Walmart maintains conservative outlook amid rising costs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 21 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
Walmart's stock is down 3.78% in pre-market trading, hitting a 20-day low as the company maintains a conservative sales and profit outlook for the year.
Despite reporting a 7.3% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1, Walmart's cautious stance for the second quarter is primarily due to rising fuel costs, which are expected to impact operating income significantly. Analysts have noted that while Walmart's e-commerce sales surged by 26%, the overall outlook remains conservative, reflecting pressures from competitors and weak consumer spending trends.
This conservative outlook may lead to further scrutiny from investors, especially as Walmart navigates rising operational costs while trying to maintain its market position against competitors like Target and Kroger.
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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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- Market Expansion Plans: Walmart plans to expand its fast delivery service to more cities, leveraging its extensive store network and proximity to customers, further solidifying its position in the rapid delivery market segment.
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