"The headwinds are real. Unemployment, although still fairly healthy, has crept up for months. Consumer sentiment has wobbled. Inflation has reached an inflection point because of tariffs. The holiday season might be undercut by consumer worry, many economists said. Recently, the Federal Reserve of Philadelphia reported that its Fourth Quarter 2025 Survey of Professional Forecasters showed expectations for only a 1.9% increase in gross domestic product this year."
"Before the good news, Walmart had already posted a strong third quarter. Revenue rose by 5.8% in the most recently reported quarter to $179.5 billion. Per-share earnings rose from $0.57 to $0.77. Management commented, "For fiscal year 2026, the Company raises outlook for growth in net sales to 4.8% to 5.1% and adjusted operating income to 4.8% to 5.5%." Walmart's stock is up 22% this year, compared to 16% for the market overall."
Walmart remains the dominant U.S. retailer by revenue and will stay ahead of Amazon in sales. Recent results showed revenue growth of 5.8% to $179.5 billion and per-share earnings rising from $0.57 to $0.77. Management raised its fiscal 2026 outlook for net sales growth to 4.8%–5.1% and adjusted operating income to 4.8%–5.5%. Black Friday retail sales rose 4.1% year-over-year, signaling solid holiday spending momentum. Macroeconomic headwinds persist: rising unemployment, wobbling consumer sentiment, tariff-driven inflation, and low GDP growth forecasts (1.9% for 2025). Walmart's scale makes it a proxy for U.S. consumer behavior.
Read at 24/7 Wall St.
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]