Retail Stocks Under Pressure as Earnings Reports Loom
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 19 hours ago
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Retail Sector Decline: The S&P Retail Select Industry Index has dropped nearly 7% year-to-date, with the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) following suit, indicating significant weakness in the retail sector and escalating investor concerns about consumer health.
- Consumer Sentiment Weakness: The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment survey hit an all-time low in May, reflecting a significant decline in consumer spending willingness under the pressures of high inflation and rising energy costs, which could adversely affect retailers' profitability.
- Pessimistic Earnings Outlook: Home Depot is expected to report first-quarter earnings per share of $3.41, while Lowe's and TJ Maxx are projected at $2.97 and $1.02 respectively, with analysts expressing skepticism about the retail sector's ability to achieve 20% earnings growth amid negative wage growth.
- Rising Consumer Credit Risks: The New York Fed reported that total household debt rose to $18.8 trillion in Q1, with credit card debt nearing all-time highs and personal savings rates dropping to 3.6%, indicating a deteriorating financial situation for consumers that may lead to further declines in demand.
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Analyst Views on WMT
Wall Street analysts forecast WMT stock price to fall
26 Analyst Rating
25 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 131.450
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
Current: 131.450
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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