Walmart Doesn't Alter Annual Outlook Yet, CEO Says 'All Tariffs Create Cost Pressures But China Has Biggest Impact'
Walmart's Q1 Performance: Walmart reported a 2.5% year-on-year sales growth for Q1 FY26, totaling $165.60 billion, slightly below analyst expectations, while adjusted EPS of 61 cents exceeded estimates. Global eCommerce sales surged by 22%, and comparable sales in the U.S. rose by 4.5%.
Future Outlook and Challenges: The company anticipates a sales growth of 3.5%-4.5% for Q2 FY26 and reaffirmed its fiscal year EPS outlook. CEO Doug McMillon highlighted the impact of tariffs on costs, particularly from China, but emphasized efforts to manage food prices amidst these pressures.
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VDC and FSTA: A Comparison of Two Comparable Consumer Staples ETFs
Comparison of VDC and FSTA: The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA) both target the U.S. consumer staples sector, showing nearly identical performance and yields, but VDC has a significantly larger assets under management (AUM) and a longer track record.
Expense Ratios and Holdings: While FSTA is slightly more affordable with a marginally higher expense ratio, both funds have identical dividend yields and focus on similar top holdings, including Walmart, Costco, and Procter & Gamble.
Fund Longevity and Liquidity: VDC, established in 2004, has a longer operational history compared to FSTA, which started in 2013, and both funds maintain high liquidity with substantial AUM figures.
Investment Appeal: Despite their similarities, VDC's longer track record and larger AUM may attract certain investors, while both funds are considered solid options for those seeking defensive equity exposure in the consumer staples sector.
Projected Target Price for FSTA Analyst: $57
Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF Analysis: The Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA) has an implied analyst target price of $56.63, indicating a potential upside of 16.49% from its current trading price of $48.61.
Notable Holdings with Upside Potential: Key underlying holdings of FSTA, such as Vita Coco Co Inc (COCO), Dollar General Corp (DG), and Brown-Forman Corp (BF.B), show significant upside potential based on analyst target prices, with COCO at 21.47% higher, DG at 21.35%, and BF.B at 16.72%.
Analyst Target Price Justification: The article raises questions about whether analysts' target prices are justified or overly optimistic, suggesting that high target prices relative to current trading prices could lead to potential downgrades if they are based on outdated information.
Investor Research Recommendation: Investors are encouraged to conduct further research to assess the validity of analysts' targets in light of recent company and industry developments.
The Consumer Staples Select Staples Fund (XLP) Provides Greater Yield Compared to Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA), Which Contains More Stocks
Comparison of XLP and FSTA: Both XLP and FSTA target U.S. consumer staples, with XLP offering a higher yield and greater assets under management, while FSTA provides broader diversification with more holdings.
Performance Metrics: Both ETFs have similar total returns since 2013, with XLP at 160% and FSTA at 153%, and they exhibit low volatility compared to the broader market, indicated by their beta values.
Dividend Growth: XLP has a higher dividend yield of 2.9% compared to FSTA's 2.3%, and XLP has increased its dividends at a faster rate of 5% annually over the past decade, versus FSTA's 3%.
Portfolio Composition: Both funds hold similar top stocks like Walmart, Costco, and Procter & Gamble, but FSTA is more top-heavy with its top five holdings making up over 50% of its portfolio, while XLP is less concentrated.
Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index (FSTA) Falls into Oversold Zone
RSI Comparison: The Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index has an RSI reading of 28.4, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 62.4, indicating potential overselling.
Investment Opportunity: Bullish investors may view the low RSI as a signal that selling pressure is waning, suggesting possible entry points for buying shares.
52-Week Performance: FSTA's shares have a 52-week low of $47.45 and a high of $52.9597, with the last trade recorded at $48.55, reflecting a slight decline of 0.5% for the day.
Author's Views: The opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Nasdaq, Inc.
Will Coke and Pepsi Earnings Boost Consumer Staples ETFs?
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Earnings: Both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo reported strong third-quarter earnings for 2025, with Coca-Cola's EPS at 82 cents and revenues of $12.46 billion, while PepsiCo's revenues reached $23.94 billion and EPS at $2.29, surpassing estimates.
Market Trends and Consumer Behavior: Despite positive earnings, both companies noted a decline in demand, particularly among low-income consumers, leading to strategies like offering smaller, more affordable packaging to attract budget-conscious buyers.
Product Innovations: PepsiCo is revamping its snack offerings with healthier ingredients and reducing prices on multipacks to appeal to health-conscious consumers, while Coca-Cola is focusing on smaller can sizes to maintain sales.
Investment Opportunities: Investors may consider ETFs that include Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, such as the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund and Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF, as a way to gain exposure to these major companies in the consumer staples sector.
