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WMT

NYSE
Neutral· 56

Walmart Inc.

Consumer Staples
Retail
Earnings Aug 20

$111.88

0.2%

Updated Aug 7, 11:30 AM ET

Report Card

WMT at a glance — five pillars scored 0–100 from real filed financials.

Value
0
Growth
0
Profitability
0
Health
0
Dividends
0

Overall: Neutral · 56/100. A wider, greener shape means more pillars look healthy. Dividends scores 0 when a company pays none — that is a choice, not a flaw.

Price — Past Year

▲ Up 23.2% over the last 12 months

Price 50-day average 200-day averageSource: Yahoo Finance · refreshed daily
Key Metrics

Market Cap

$963.17B

P/E

39.16x

Forward P/E (est.)

32.16x

ROE

23.9%

Revenue Growth

5.9%

EPS Growth

21.8%

Profit Margin

3.1%

FCF Yield

8.5%

Debt / Equity

0.52x

ROIC

18.0%

Interest Coverage

Current Ratio

0.77x

Dividend Yield

0.8%

Implied Growth (rev. DCF)

7.3%

Rating Score

56/100

Business Overview
Research

Walmart turned the threat of Amazon into a playbook: $700B+ in revenue now feeds a flywheel of e-commerce, a third-party marketplace, and a high-margin advertising and membership business growing far faster than the stores. The core retail engine grows mid-single digits, but the profit mix is shifting toward those better businesses — which is why EPS (+22%) grows much faster than revenue.

Economic Moat

Evidence of durable competitive advantage in the filed financials (10 years of history).

Narrow moat signalsMoat evidence score: 69/100

Some durable-advantage evidence, but not across the board — dig into which ingredient is weak and whether it's cyclical or structural.

Operating margin level0/100

4.3% average over the last 3 years

Operating margin stability96/100

±0.3 pts around 4.2% across 10 years

Revenue durability100/100

grew in 9 of the last 9 year-over-year periods

Free-cash-flow consistency100/100

positive in 10 of 10 years

Return on invested capital65/100

18.0% latest fiscal year

A moat can't be proven by numbers alone — this scores the evidence a durable advantage leaves behind (pricing power, consistency, returns on capital), computed the same way for every stock. Pair it with the business overview before concluding anything.

Trade Setup & Technical Analysis

Institutional-style technical read — sample, educational only

Bearish
Confidence score56/100

Downtrend — price ($111.88) is below the 50-day ($123.01) and 200-day ($117.06) averages.

Setup type

Downtrend — avoid or fade rallies

Holding time

1–6 weeks

Risk level

Medium

Risk / reward

1 : 0.7

Trade levels

Entry zone

$111.88 – $115.35

Stop loss

$124.39

Target 1

$106.10

Target 2

$94.23

Target 3

$94.54

Position sizing: Scale in; risk ≤ 1% of capital, half-size to start.

Technical analysis

RSI(14) is oversold (29); the MACD histogram is negative (downward momentum). Downtrend — price ($111.88) is below the 50-day ($123.01) and 200-day ($117.06) averages. ATR(14) is $2.89 (~2.6% of price), which sets the stop distance. Recent support sits near $107.25 and resistance near $122.94; the 52-week range is $94.23–$135.16.

Fundamental analysis

Revenue is stable at 5.9%, net margin near 3.1%, ROE roughly 23.9%; shares trade at 39x earnings. Quality score: 56/100.

Options flow

Live options-flow data needs a paid feed, so it isn't shown. For realized volatility, ATR of $2.89 (~2.6%/day) is the range to size stops and any option strikes around.

Volume analysis

The latest session traded 1.2× the 20-day average volume — roughly in line with normal activity.

Catalysts

The next quarterly earnings report is the main near-term catalyst. Technically, watch for a reclaim of $122.94 or a loss of $107.25.

Bullish scenario

Advertising, marketplace, and membership income are transforming retail margins from famously thin to structurally rising.

Bearish scenario

At ~39x earnings, Walmart trades like a tech platform while 96%+ of revenue is still low-margin retail.

Invalidation

A daily close above $124.39 invalidates this bearish read.

Probability-based scenario using sample data — not a recommendation or a guarantee of profit. Prioritize capital preservation, use stops, and size positions for risk. Past performance does not predict future results.

Technical Analysis (Educational)
Research

Technical analysis reads price and volume to judge momentum and timing. It complements the fundamentals above — it does not replace them. Here is what WMT's chart says today, with each tool explained.

Trend — moving averages. A moving average is the average closing price over a window, which smooths out daily noise. WMT trades near $111.88, below its 50-day average ($123.01) and 200-day average ($117.06). Price below both averages is a downtrend — momentum is against buyers for now.

Momentum — RSI. The Relative Strength Index runs 0–100 and measures how strong recent gains are versus losses. Above 70 is "overbought", below 30 "oversold". At 29 it is oversold — selling has been heavy and a bounce is possible.

MACD. MACD compares two moving averages to flag shifts in momentum. Its histogram is currently negative — short-term momentum is fading.

