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Walmart hikes forecast as low price focus draws shoppers

Walmart has today raised its fiscal year sales and profit forecast, driven by strong demand from shoppers across all income levels, who have turned to the world's largest retailer as they worry about rising costs.

Business • 21 Aug

Walmart became the latest US company to avoid giving second-quarter profit guidance today due to the uncertainty around Donald Trump's tariffs

Walmart warns of higher prices due to tariffs

Walmart will have to start raising prices later this month due to the high cost of tariffs, its executives said today, despite the retailing giant's US comparable sales surpassing expectations in the first quarter.

Business • 15 May

Walmart - the biggest US importer - is at risk of taking a hit from Trump's slew of tariffs

Walmart leaves annual forecasts unchanged amid tariff woe

Walmart is sticking to its full-year growth forecasts for sales and operating income, the retailer said today, even as US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs fuel economic uncertainty and dent consumer confidence.

Business • 09 Apr

Walmart shares had risen about 72% in 2024

Walmart profit forecast disappoints Wall Street

Walmart has today forecast sales and profit for the fiscal year ending January 2026 below Wall Street estimates, suggesting the world's largest retailer expects inflation-weary consumers to pull back after several quarters of solid growth.

Business • 20 Feb

Walmart is among the first major US chains to provide insight into the all-important festive quarter and how consumers are planning spend as inflation ebbs

Walmart raises annual forecasts for the third time

Walmart has raised its annual sales and profit forecast for the third consecutive time, with people buying more groceries and merchandise online and at its stores, a sign that it may be gaining market share ahead of the Christmas season.

Business • 19 Nov 24

Walmart is among the first major US chains to report quarterly results that could provide insight into how consumers are feeling

Walmart hikes annual profit forecast on steady demand

US retailer Walmart raised its annual profit forecast today for the second time this year, as Americans kept flocking to its stores for inexpensive everyday essentials and as it sold more higher-margin ads to product companies.

Business • 15 Aug 24

Asda has reported a pretax profit of £180m for 2023, compared with a loss before tax of £432m in 2022

UK supermarket Asda returned to profit in 2023

Asda, the British supermarket group which is 10% owned by US giant Walmart, said today it returned to a pretax profit in its 2023 financial year, even though it lost market share to rivals over the period.

Business • 28 Jun 24

Shares of the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company were up 6% in premarket trading.

Walmart lifts full-year sales and profit forecast

Walmart raised its full-year forecast and reported better-than-expected first-quarter results today, betting that easing inflation will drive stronger sales of groceries and non-essential merchandise like clothing and electronics.

Business • 16 May 24

Walmart today reported a 3.9% rise in comparable sales, excluding fuel, for the fourth quarter ended January 31

Walmart buys Vizio for $2.3 billion, outlook lifts shares

Walmart today kicked off US retailers' reporting season with robust fourth quarter results after inflation-squeezed shoppers flocked to its stores, and said it would buy smart-TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billion.

Business • 20 Feb 24

Walmart's bigger focus on groceries has provided a bulwark against the broad slowdown in discretionary spending.

Walmart caution on consumer spending sends shares lower

Walmart has today raised its annual sales and profit forecast for the second quarter in a row, but cautious comments from executives for the holiday season sent its shares down 7% in premarket trading.

Business • 16 Nov 23

Sales at Walmart's US stores open at least a year rose 6.4%, excluding fuel, in the three months ended July 31, beating estimates of a 4.44% increase

Walmart raises forecasts and tops sales estimates

Walmart has today raised its full-year forecasts and beat estimates for second-quarter sales, underscoring its strength in offering lower prices on everything from daily perishables and clothes to inflation-squeezed Americans.

Business • 17 Aug 23

Walmart has reported better-than-expected results for the first quarter

Walmart lifts annual sales and profit expectations

Walmart has today raised its annual sales and profit targets as the retail behemoth drew from price-conscious shoppers trading down to cheaper groceries, easing worries of softening consumer spending due to inflation.