FSTA Shares Currently in Oversold Territory
RSI Comparison: The Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index has an RSI reading of 28.7, indicating potential overselling, while the S&P 500 has a much higher RSI of 72.3.
Investment Opportunity: A bullish investor may view the low RSI as a signal that selling pressure is waning, suggesting it could be a good time to consider buying shares of FSTA, which are currently trading at $49.27, down 0.8% for the day.
VDC and FSTA: A Comparison of Two Comparable Consumer Staples ETFs
Comparison of VDC and FSTA: The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA) both target the U.S. consumer staples sector, showing nearly identical performance and yields, but VDC has a significantly larger assets under management (AUM) and a longer track record.
Expense Ratios and Holdings: While FSTA is slightly more affordable with a marginally higher expense ratio, both funds have identical dividend yields and focus on similar top holdings, including Walmart, Costco, and Procter & Gamble.
Fund Longevity and Liquidity: VDC, established in 2004, has a longer operational history compared to FSTA, which started in 2013, and both funds maintain high liquidity with substantial AUM figures.
Investment Appeal: Despite their similarities, VDC's longer track record and larger AUM may attract certain investors, while both funds are considered solid options for those seeking defensive equity exposure in the consumer staples sector.
Projected Target Price for FSTA Analyst: $57
Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF Analysis: The Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA) has an implied analyst target price of $56.63, indicating a potential upside of 16.49% from its current trading price of $48.61.
Notable Holdings with Upside Potential: Key underlying holdings of FSTA, such as Vita Coco Co Inc (COCO), Dollar General Corp (DG), and Brown-Forman Corp (BF.B), show significant upside potential based on analyst target prices, with COCO at 21.47% higher, DG at 21.35%, and BF.B at 16.72%.
Analyst Target Price Justification: The article raises questions about whether analysts' target prices are justified or overly optimistic, suggesting that high target prices relative to current trading prices could lead to potential downgrades if they are based on outdated information.
Investor Research Recommendation: Investors are encouraged to conduct further research to assess the validity of analysts' targets in light of recent company and industry developments.
The Consumer Staples Select Staples Fund (XLP) Provides Greater Yield Compared to Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA), Which Contains More Stocks
Comparison of XLP and FSTA: Both XLP and FSTA target U.S. consumer staples, with XLP offering a higher yield and greater assets under management, while FSTA provides broader diversification with more holdings.
Performance Metrics: Both ETFs have similar total returns since 2013, with XLP at 160% and FSTA at 153%, and they exhibit low volatility compared to the broader market, indicated by their beta values.
Dividend Growth: XLP has a higher dividend yield of 2.9% compared to FSTA's 2.3%, and XLP has increased its dividends at a faster rate of 5% annually over the past decade, versus FSTA's 3%.
Portfolio Composition: Both funds hold similar top stocks like Walmart, Costco, and Procter & Gamble, but FSTA is more top-heavy with its top five holdings making up over 50% of its portfolio, while XLP is less concentrated.
Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index (FSTA) Falls into Oversold Zone
RSI Comparison: The Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index has an RSI reading of 28.4, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 62.4, indicating potential overselling.
Investment Opportunity: Bullish investors may view the low RSI as a signal that selling pressure is waning, suggesting possible entry points for buying shares.
52-Week Performance: FSTA's shares have a 52-week low of $47.45 and a high of $52.9597, with the last trade recorded at $48.55, reflecting a slight decline of 0.5% for the day.
Author's Views: The opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Nasdaq, Inc.
Will Coke and Pepsi Earnings Boost Consumer Staples ETFs?
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Earnings: Both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo reported strong third-quarter earnings for 2025, with Coca-Cola's EPS at 82 cents and revenues of $12.46 billion, while PepsiCo's revenues reached $23.94 billion and EPS at $2.29, surpassing estimates.
Market Trends and Consumer Behavior: Despite positive earnings, both companies noted a decline in demand, particularly among low-income consumers, leading to strategies like offering smaller, more affordable packaging to attract budget-conscious buyers.
Product Innovations: PepsiCo is revamping its snack offerings with healthier ingredients and reducing prices on multipacks to appeal to health-conscious consumers, while Coca-Cola is focusing on smaller can sizes to maintain sales.
Investment Opportunities: Investors may consider ETFs that include Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, such as the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund and Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF, as a way to gain exposure to these major companies in the consumer staples sector.
FSTA Shares Currently in Oversold Territory
RSI Comparison: The Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index has an RSI reading of 28.7, indicating potential overselling, while the S&P 500 has a much higher RSI of 72.3.
Investment Opportunity: A bullish investor may view the low RSI as a signal that selling pressure is waning, suggesting it could be a good time to consider buying shares of FSTA, which are currently trading at $49.27, down 0.8% for the day.
