Trump Delays EPA Refrigerant Rules, Projected Savings of $2.4 Billion
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 21 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Policy Delay Impact: President Trump announced a delay to two Biden-era EPA refrigerant rules, projected to save businesses and families over $2.4 billion, although it remains unclear if these savings will be passed on to consumers.
- Industry Response: Kroger's CEO stated the company is in the process of passing savings to consumers, yet with high inflation and rising fuel prices, it is uncertain whether prices will actually decrease for shoppers.
- Environmental Regulation Context: The new rules aim to reduce leaks and emissions of hydrofluorocarbons in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, but the delay in compliance may impose greater cost burdens on smaller grocery retailers.
- Market Competition Dynamics: Prior to Trump's policy announcement, Kroger had already planned price cuts to better compete with Walmart and Costco, while various factors driving food inflation complicate price adjustments.
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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: 118.900
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
Current: 118.900
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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- Decline in Consumer Spending: In immigrant-heavy communities, consumer spending saw a notable decline, with neighborhoods in Los Angeles experiencing a drop of up to 25% in spending within two months following the announcement of local ICE enforcement campaigns, exacerbating economic weakness.
- Reduction in Business Operations: As immigration enforcement became more visible, businesses generally scaled back staffing and activities, with estimates suggesting that between 51,000 and 297,000 of the lost jobs would have been held by U.S.-born workers, highlighting the potential impact of immigration policies on the native labor market.
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