Key Stock Developments on Thursday: Factors That May Influence the Market in the Upcoming Trading Session
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Aug 20 2025
0mins
Source: CNBC
Walmart Earnings Report: Walmart is set to release its quarterly earnings on Thursday, with shares having increased nearly 5% over the past three months but down 2.6% from its 52-week high.
Workday Performance: Workday will report its earnings after the market closes on Thursday, with its stock experiencing a decline of nearly 17% in the last three months and down 22% from its December peak.
Disney CEO Appearance: Disney's CEO Bob Iger will appear on "Squawk on the Street," as Disney shares are currently 6% below their 52-week high, despite being up 30% over the past year.
Federal Reserve Discussions: CNBC's senior economics reporter will cover key topics at Jackson Hole, including interest rates and potential controversies involving Federal Reserve officials, along with weekly jobless claims data.
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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: 120.500
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
Current: 120.500
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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- Walmart's Long-Term Strategy: Walmart has partnered with Major League Soccer (MLS) to launch promotional activities aimed at enhancing fan experiences through multi-channel engagement across stadiums, screens, and stores, thereby increasing its influence among the young and diverse fan base.
- McDonald's Global Promotion: McDonald's is offering the FIFA World Cup 26 Meal, featuring a Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets, along with collectible cups tied to global soccer stars, aiming to attract family consumers and enhance brand recognition through this global event.
- Brand Marketing Opportunity: The 2026 World Cup is seen as a significant opportunity for brand marketing, with experts noting that the event's ability to concentrate attention provides brands a natural opening to engage effectively in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
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- Pricing Strategy Shift: New CEO Greg Foran plans to reduce prices on thousands of items to compete against rivals like Walmart, Costco, and Aldi, demonstrating Kroger's proactive approach in the market share battle.
- Cost-Cutting Initiatives: Kroger aims to support price reductions through tighter sourcing practices, streamlined operations, and cost-cutting measures, with plans to lower costs by directly importing goods and utilizing technology more effectively to enhance customer service.
- Market Positioning Adjustment: As a food and drug retailer, Kroger is working to attract consumers by lowering shelf prices, although analysts note that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential, reflecting Kroger's competitive standing in investors' minds.
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- Consumer Confidence Plummets: The U.S. consumer sentiment survey recorded a historic low of 44.8 in May, indicating that persistent inflation has severely impacted consumer morale, likely leading to significant reductions in discretionary spending and adversely affecting related companies' sales performance.
- Shift to Discount Retail: As household budgets tighten, consumers are increasingly turning to discount retailers like Walmart and Costco, which may benefit during economic downturns, although their price-to-earnings ratios of 42 and 49 suggest relatively high valuations.
- Cautious Market Response: While retail sales data continues to rise, spending on luxury goods is contracting, prompting investors to monitor actual spending habits closely to identify potential investment opportunities, especially as market volatility increases in the coming months.
- Investment Strategy Adjustment: In light of low consumer sentiment, investors should remain patient and selective in stock purchases, focusing on whether luxury goods producers' stocks become undervalued, allowing for potential gains when the market eventually rebounds.
See More
U.S. Consumer Sentiment Hits Historic Low
- Consumer Confidence Plummets: The U.S. consumer sentiment survey recorded a historic low of 44.8 in May, indicating a pessimistic outlook on the economy that could lead to reduced spending on discretionary goods, thereby impacting sales for related companies.
- Investor Response Strategy: In light of declining consumer sentiment, investors should focus on consumer-facing stocks that may be affected, although the current market offers limited discount opportunities, raising concerns about new investments being trapped in overvalued assets.
- Retail Sales Trends: Despite the drop in consumer confidence, retail sales continue to rise, suggesting that as household budgets tighten, consumers may redirect spending, with serious earnings softness expected over the next year leading to deeper stock discounts.
- Warehouse Giants Benefit: Amidst low consumer sentiment, discount retailers like Walmart and Costco may emerge as winners, even though their price-to-earnings ratios of 42 and 49 indicate that these recession-resistant retailers remain relatively expensive.
See More
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- Significant E-commerce Growth: In the same quarter, Costco's e-commerce site and app traffic surged by 37%, while digitally enabled comparable sales rose by 21.5%, indicating substantial success in enhancing online customer engagement, despite a recent dip in stock price.
- Walmart's Stability: As the only 'Dividend King', Walmart has increased its dividend for 53 consecutive years, showcasing the reliability of its business model, with shares also up over 150% in the past five years, further boosted by technology investments like the AI shopping agent Sparky.
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See More
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- Membership Renewal Rates: As of Q3 2026, Costco's membership renewal rate in the U.S. and Canada was 92.2%, with a global rate of 89.7%, indicating strong customer loyalty and a stable revenue stream that reinforces its market position.
- E-commerce Growth: In the same quarter, Costco saw a 37% increase in e-commerce site and app traffic, while digitally enabled comparable sales rose by 21.5%, demonstrating positive progress in its digital transformation that enhances overall sales performance.
- Walmart's Stability: Known as a 'Dividend King', Walmart has increased its dividend for 53 consecutive years, showcasing the stability of its business model, and its stock price has risen over 150% in the past five years, providing reliable returns for investors.
- Amazon's Cloud Business Growth: In Q1 2026, Amazon's AWS revenue surged by 28% to $37.6 billion, marking its fastest quarterly growth, indicating strong performance in the cloud computing sector, although its stock is more volatile, it holds significant long-term potential.
See More
World Cup in the U.S. Expected to Drive $7.5 Billion in Consumer Spending
- Massive Consumer Potential: The upcoming World Cup in the U.S. is projected to drive consumer spending to $7.5 billion, slightly surpassing the Winter Olympics' $7.2 billion but falling short of the Super Bowl's $11.5 billion, highlighting the event's strong appeal in the American market.
