysts expect over the next 12 months — an estimate, not a guarantee. 13.10%

Dividend

Dividend Yield ?Annual dividend divided by the current price: what percentage of your investment comes back as a payout each year. 0.92%
Dividend Per Share (TTM) ?Sum of dividends paid per share over the last 12 months. 0.98$
Payout Ratio ?Share of profit paid out as dividends. Over 100% means the company is paying out more than it earns — not sustainable long-term. 35.3%
Years Without a Cut ?How many years in a row the dividend hasn't been cut — a measure of reliability. 52Years
Increase Streak ?How many years in a row the dividend has been raised — the gold standard for dividend payers. 52Years

Quality & Screener

Stage ?Weinstein phases 1 through 4: 1 = basing, 2 = uptrend (the only buy phase), 3 = topping, 4 = downtrend. Measured against the 30-week line. 1
RS Rating ?Relative strength from 1 to 99: an RS of 95 means the stock has outperformed 95% of all stocks. 47
EPS Rating ?Earnings growth rating from 1 to 99 versus all stocks — high values mean above-average earnings growth. 65
Fundamental Rating ?Our own Fundamental Rating: 0 to 100 points with an A+ to F grade. 50 points is the average across the universe, 100 the best possible score. It scores growth, earnings surprises, analyst estimates, margins, cash flow, and balance-sheet safety — every stock percentile-ranked against all others. Grades: A+ from 95, A from 75, B from 55, C from 45, D from 25, E from 5, F below. B (55 out of 100)

Comparison

Industry comparison

The stock alongside the largest companies in the same group. The median row is the middle value of the companies shown above — not of the whole industry.

Industry: Discount Stores

Industry comparison
Company Market cap ($B) P/E EV/EBITDA Gross Margin % EBIT Margin % Sales Growth (Year) % Perf. 1Y %
Walmart Inc. WMT 834.0 38.3 19.5 24.8 4.2 4.7 3.3
Costco Wholesale Corp COST 397.1 46.5 26.9 12.9 3.7 8.2 -6.6
Target Corporation TGT 72.6 21.0 9.1 28.4 4.5 -1.7 87.0
Dollar General Corporation DG 27.2 17.6 12.1 31.2 5.9 5.2 20.1
Dollar Tree Inc DLTR 22.0 20.0 9.9 37.2 9.1 10.4 17.0
BJs Wholesale Club Holdings Inc BJ 11.9 22.8 12.8 18.2 3.7 4.7 -6.0
BBB Foods Inc. TBBB 6.1 101.7 16.4 -0.1 27.6 93.0
PriceSmart Inc PSMT 5.2 33.6 15.5 17.6 5.1 7.3 45.3
Ollie's Bargain Outlet Hldg OLLI 4.6 19.6 11.6 40.6 10.6 16.6 -44.4
Median of companies shown 22.0 21.9 12.8 24.8 4.5 7.3 17.0

Based on the most recently reported figures. Only stocks from the same trading venue are lined up, so the market caps are counted in one currency. Compare in a chart →

Fiscal years

Annual Figures

Fiscal years from the audited annual reports, oldest first. EBIT is the operating profit before interest and taxes; total assets are everything the company owns.

Revenue, operating income and net income per fiscal year $M

Revenue Operating income Net income

2017 · Revenue: 485,873 $M 2017 · Operating income: 22,764 $M 2017 · Net income: 13,643 $M 2018 · Revenue: 500,343 $M 2018 · Operating income: 20,437 $M 2018 · Net income: 9,862 $M 2019 · Revenue: 514,405 $M 2019 · Operating income: 21,957 $M 2019 · Net income: 6,670 $M 2020 · Revenue: 523,964 $M 2020 · Operating income: 20,568 $M 2020 · Net income: 14,881 $M 2021 · Revenue: 559,151 $M 2021 · Operating income: 22,548 $M 2021 · Net income: 13,510 $M 2022 · Revenue: 572,754 $M 2022 · Operating income: 25,942 $M 2022 · Net income: 13,673 $M 2023 · Revenue: 611,289 $M 2023 · Operating income: 20,428 $M 2023 · Net income: 11,680 $M 2024 · Revenue: 648,125 $M 2024 · Operating income: 27,012 $M 2024 · Net income: 15,511 $M 2025 · Revenue: 680,985 $M 2025 · Operating income: 29,348 $M 2025 · Net income: 19,436 $M 2026 · Revenue: 713,163 $M 2026 · Operating income: 29,825 $M 2026 · Net income: 21,893 $M
2017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Annual Figures
Fiscal Year Revenue ($M) EBIT ($M) Net Income ($M) EPS ($) Operating Cash Flow ($M) Equity ($M) Total Assets ($M)
2017 485,873 22,764 13,643 1.46 31,673 80,535 198,825
2018 500,343 20,437 9,862 1.09 28,337 80,822 204,522
2019 514,405 21,957 6,670 0.76 27,753 79,634 219,295
2020 523,964 20,568 14,881 1.73 25,255 81,552 236,495
2021 559,151 22,548 13,510 1.58 36,074 87,531 252,496
2022 572,754 25,942 13,673 1.62 24,181 91,891 244,860
2023 611,289 20,428 11,680 1.42 29,101 83,991 243,457
2024 648,125 27,012 15,511 1.91 35,726 90,571 252,399
2025 680,985 29,348 19,436 2.41 36,443 91,013 260,823
2026 713,163 29,825 21,893 2.73 41,565 99,617 284,668

