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Investing.com -- Walmart has begun raising prices on a range of goods as new tariffs take effect, but expects to gain market share as it widens price gaps with peers, according to Jefferies.
Following a recent meeting with Walmart’s head of investor relations, Steph Wissink, Jefferies said in a note that “prices increased as the tariffs were implemented in April” for perishables and other items sourced from Central America.
The firm noted that in June, prices also began to rise on “infrequently purchased general merchandise items that were previously trending deflationary.”
Jefferies said Walmart (NYSE:WMT) expects further increases on “seasonal items heading into Halloween and the winter Holidays,” but remains committed to its value-focused strategy: “WMT remains committed to its Everyday Low Price strategy and taking less price than its peers.”
Despite inflationary pressures, Walmart views the U.S. consumer as relatively resilient.
“We would categorize the US consumer as consistent,” said Jefferies, though Walmart has seen “emerging signs of trade down and substitution.”
The company plans to aggressively compete during the upcoming back-to-school season by “widen[ing] its price gaps on key, high-frequency items,” which it expects will boost share as consumers become more price-sensitive.
Walmart’s inventory is expected to jump in the second quarter, with Jefferies noting that “the actual tariff rate is higher than originally expected.”
However, analysts said they are “not concerned about the health of the inventory.”
Jefferies expects the company to reaffirm its full-year outlook, stating, “We believe that WMT is well-positioned to achieve its guidance,” even as tariff-related volatility limits near-term upside.