- Walmart's Long-Term Strategy: Walmart has partnered with Major League Soccer (MLS) to launch promotional activities aimed at enhancing fan experiences through multi-channel engagement across stadiums, screens, and stores, thereby increasing its influence among the young and diverse fan base.
- McDonald's Global Promotion: McDonald's is offering the FIFA World Cup 26 Meal, featuring a Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets, along with collectible cups tied to global soccer stars, aiming to attract family consumers and enhance brand recognition through this global event.
- Brand Marketing Opportunity: The 2026 World Cup is seen as a significant opportunity for brand marketing, with experts noting that the event's ability to concentrate attention provides brands a natural opening to engage effectively in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
See More
Kroger Named Among Top 10 Value Dividend Stocks by Buffett
- Price Target Adjustment: JPMorgan has lowered Kroger's price target from $72 to $70 while maintaining a Neutral rating, anticipating the company will reaffirm its full-year guidance in the upcoming earnings report on June 18, indicating market confidence in its stability.
- Pricing Strategy Shift: New CEO Greg Foran plans to reduce prices on thousands of items to compete against rivals like Walmart, Costco, and Aldi, demonstrating Kroger's proactive approach in the market share battle.
- Cost-Cutting Initiatives: Kroger aims to support price reductions through tighter sourcing practices, streamlined operations, and cost-cutting measures, with plans to lower costs by directly importing goods and utilizing technology more effectively to enhance customer service.
- Market Positioning Adjustment: As a food and drug retailer, Kroger is working to attract consumers by lowering shelf prices, although analysts note that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential, reflecting Kroger's competitive standing in investors' minds.
See More
Consumer Confidence Hits Historic Low Amid Inflation Woes
- Consumer Confidence Plummets: The U.S. consumer sentiment survey recorded a historic low of 44.8 in May, indicating that persistent inflation has severely impacted consumer morale, likely leading to significant reductions in discretionary spending and adversely affecting related companies' sales performance.
- Shift to Discount Retail: As household budgets tighten, consumers are increasingly turning to discount retailers like Walmart and Costco, which may benefit during economic downturns, although their price-to-earnings ratios of 42 and 49 suggest relatively high valuations.
- Cautious Market Response: While retail sales data continues to rise, spending on luxury goods is contracting, prompting investors to monitor actual spending habits closely to identify potential investment opportunities, especially as market volatility increases in the coming months.
- Investment Strategy Adjustment: In light of low consumer sentiment, investors should remain patient and selective in stock purchases, focusing on whether luxury goods producers' stocks become undervalued, allowing for potential gains when the market eventually rebounds.
See More
U.S. Consumer Sentiment Hits Historic Low
- Consumer Confidence Plummets: The U.S. consumer sentiment survey recorded a historic low of 44.8 in May, indicating a pessimistic outlook on the economy that could lead to reduced spending on discretionary goods, thereby impacting sales for related companies.
- Investor Response Strategy: In light of declining consumer sentiment, investors should focus on consumer-facing stocks that may be affected, although the current market offers limited discount opportunities, raising concerns about new investments being trapped in overvalued assets.
- Retail Sales Trends: Despite the drop in consumer confidence, retail sales continue to rise, suggesting that as household budgets tighten, consumers may redirect spending, with serious earnings softness expected over the next year leading to deeper stock discounts.
- Warehouse Giants Benefit: Amidst low consumer sentiment, discount retailers like Walmart and Costco may emerge as winners, even though their price-to-earnings ratios of 42 and 49 indicate that these recession-resistant retailers remain relatively expensive.
See More
Investment Comparison of Walmart, Costco, and Amazon
- Successful Membership Model: Costco's membership renewal rate reached 92.2% in the U.S. and Canada for Q3 2026, with a global rate of 89.7%, demonstrating strong customer loyalty and a stable revenue source that reinforces its market position.
- Significant E-commerce Growth: In the same quarter, Costco's e-commerce site and app traffic surged by 37%, while digitally enabled comparable sales rose by 21.5%, indicating substantial success in enhancing online customer engagement, despite a recent dip in stock price.
- Walmart's Stability: As the only 'Dividend King', Walmart has increased its dividend for 53 consecutive years, showcasing the reliability of its business model, with shares also up over 150% in the past five years, further boosted by technology investments like the AI shopping agent Sparky.
- Amazon's Cloud Business Potential: Amazon's AWS revenue grew by 28% to $37.6 billion in Q1 2026, reflecting strong performance in the cloud sector, and while its stock may be volatile, long-term AI investments could lead to significant stock price appreciation potential.
See More
Investment Analysis of Walmart, Costco, and Amazon
- Membership Renewal Rates: As of Q3 2026, Costco's membership renewal rate in the U.S. and Canada was 92.2%, with a global rate of 89.7%, indicating strong customer loyalty and a stable revenue stream that reinforces its market position.
- E-commerce Growth: In the same quarter, Costco saw a 37% increase in e-commerce site and app traffic, while digitally enabled comparable sales rose by 21.5%, demonstrating positive progress in its digital transformation that enhances overall sales performance.
- Walmart's Stability: Known as a 'Dividend King', Walmart has increased its dividend for 53 consecutive years, showcasing the stability of its business model, and its stock price has risen over 150% in the past five years, providing reliable returns for investors.
- Amazon's Cloud Business Growth: In Q1 2026, Amazon's AWS revenue surged by 28% to $37.6 billion, marking its fastest quarterly growth, indicating strong performance in the cloud computing sector, although its stock is more volatile, it holds significant long-term potential.
See More