Quarters

Quarterly Figures

Each bar is one quarter, the last one is the most recent. Use the switch to step through the individual figures.

Revenue & Profit

Cash Flow

Balance Sheet

Margins

Per Share

Click the chart or tab into it, then use ← and → to step through the periods.

None of the selected stocks reports this metric. Pick another metric or switch between annual and quarterly.

These companies report in different currencies — switch on “Indexed” or pick a margin for a fair comparison.

The figures could not be loaded right now.

Sales Per Quarter ($M)
2025: Q1 · 180,554.0 $M Q1 2025: Q2 · 165,609.0 $M Q2 2025: Q3 · 177,402.0 $M Q3 2025: Q4 · 179,496.0 $M Q4 2026: Q1 · 190,656.0 $M Q1 2026: Q2 · 177,751.0 $M Q2 2026: Q3 · 187,937.0 $M Q3

Source: fundamental data

Quarterly Figures
Quarter EPS (Earnings Per Share) EPS YoY (%) Sales ($M) Sales YoY (%) Net Margin (%) OCF ($M) FCF ($M)
2025: Q1 0.65 -4.10 180,554 4.10 2.90 13,525 6,438
2025: Q2 0.56 -11.70 165,609 2.50 2.70 5,411 425
2025: Q3 0.88 57.40 177,402 4.80 4.00 12,941 6,518
2025: Q4 0.77 35.40 179,496 5.80 3.40 9,100 1,882
2026: Q1 0.53 -18.70 190,656 5.60 2.20 14,113 6,098
2026: Q2 0.71 26.70 177,751 7.30 3.20 4,738 -1,946
2026: Q3 0.80 -9.10 187,937 5.90 3.40 14,972 7,475

What Do These Terms Mean?

EPS (Earnings Per Share):
Quarterly profit divided by the total share count — how much of the profit works out to a single share.
YoY (Year over Year):
Change versus the same quarter a year ago — this is how you compare without seasonal distortion (e.g. the holiday shopping season).
Sales:
All revenue for the quarter, before any costs are deducted — the top line of the income statement.
Net Margin:
What percentage of sales is left over as profit in the end. Negative means the company is posting a loss.
OCF (Operating Cash Flow):
The cash that actually flows into the till from the core business during the quarter — harder to dress up than book profit.
FCF (Free Cash Flow):
Operating cash flow minus capital expenditures — the money that's genuinely free to use, say for paying down debt, buybacks, or dividends.

Compare with other stocks →

Screening

Appears in These Scanners

This stock currently matches 3 of our scanner strategies — each hit links to the scanner.

Best Hits

Aktien.Guide

Research

Only genuine hits from verified scanners count; pure ranking metrics (P/E, P/S, and similar, which just sort the whole universe) don't count as a hit. View all scanners

Outlook

Analysts & Price Target

Combined picture of the price targets and recommendations of every analyst covering the stock. Price targets are expectations for the next 12 months, not promises — and they often follow the price rather than predict it.

Consensus Sell 1 = Strong buy … 5 = Strong sell
Analyst Ratings 43
Price Target (average) 127.43$
Distance to price 19.3% The price target sits 19.3% above the current price.

