Walmart's in the sweet spot for the current economy. The retailing giant is embracing AI and automation.
Walmart Inc WMT announced strong second-quarter results and raised full-year guidance on Thursday.
Walmart (WMT) shares surged Thursday after the company reported second-quarter earnings that topped estimates and lifted its full-year outlook, as cost-conscious consumers turned to the discounter retailer for purchasing essential items. The stock gained 6.6% to $73.18, a new record closing high.
CNBC's Jim Cramer reviewed Walmart's quarter, suggesting the big box retailer's strong results are due to its successful business strategy and aren't necessarily indicative of a favorable consumer landscape. "Don't make the mistake of assuming that Walmart's results give you some kind of generic read on the consumer," Cramer said.
The stock market rally continued Thursday, as the major stock indexes powered higher. Birkenstock and Shake Shack broke out past buy points.
Walmart's discount pricing has the retailer beating its own expectations.
Adjusted EPS was $0.67, surpassing management's guidance of $0.62 to $0.65. Consolidated net sales increased by 4.8%, reaching $169.3 billion.
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Walmart Inc WMT shares are trading higher on Thursday after the company announced strong second-quarter 2025 results and raised full-year guidance.
Walmart said inflation was flat in its latest quarter, and revenue growth came from selling more items and drawing more visits to its stores and website, rather than higher prices. Yet prices have remained high in some parts of the store, such as dry groceries and processed foods.
Walmart stands alone at the top while other retailers have struggled to win over cash-strapped customers hit hard by price hikes.
Higher-income households are increasingly Walmart (WMT) shoppers.