Business • 18 May 23

Walmart cautious on economic outlook

Walmart today struck a cautious note in its economic outlook for 2023 as the retail bellwether forecast full-year earnings below estimates and warned that cautious spending by consumers could pressure profit margins.

Business • 21 Feb 23

Discounts on clothing and electronics are attracting more inflation-hit shoppers to Walmart's stores in the US

Walmart lifts annual forecast, announces big buyback

Walmart has today forecast a smaller fall in annual profit as demand for groceries holds up despite higher prices, while discounts on clothing and electronics attract more inflation-hit shoppers to the top US retailer's stores.

Business • 15 Nov 22

A shopper in a Game supermarket, which is part of Massmart Holdings in South Africa

Walmart offers to buy South African retailer Massmart

US retail giant Walmart, which owns a majority stake in Massmart, has proposed to acquire the rest of shares in the company in a deal valued at 1.34 billion rand ($78.93m), the South African retailer said today.

Business • 29 Aug 22

US retailers including Target and Best Buy Co cut their profitability forecasts in recent weeks as consumers squeezed by higher prices curtailed spending on items like apparel and electronics.

Target profit slumps as discounts fail to spur spending

Target reported a 90% fall in quarterly earnings and missed comparable sales estimates today as its inflation-hit customers reined in spending on discretionary goods despite higher discounts.

Business • 17 Aug 22

The retailer spooked markets across the globe last month when it slashed its profit forecast

Walmart expects smaller profit drop

Walmart has forecast a smaller drop in full-year profit than previously projected, after deep discounts to clear excess merchandise and a drop in fuel prices helped it beat expectations for quarterly sales.

Business • 16 Aug 22

Targets shares tumbled 24% after its bleak results today

Target profit halves as rising costs hit margins

Target's quarterly profit halved and it warned of a bigger margin hit today due to rising fuel and freight costs, in a clear sign there would be no immediate relief for US retailers from surging inflation.

Business • 18 May 22

Walmart has fared better than most rivals in maintaining inventory levels due to its massive scale and negotiating power with suppliers

Walmart cuts full-year profit forecast on rising costs

Walmart has today cut its full-year profit forecast, signaling a bigger knock to the retail giant's profit margins from surging costs of everything from fuel to labour.

Business • 17 May 22

WalMart is expecting its fiscal 2023 adjusted earnings per share to increase 5% to 6%, while analysts had expected a 4.4% increase

Walmart forecasts profit above expectations

Walmart has forecast full-year profit and US sales above market expectations today, signaling a steady demand at stores even as supply-chain issues and rampant cost inflation pressure the retail giant's margins.

Business • 17 Feb 22

Walmart has been chartering its own vessels to move goods to its US stores

Walmart sets aside supply chain woes to lift forecasts

Walmart has today raised its annual sales and profit forecast in anticipation of soaring demand during the crucial end of year shopping season even as global supply chain woes hit its margins in the third quarter.

Business • 16 Nov 21

Asda said like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, rose 7.3% year-on-year in its first quarter to March 31

Asda sales growth accelerates in first quarter of 2021

UK supermarket group Asda has reported an acceleration in underlying sales growth in its latest quarter and said Walmart was paid nearly £3 billion in dividends before selling most of the business.

Business • 11 Jun 21

Walmart said that sales at US stores open at least a year rose 6%

Walmart beats estimates on stimulus spending boost

Walmart today raised its full-year earnings forecast and bettered estimates for same-store sales as it benefited from additional stimulus cheques that put more money in consumers' pockets and boosted demand for apparel and electronics.

Business • 18 May 21

UK's Asda ends Walmart era on the up

British supermarket group Asda ended its 22 years under Walmart ownership with accelerating underlying sales in the Christmas quarter, driven by strong demand for premium ranges.

Business • 18 Feb 21

Walmart said it took on about $1.1 billion in pandemic-related costs during the quarter

Walmart forecasts disappointing 2022 sales estimates

Walmart has today forecast slowing sales for fiscal 2022, following a blockbuster year that saw demand for essentials and other items soar as consumers flocked to the retailer during lockdowns linked to the coronavirus pandemic.

Business • 18 Feb 21