Distribution of Recommendations

Strong Buy 27
Buy 12
Hold 3
Sell 0
Strong Sell 1

Estimates by Fiscal Year

Estimates by Fiscal Year
Fiscal Year EPS Estimate ($) EPS Range ($) Revenue Estimate ($M) Expected Growth Analysts
01/31/2027 2.89 2.82 – 3.08 752,965 9.4% 38
01/31/2028 3.23 3.09 – 3.56 786,126 11.9% 41

Average of the analyst estimates for the coming fiscal years. The range shows how far the most optimistic and the most cautious estimate sit apart — the wider it is, the less certain the expectation.

Valuation

What is priced in?

Instead of guessing what the stock is worth, we turn the question around: what free cash flow growth has to happen for today’s market value to add up? The assumptions behind it can be moved.

Today’s market value implies roughly 23.1% growth in free cash flow per year over ten years (assumptions: discount rate 10.0%, terminal growth 2.5%).

What is priced in?
Free cash flow (last twelve months) $13.51B
Market cap $833.98B
Free cash flow in year ten $108.10B
Terminal value as a share of market value 68.3%

For comparison: over the past five years free cash flow shrank by 10.4% per year.

It shows which assumption is built into today’s price, not whether that assumption will hold. Every assumption can be changed with the sliders; the figures move with them.

A simplified model calculation — not a forecast and not a recommendation.

AI classification

AI Rating

Threatened

Der Geschäftsbericht 10-K für das Geschäftsjahr 2026 nennt erstmals KI-gestützte Such- und Kaufplattformen sowie „agentische“ Einkaufswerkzeuge von Wettbewerbern als konkretes Risiko für die Kundenfrequenz in den eigenen Filialen und Clubs; KI ist bei Walmart selbst keine Umsatzquelle, sondern Werkzeug für Lieferkette, Personal und Einkaufserlebnis.

View the full file — quotes, sources, reviewed filings
„In addition, a greater concentration of eCommerce sales, including increasing online grocery sales and the increasing role of AI-enabled platforms in product search, discovery, advertising and purchasing, could result in a reduction in the amount of traffic in our stores and clubs, which would, in turn, reduce the opportunities for cross-store or cross-club sales of merchandise that such traffic creates and could reduce our sales within our stores and clubs and materially adversely affect our financial performance."

Darüber hinaus könnte eine stärkere Konzentration der Umsätze im Online-Handel — einschließlich steigender Online-Lebensmittelverkäufe und der wachsenden Rolle KI-gestützter Plattformen bei Produktsuche, Produktentdeckung, Werbung und Kauf — zu einem Rückgang der Kundenfrequenz in unseren Filialen und Clubs führen, was wiederum die Gelegenheiten für filial- und clubübergreifende Warenverkäufe verringern würde, die diese Frequenz schafft, und unsere Umsätze in Filialen und Clubs senken sowie unsere Ertragslage wesentlich beeinträchtigen könnte.

10-K · 2026-03-13 · View SEC filing

„The omnichannel retail landscape is highly competitive and rapidly evolving, and the entry of new, well-funded competitors, or more rapid development of AI capabilities and agentic tools by these competitors to enhance productivity and the shopping experience, may increase competitive pressures."

Das Omnichannel-Handelsumfeld ist hart umkämpft und verändert sich rasch; der Markteintritt neuer, gut finanzierter Wettbewerber oder eine schnellere Entwicklung von KI-Fähigkeiten und agentischen Werkzeugen durch diese Wettbewerber zur Steigerung der Produktivität und des Einkaufserlebnisses kann den Wettbewerbsdruck erhöhen.

10-K · 2026-03-13 · View SEC filing

„We continue to invest in AI to enhance our customers' shopping experience and our associate work experience and to improve efficiencies of our supply chain, operations, management functions and talent recruitment and development"

Wir investieren weiterhin in KI, um das Einkaufserlebnis unserer Kunden und die Arbeitserfahrung unserer Mitarbeiter zu verbessern und die Effizienz unserer Lieferkette, unseres Betriebs, unserer Verwaltungsfunktionen sowie der Personalgewinnung und -entwicklung zu steigern

10-K · 2026-03-13 · View SEC filing

Filings Reviewed: 10-Q 2026-05-29 · 10-K 2026-03-13 · 10-Q 2025-12-03 · 10-Q 2025-08-29 · 10-Q 2025-06-06 · 10-K 2025-03-14

Rated on July 29, 2026 · How the Rating Is Built

Earnings calls

What the Earnings Calls Reveal

Across ten transcripts from fiscal 2024-Q4 to 2027-Q1, Walmart met or beat its quarterly and annual guidance almost without exception and grew operating income faster than sales for three consecutive years. The problem lies elsewhere: concrete, dated targets disappear from the calls once they get tight. The automation goal for the end of fiscal 2026 was missed and never mentioned again, and the rollback baseline management cited in 2027-Q1 sits below almost every figure the company itself had reported in the two preceding years. Investors who trust the quarterly delivery should still track the multi-year targets themselves.