Volatility — ATR. Average True Range is the typical daily move. WMT's is $2.89 (~2.6% of price), so swings of about that size each day are normal — handy for setting a stop that isn't too tight.

Support & resistance. Over the last month WMT found buyers near $107.25 (support) and sellers near $122.94 (resistance); its 52-week range is $94.23–$135.16. A decisive break beyond either edge often marks the next move.

Volume. The latest session traded 1.2× the 20-day average — about normal. Rising volume on up-days suggests real buying; on down-days, real selling.

Educational information to help you read a chart — not a recommendation or a forecast. It updates daily as the price and indicators change.

Revenue Growth
Research

4Y CAGR

5.6%

4/4 checks passedRevenue growingRevenue growth beats sector midpointEPS growingEPS growing faster than revenue

Revenue grew from $481.32B in 2017 to $706.41B in 2026, a 4.4% CAGR. The most recent year grew about 5.9% year over year, a moderate pace consistent with a mature business.

Profitability
Research
3/4 checks passedProfitableNet margin above sector midpointROE above 12%ROIC above 10%

Gross Margin

Operating Margin

4.2%

Net Margin

3.1%

ROE

23.9%

Gross margin runs near 25.0% with operating margin around 4.2% and net margin near 3.1%. Return on equity of roughly 23.9% indicates moderate capital efficiency, and the margin profile has trended steady over the period shown.

Debt Analysis
Research
2/3 checks passedDebt under 1× equityDebt under 2× equityShort-term bills covered

Total Debt

$38.17B

Net Debt

$27.44B

Net Debt / EBITDA

0.92x

Debt / Equity

0.52x

Interest-bearing debt is about 5.0% of market capitalization and the debt-to-equity ratio is roughly 0.52x. Leverage is low, leaving the balance sheet well within comfortable limits.

Cash Flow Analysis
Research
3/3 checks passedPositive free cash flowFCF yield above 2%Market expects achievable growth (<8%)

Operating CF

$41.56B

Free Cash Flow

$14.92B

FCF Margin

2.1%

Operating cash flow comfortably exceeds reported net income, and free cash flow yield is around 8.5%. Cash generation is robust and supports buybacks, dividends, and reinvestment.

Dividend Safety

Can the payout survive a bad year? Scored from filed cash flow, earnings coverage, and the raise/cut record.

SafeSafety score: 75/100

The payout is comfortably covered by cash the business actually generates, with a raise habit behind it.

Dividend yield

0.8%

Per share (latest FY)

$0.94

Total paid (latest FY)

$7.51B

History on record

10 years

Free-cash-flow coverage83/100

dividend uses 50% of free cash flow

Earnings payout ratio100/100

34% of net income paid out

Raise streak38/100

total dividends increased 3 years in a row

Cut history100/100

no cuts in the last 10 years on record

Coverage uses the latest fiscal year as filed with the SEC; the streak counts total dollars paid (per-share figures can carry split artifacts). Educational information, not income advice.

Valuation Analysis
Research
2/4 checks passedPositive earnings (P/E meaningful)P/E below sector's upper bandForward P/E below trailing (earnings growing)Trading below DCF fair value

P/E

39.16x

P/S

1.35x

P/B

9.18x

EV / EBITDA

24.5x

Shares trade at roughly 39x trailing earnings (32x forward), 1.4x sales, and 25x EV/EBITDA. That is a full but defensible multiple for a quality franchise. Our internal rating is Neutral.

DCF Fair Value (Educational)

A two-stage discounted cash flow on real SEC-filed free cash flow — the intrinsic-value anchor professional analysts triangulate from.

DCF fair value / share

$35.78

Current price

$111.88

-68% · Above fair-value estimate

Starting FCF (latest 10-K)

$14.92B

Growth, years 1–5

5.9%

Fade to terminal, years 6–10

2.5%

Discount rate

9.0%

PV of 10-yr free cash flow$125.08B
PV of terminal value$159.65B
Estimated equity value$284.73B
Shares outstanding7.96B

Cash flows grow at the stage-1 rate (trailing revenue growth, capped at 20%) for five years, fade to 2.5% by year 10, and continue at that rate forever (Gordon terminal value), all discounted at 9.0%. Small changes in assumptions move the result a lot — treat this as one reference point, not a target price. Educational only, not investment advice.

Metrics vs. Sector Range

Where WMT sits versus its Consumer Staples sector peers in the S&P 500.

TTM P/E
39.2xExpensive
Forward P/E
32.2xFair
P/S ratio
1.4xFair
Revenue growth
5.9%Average
EPS growth
21.8%Average
Gross margin
Net margin
3.1%Average
ROE
23.9%Average

Bands show the middle half (25th–75th percentile) of the 48 Consumer Staples companies in the S&P 500 — the peer-relative anchor professional comps analysis uses. Context only — not investment advice.

Sector Peer Comparison

How WMT stacks up against its Consumer Staples peers — valuation, profitability, and growth versus the sector median.

