After-hours movers: lululemon, Broadcom, DocuSign and more
Investing.com - Truist Securities lowered its price target on Walmart (NYSE:WMT) to $109.00 from $111.00 on Friday, while maintaining a Buy rating on the retail giant. According to InvestingPro data, analyst targets for Walmart range from $64 to $127, with 11 analysts recently revising their earnings expectations upward.
The price target adjustment follows Walmart’s quarterly report showing strong sales momentum, with U.S. comparable sales growth of 4.6%, Sam’s Club growth of 5.9%, and international sales growth exceeding 10% in constant currency. The retail giant’s total revenue reached $693.15 billion in the last twelve months, with a solid 24.9% gross profit margin.
Truist noted that discrete expenses weighed on the quarter by approximately $0.04-$0.05 per share, and the company experienced less upward adjustment from RIM accounting than expected.
Despite these factors, the research firm highlighted that Walmart’s core EBIT margins continue to expand, particularly as its rapidly growing e-commerce business, which increased 25% in the second quarter, is now profitable.
Walmart’s higher-margin alternative revenue streams, specifically Walmart U.S. Connect, grew 31% during the period, contributing to an upward lift in margins, according to Truist Securities. With a market capitalization of $782.56 billion and a consistent track record of raising dividends for 30 consecutive years, Walmart maintains its position as a prominent player in the Consumer Staples sector.
In other recent news, Walmart’s second-quarter financial results have been a focal point for analysts. Despite a miss on headline earnings per share, KeyBanc maintained its Overweight rating with a $110 price target, attributing the shortfall to temporary factors like general liability claims and tariff dynamics. UBS also reiterated a Buy rating with the same price target, highlighting steady U.S. comparable sales growth at 4.6% and accelerating e-commerce sales. Bernstein raised its price target to $117, noting a 5.6% growth in constant currency net sales, although adjusted EBIT growth was impacted by higher self-insured general liability claims. Telsey Advisory Group increased its price target to $118, citing Walmart’s expansion into areas like advertising and last-mile delivery as part of a growing ecosystem. Mizuho (NYSE:MFG) reiterated an Outperform rating with a $115 target, emphasizing that the earnings miss doesn’t alter the firm’s positive outlook, as U.S. sales remain strong despite some consumer pushback. These developments reflect a mixed but generally positive analyst sentiment toward Walmart’s future prospects.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.