Red flags quietly dropped targets 10 calls reviewed, 2024-Q4 through 2027-Q1 · As of August 2, 2026

Fiscal 2026 automation goal missed and never revisited

In 2024-Q4 management named a concrete goal: by the end of fiscal 2026, roughly 55 percent of e-commerce fulfillment center volume and roughly 65 percent of supercenters were to be serviced by automation. The company kept reporting the fulfillment center figure, though not every quarter: more than 45 percent in 2025-Q2, more than 50 percent in 2025-Q3 and 2026-Q3, around 50 percent in 2026-Q4, the end of the target period. The 55 percent mark was therefore missed, and in none of the eight following calls was the goal mentioned again, neither as met nor as missed. For the store side the calls allow no comparison at all: the roughly 60 percent cited later refers to all stores receiving some freight from automated distribution centers. That wording already stood next to the goal in 2024-Q4 and 2025-Q2 and is not the same as 65 percent of supercenters serviced by automation. In 2027-Q1 the new CEO said the company is about halfway there on automation, with more than half of regional distribution centers still being retrofitted.

Rollback baseline sits below the company's own prior quarters

The number of price rollbacks is the key metric Walmart uses to evidence its price investments. Across the calls it swings widely: more than 7,200 in 2025-Q2, about 6,000 in 2025-Q3, 5,800 in 2025-Q4, more than 5,000 in 2026-Q1, about 7,400 in 2026-Q2 and 2026-Q3, 6,200 in 2026-Q4. In 2027-Q1 the CEO presented the current roughly 7,200 rollbacks as a meaningful acceleration, on the grounds that for the last few years the count had run in the 5,000 to 5,500 range. That baseline sits below almost every figure the company itself gave in the two preceding fiscal years; it matches only the weakest quarters, 2025-Q4 and 2026-Q1. Whether a longer look-back would support it cannot be checked from the calls, since no absolute counts were given before 2025-Q1. As early as 2025-Q4 an analyst had asked about the drop to 5,800; the answer went no further than saying the count fluctuates quarter to quarter and that about 1,000 had recently been added.

E-commerce profitability: magnitude stays undisclosed

In 2024-Q4 the CFO explicitly distinguished between e-commerce profitability including advertising, fulfillment services and membership, and profitability without those props, which he said was further down the road. The clarification promised in 2025-Q2 on whether advertising is included did in fact arrive with the milestone in 2026-Q1: the CFO named advertising and membership fees as drivers of the profitability, and the CEO explicitly cited the advertising and data business as the reason for the first profitable quarter. The magnitude, however, stayed open. In 2026-Q1 the CFO declined on direct questioning to quantify the historical losses; in 2026-Q2 the question about the contribution to profit growth drew only percentage answers, and in 2026-Q4 the line became that the topic is no longer even discussed internally because the business is far past breakeven. An absolute e-commerce profit figure appears in none of the ten calls.

Guidance is delivered reliably

On the numbers themselves the record is strong. In all four quarters of fiscal 2025, that is 2025-Q1 through 2025-Q4, sales, operating income and earnings per share came in above the top end of the company's own guidance; the annual outlook was raised twice and beaten again at year end, with 5.6 percent sales growth and nearly 10 percent adjusted operating income growth. Fiscal 2026, shaped by tariffs and one-off costs, delivered too: roughly 5 percent sales growth against the 3 to 4 percent guided in February 2025, and 5.4 percent operating income growth inside the 3.5 to 5.5 percent range given at the time. In 2026-Q4 it was the third consecutive year of profit growing faster than sales. In 2027-Q1 sales beat the top of the guided range by 120 basis points and the full-year outlook was reaffirmed despite higher fuel costs.