In the Consumer Staples sector (74 S&P 500 companies), WMT ranks #15 of 74 by our overall rating. It trades at a premium versus the sector on earnings (39.2x P/E vs. 22x median) with a higher return on equity (23.9% vs. 18.1%) and faster revenue growth (5.9% vs. 3.4%).

P/E vs sector

39.2x

median 22x

ROE vs sector

23.9%

median 18.1%

Growth vs sector

5.9%

median 3.4%

Sector rank

#15

of 74 by rating

CompanyP/ERev Gr.Rating
WMTThis stock39.2x5.9%Neutral· 56
COST47.8x9.2%Neutral· 47
KO27.5x5.1%Favorable· 64
PG20.4x3.3%Favorable· 63
PM26.2x8.1%Favorable· 62
PEP21.7x4.3%Neutral· 46
BUD22.2x3.6%Neutral· 50
SONY5.2%Weak· 28
Consumer Staples median22x3.4%38/100

Valuation vs. quality map

sector medianCOSTKOPGPMPEPBUDWMTP/E — cheaper ←→ pricierROE — more profitable ↑

The sweet spot is upper-left: more profitable (higher ROE) for a lower P/E. Dashed lines mark the sector median.

Compare side by side

Peers are the closest Consumer Staples companies by sub-industry and size. Sector median is across all 74 S&P 500 names in the sector. Educational, not a recommendation.

5-Year Projection Model

Project revenue → earnings → price. Edit the assumptions to build your own case.

2030 price target (Base Case)

$0.00 $0.00

vs. $111.88 today · expected CAGR -7%3%

Metric20262027202820292030
Revenue$748.80B$793.73B$841.35B$891.83B$945.34B
Net income$22.46B$23.81B$25.24B$26.75B$28.36B
EPS$2.61$2.77$2.93$3.11$3.29
Share price (low)$60.02$63.62$67.43$71.48$75.77
Share price (high)$101.77$107.87$114.34$121.20$128.48
CAGR (low–high)-46% / -9%-25% / -2%-16% / 1%-11% / 2%-7% / 3%

Educational model on sample fundamentals — not a forecast or investment advice. Outputs are only as good as your assumptions.

Bull Case
  • Advertising, marketplace, and membership income are transforming retail margins from famously thin to structurally rising.
  • Scale advantage in groceries — the most frequent purchase in retail — keeps traffic defensive in downturns.
  • Consistent share gains among higher-income households broaden the customer base.
Bear Case
  • At ~39x earnings, Walmart trades like a tech platform while 96%+ of revenue is still low-margin retail.
  • A 3.1% net margin leaves little room for wage, tariff, or price-war shocks.
  • E-commerce still competes with Amazon's logistics head start.
Key Risks
Research
  • Margin pressure from wages and tariffs.
  • Price competition in grocery.
  • Execution risk in scaling the ad/marketplace businesses.
Final Investment Thesis
Research

Walmart is a defensive compounder re-rating as its profit mix improves; the debate is whether that deserves a near-40x multiple. The monitorables are ad/membership growth and grocery share. Suited to conservative investors who want staple-like stability with a genuine e-commerce growth story attached.

Analyst Ratings

What 48 Wall Street analysts covering WMT recommend (August 2026). Consensus is a useful sanity check — not a substitute for your own homework.

Buy
consensus · score 4.2 / 5 across 48 analysts
Strong Buy 14Buy 29Hold 5Sell 0Strong Sell 0

Latest SEC Filings

WMT's most recent filings, straight from SEC EDGAR. Annual and quarterly reports are the deep dives; 8-Ks flag material events the moment they happen.

In the Idea Lab

WMT — frequently asked questions

Is WMT a good stock to buy?

We don't give buy or sell advice. Our model rates Walmart Inc. Neutral (56/100) based on its growth, profitability, financial health, and valuation — use that as a research starting point and make your own decision.

What is WMT's rating on The Stocks School?

Walmart Inc. currently scores 56/100 (Neutral) on our transparent model, which weighs real fundamentals: growth, margins, returns on capital, balance-sheet strength, and valuation.

How our ratings work
Where does WMT's data come from?

Live price data plus real fundamentals and 5-year financials pulled directly from Walmart Inc.'s SEC filings — refreshed automatically, not hand-entered.

How is the 5-year projection for WMT calculated?

It's a scenario model: it grows revenue at an assumed rate, applies a profit margin and a valuation multiple, and shows the resulting share-price range. The assumptions are yours to change — it's a tool for thinking, not a prediction.

Is this WMT analysis financial advice?

No. Everything on this page is educational research, not financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell WMT. Always do your own research and consider a licensed professional.

Data notice. Fundamentals and financial statements are sourced from company filings (SEC EDGAR) and market-data providers; prices and market caps refresh on trading days and may be delayed. Ratings, projections, technical signals, and written summaries are model- or rule-generated for education and may simplify or lag the latest filings.

Not advice. Nothing on this page is investment advice or a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial professional before investing.