Impact of Iran War on Retail Sector
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 13 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Supply Chain Disruption: Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has significantly disrupted the global supply chain, affecting a range of goods from fertilizers to metals, which may lead to higher prices for consumers at grocery stores, particularly for food items that have less flexible supply chains.
- Declining Consumer Confidence: The rise in gas prices due to the war is impacting consumer confidence, likely affecting discretionary spending, with retailers heavily reliant on non-essential goods, such as Five Below and Target, facing greater pressure.
- Retailer Response Strategies: Retailers may maintain resilience by raising prices to offset potential declines in unit sales, a strategy that has proven effective in 2022 and 2023 despite the risk of reduced sales volumes.
- Uncertain Economic Growth Outlook: As challenges mount for the retail sector, overall growth has been mediocre, and the uncertainty within the industry may begin to affect GDP growth, particularly as budget constraints for lower-income consumers intensify this trend.
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Analyst Views on WMT
Wall Street analysts forecast WMT stock price to rise
26 Analyst Rating
25 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 122.890
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
Current: 122.890
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
About WMT
Walmart Inc. is a technology-powered omnichannel retailer. The Company is engaged in the operation of retail and wholesale stores and clubs, as well as eCommerce Websites and mobile applications, located throughout the United States (U.S.), Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India and Mexico. It operates in three reportable segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club U.S. The Walmart U.S. segment includes the Company's mass merchandising concept in the U.S., as well as eCommerce, which includes omni-channel initiatives and certain other business offerings such as advertising services. The Walmart International segment consists of the Company's operations outside of the U.S. through its subsidiaries, as well as eCommerce and omni-channel initiatives. The Sam's Club U.S. segment includes the warehouse membership clubs in the U.S., as well as samsclub.com and omni-channel initiatives.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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