One-off items pile up, one quarter got no profit guidance at all

From fiscal 2026 onward, items that burden earnings or get adjusted out become more frequent. In 2026-Q1 the CFO flagged higher accruals for general liability and workers compensation claims; in 2026-Q2 another 450 million dollars followed, 730 million for the first half, cutting operating income growth by 560 basis points in the quarter and 300 basis points for the full year. The same quarter saw an 80 million dollar restructuring charge and legal matters adjusted out, 2026-Q3 added a roughly 700 million dollar non-cash charge tied to the Indian holding PhonePe, and 2027-Q1 brought roughly 175 million dollars of higher fuel cost worth 250 basis points. For 2026-Q2 the company also gave no operating income guidance at all, the only such case in the ten calls reviewed, arguing the range of outcomes was too wide; the extraordinary inventory-accounting markups cited as the reason then did not materialize at the expected scale, as 2026-Q2 itself disclosed. The annual targets still held, but the share of adjusted figures in the success story has grown.

Picture of the U.S. consumer turns gradually from 2026-Q2

Through all of fiscal 2025, that is 2025-Q1 through 2025-Q4, management described the U.S. consumer almost unchanged as resilient and consistent. From 2026-Q2 the tone shifted, with talk of more adjustments among middle and lower income households. In 2026-Q3 the CEO cited additional pressure on low income families and the CFO explicitly noted moderation in their spending. In 2026-Q4 households below 50,000 dollars of annual income were described as in some cases living paycheck to paycheck, and in 2027-Q1 the CFO named a hard stress indicator for the first time: gallons per fill-up fell below ten for the first time since 2022. The deterioration was disclosed openly, but across all ten calls management never provided comparable sales figures by income cohort, including when asked directly in 2025-Q2 and 2025-Q3.

Management promises

  • 2024-Q4 — By the end of fiscal 2026, roughly 55 percent of e-commerce fulfillment center volume and roughly 65 percent of supercenters are to be serviced by automation. In 2026-Q4, at the end of the target period, e-commerce fulfillment center automation stood at about 50 percent instead of the announced 55 percent, unchanged from 2025-Q3. For the 65 percent supercenter mark the calls no longer provide a comparable figure; only about 60 percent of all stores receiving some freight from automated distribution centers was cited. The goal was never mentioned again in any of the eight following calls. broken
  • 2025-Q2 — Once the e-commerce profitability threshold is crossed, the company will also say whether advertising is included. The milestone was announced in 2026-Q1, and advertising was explicitly named as part of it in the same call: the CFO cited advertising and membership fees as drivers of the profitability, and the CEO named the advertising and data business as the reason for the first profitable quarter. The promise was therefore kept. What remains open, though never promised, is the magnitude of the historical losses. kept
  • 2024-Q4 — The VIZIO acquisition is to close in fiscal 2025, be slightly dilutive to earnings near term and accretive on a return basis. The deal closed in December 2024, inside fiscal 2025; in 2025-Q4 the transaction costs were disclosed as a drag exactly as flagged, and by 2026-Q4 VIZIO was in the comparison base and delivering triple-digit advertising growth. kept
  • 2025-Q4 — The VIZIO acquisition is to become accretive to earnings in the following year, meaning fiscal 2027. In the fiscal 2027 guidance given in 2026-Q4, VIZIO no longer appears as a headwind, and in 2027-Q1 the platform is described as extending advertising reach. An explicit confirmation of earnings accretion is still missing. open
  • 2025-Q4 — Indian fintech holding PhonePe is preparing for an IPO in India. In 2026-Q3 a roughly 700 million dollar non-cash charge for share-based compensation in contemplation of a potential IPO was booked. Neither a completion nor even a time frame had been given as of 2027-Q1; the Flipkart IPO mentioned earlier also disappeared after 2025-Q1. open
  • 2026-Q1 — Despite the tariff burden, the fiscal 2026 full-year guidance is to be held and operating income is to grow faster than sales. In 2026-Q4 the company reported roughly 5 percent sales and 5.4 percent adjusted operating income growth, the third consecutive year of profit ahead of sales, even after absorbing 730 million dollars of additional claims expense in the first half. kept

Based on public earnings call transcripts. Reviewed: 10 transcripts 2024-Q4 through 2027-Q1.

Growth

Growth Score

Ten checks against the annual reports — each one passed counts a point.

