Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish on Walmart Stock?
Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart Inc. (WMT) operates retail and wholesale stores and clubs, eCommerce websites, and mobile applications. Valued at a market cap of $779 billion, the company offers a wide range of products, including groceries, apparel, electronics, home goods, and pharmaceuticals, with a focus on providing everyday low prices.
Shares of the retail giant have surged past the broader market over the past 52 weeks. WMT stock has rallied 41.2% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 16.6%. Moreover, on a year-to-date (YTD) basis, WMT is up 8.8%, compared to SPX’s 8.3% return.
Zooming in further, WMT stock has also considerably outpaced the SPDR S&P Retail ETF’s (XRT) 4.1% rise over the past 52 weeks and a marginal YTD gain.
On May 15, Walmart delivered stronger-than-expected Q1 results, yet its shares ended the day slightly lower. The company’s total revenue advanced 2.5% year-over-year (YoY) to $165.6 billion, surpassing consensus expectations. Moreover, its adjusted EPS came in at $0.61, up 1.7% annually and 7% above Wall Street’s estimates. However, Walmart’s warning about potential price rise due to tariffs raised investor concerns, contributing to the dip in its stock price. Nonetheless, the stock rebounded and gained nearly 2% in the following trading session.
For the current fiscal year, ending in January 2026, analysts expect WMT’s EPS to grow 3.6% YoY to $2.60. The company’s earnings surprise history is promising. It exceeded the consensus estimates in each of the last four quarters.
Among the 36 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Strong Buy,” and that is based on 29 “Strong Buys,” six "Moderate Buys,” and one “Hold” rating.
This configuration is less bullish than two months ago, when 31 analysts suggested a “Strong Buy” rating.
On July 24, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) analyst Christopher Horvers maintained a “Buy” rating on WMT and set a price target of $112, indicating a 13.9% potential upside from the current levels.
The mean price target of $110.86 represents a 12.7% premium from Walmart’s current price levels, while the Street-high price target of $120 suggests an upside potential of 22%.
On the date of publication, Neharika Jain did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.