6 of 10 Solid growth
  • Revenue grows by more than 15% a year over three years 5.3%
  • More than 10% revenue growth is expected for the coming year 4.6%
  • Share count grows by less than 3% a year -0.7%
  • Revenue growth plus cash-flow margin add up to at least 40 ("Rule of 40") 6.8%
  • Gross margin at 40% or higher and without meaningful erosion 24.9%
  • Goodwill from acquisitions does not grow faster than revenue 10.1%
  • Net debt below twice EBITDA 1.2 x EBITDA
  • Operating cash flow covers the profits of the last three years 56,894 m
  • Return on capital at 15% or higher, or up versus two years ago 16.8%
  • Insiders hold at least 10% or are net buyers 45.0%

A criterion without figures counts neither as passed nor as failed; a score is only produced from 7 judgeable criteria upwards. Source: fundamental data. All ten criteria in detail

Quality check

AAQS

7/10

The AAQS (AlleAktien Quality Score) checks 10 quality criteria on growth, profitability, and balance-sheet strength — per the methodology developed and published by AlleAktien, calculated by us from our own fundamental data. A stock counts as a quality stock from 9 out of 10 points. Where a company has a shorter listing history, we calculate over the fiscal years available (at least five).

  • Sales growth 10Y > 5% 4.4%
  • Exp. sales growth 3Y > 5% 5.0%
  • EBIT growth 10Y > 5% 3.0%
  • Exp. EBIT growth 3Y > 5% 8.8%
  • Net debt < 4x EBIT 1.9x
  • EBIT positive, 10Y straight 10
  • Max. EBIT decline < 50% 21.3%
  • Return on equity > 15% 30.9%
  • ROCE > 15% 16.8%
  • Expected return > 10% 10.7%

View stocks with the full AAQS score · Read the methodology at AlleAktien

Source: fundamental data

Insiders

Insider Transactions

Reportable transactions by officers and major shareholders from SEC Form 4 filings. "Other" includes things like stock grants and option exercises without a buy/sell character.

Insider Transactions
Date Person Role Type Shares Price Value
Sep 8, 2026 Milum Dwayne M SVP & Controller Other 121 107.14 12,964
Sep 8, 2026 Guggina David W Executive Vice President Other 118 107.14 12,643
Sep 8, 2026 Dallaire Seth Executive Vice President Other 387 107.14 41,463
Sep 8, 2026 Watkins Latriece Executive Vice President Other 227 107.14 24,321
Sep 1, 2026 Bartlett Daniel J Executive Vice President Sell 3,950 105.14 415,298
Aug 26, 2026 Danker Daniel Executive Vice President Sell 50,644 105.35 5,335,345
Aug 25, 2026 Danker Daniel Executive Vice President Other 52,459 106.49 5,586,359
Aug 20, 2026 Nicholas Christopher James Executive Vice President Sell 2,900 106.34 308,383
Aug 11, 2026 Milum Dwayne M SVP & Controller Other 121 112.66 13,632
Aug 11, 2026 Guggina David W Executive Vice President Other 118 112.66 13,294

View all insider transactions →

The company

About the Company

Walmart Inc. betreibt weltweit Einzelhandels- und Großhandelsgeschäfte und -Clubs, E-Commerce-Websites und mobile Anwendungen.

CEO Insider Trades (12 Mo.)
selling own stock
Employees
2,100,000
Headquarters
Bentonville, AR
Address
1 Customer Drive, 72716 Bentonville, United States
Phone
479-273-4000
IPO Date
08/25/1972
ISIN
US9311421039
Stock Split
3:1 on 02/26/2024
Stock Split
2:1 on 04/20/1999
Stock Split
2:1 on 02/26/1993

Management

Management
Name Title Birth Year
John R. Furner President, CEO & Director 1975
John David Rainey Jr. Executive VP & CFO 1970
Suresh Kumar Ph.D. Executive VP, Global CTO & Chief Development Officer 1965
C. Douglas McMillon Executive Officer 1966
Daniel Danker Executive Vice President of AI Acceleration, Product & Design 1981
Dwayne M. Milum Senior VP, Controller & Principal Accounting Officer 1976
Stephanie Wissink Senior Vice President of Investor Relations
Erin Nealy Cox J.D. Executive VP of Global Governance, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary 1970
Allyson Park Senior VP & Chief Communications Officer
Jason Wooten Head of Corporate Development

Executives per the latest required filings; titles kept in their original language. Source: fundamental data.

Filings

Company Filings (8-K)

An 8-K is the filing a US company must use to disclose material events immediately — takeovers, changes at the top, major contracts or payment troubles, for instance. The links open the original document at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

  • 08/20/2026 Walmart Inc. (WMT): Results of Operations and Financial Condition; Financial Statements and Exhibits SEC ↗

Data as of: September 17, 2026 · Source: fundamental data & SEC filings (annual and quarterly reports, 10-K/10-Q)

Note: pure fact-based analysis, not investment advice and not a solicitation to buy or sell. All figures without guarantee.

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