Inside Walmart's Comeback in 2024: Will WMT ETFs Rally in 2025?
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 18 2024
0mins
Source: NASDAQ.COM
Walmart's Stock Performance: Walmart's stock has surged approximately 78.7% this year, driven by investments in technology and e-commerce, earning it the title of Yahoo Finance's "Company of the Year" for 2024, while its shares have increased over 133% in the past five years.
Future Outlook and Recommendations: Despite a slight overvaluation compared to industry peers, Walmart maintains strong investor confidence with a high average brokerage recommendation (1.25), and potential investors are advised to consider Walmart-heavy ETFs to mitigate company-specific risks.
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Analyst Views on WMT
Wall Street analysts forecast WMT stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for WMT is 125.75 USD with a low forecast of 119.00 USD and a high forecast of 136.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
26 Analyst Rating
25 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 131.180
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
Current: 131.180
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
About WMT
Walmart Inc. is a technology-powered omnichannel retailer. The Company is engaged in the operation of retail and wholesale stores and clubs, as well as eCommerce Websites and mobile applications, located throughout the United States (U.S.), Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India and Mexico. It operates in three reportable segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club U.S. The Walmart U.S. segment includes the Company's mass merchandising concept in the U.S., as well as eCommerce, which includes omni-channel initiatives and certain other business offerings such as advertising services. The Walmart International segment consists of the Company's operations outside of the U.S. through its subsidiaries, as well as eCommerce and omni-channel initiatives. The Sam's Club U.S. segment includes the warehouse membership clubs in the U.S., as well as samsclub.com and omni-channel initiatives.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Upgrades and Downgrades: While specific stock names are not mentioned, such rating changes typically lead to price fluctuations in the affected stocks, prompting investors to closely monitor these adjustments for portfolio optimization.
- Market Reaction Expectations: Analyst rating adjustments may trigger short-term market reactions, especially when investor sentiment is sensitive towards certain stocks, thereby impacting overall market sentiment.
- Information Access Channels: Investors can access a comprehensive view of rating changes through Benzinga's analyst ratings page, enabling them to make more informed investment decisions.
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- Analyst Rating Changes: Top Wall Street analysts have adjusted their ratings on several companies, indicating a shift in market sentiment that could influence investor decisions and market trends.
- Upgrades and Downgrades: While specific stock names are not mentioned, such rating changes typically lead to price fluctuations in the affected stocks, prompting investors to closely monitor these adjustments for portfolio optimization.
- Market Reaction Expectations: Analyst rating adjustments may trigger short-term market reactions, especially when investor sentiment is sensitive towards certain stocks, thereby impacting overall market sentiment.
- Information Access Channels: Investors can access a comprehensive view of rating changes through Benzinga's analyst ratings page, enabling them to make more informed investment decisions.
See More
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- Oracle Stock Rise: Oracle shares increased by 2% after DA Davidson upgraded its rating from neutral to buy, with analysts believing that a revamped OpenAI will regain its position as Google's top competitor, enhancing collaboration potential with Oracle.
- STMicroelectronics Partnership Expansion: STMicroelectronics saw a 7% stock increase following a multi-billion-dollar partnership announcement with Amazon Web Services to support infrastructure for cloud and AI data centers, which is expected to drive future revenue growth for the company.
- Kroger CEO Transition: Kroger's shares jumped nearly 5% after the Wall Street Journal reported that former Walmart executive Greg Foran will be appointed as the new CEO, indicating a potential strategic shift that could enhance the company's performance in a competitive retail market.
- Hims & Hers Health Crisis: Hims & Hers stock plummeted 18% after it withdrew its copycat weight-loss pill following legal threats from Novo Nordisk, highlighting the importance of intellectual property in the market and potentially impacting Hims & Hers' future product strategy.
See More
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Kroger's Leadership Change: Kroger shares are rising as investors anticipate the hiring of a new CEO, signaling an end to nearly a year of leadership uncertainty.
Investor Reaction: The potential appointment of a new CEO has positively influenced investor sentiment, leading to a rally in Kroger's stock.
See More
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- Executive Change: Kroger has appointed former Walmart executive Greg Foran as its new CEO, aiming to enhance corporate governance and operational efficiency, which is expected to bring new leadership and strategic direction to the company.
- Stock Reaction: Following this announcement, Kroger's shares rose approximately 6% in premarket trading, indicating market confidence and expectations for the new CEO, which could improve the company's performance in a highly competitive retail landscape.
- Background Analysis: Foran previously served as CEO of Walmart's U.S. operations, where he successfully drove operational transformations; analysts believe his experience will help Kroger tackle current challenges of weak consumer spending and increasing competition.
- Strategic Challenges: Under Foran's leadership, Kroger faces pressure from competitors like Walmart while needing to address the decline in consumer spending on essentials, which will test Foran's leadership capabilities and strategic execution.
See More
U.S. Stock Futures Decline Amid Cautious Market Sentiment
- Market Sentiment Dips: Following a strong rebound on Friday, U.S. stock futures declined on Monday, reflecting cautious market sentiment amid concerns over upcoming economic data, particularly regarding inflation and labor market changes.
- Japanese Market Surge: The Nikkei 225 index broke the 57,000-point barrier for the first time, driven by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide election victory and a high-profile endorsement from Trump, indicating a robust recovery in Japan that may attract more international investors.
- Stable Treasury Yields: The 10-year Treasury bond yield stood at 4.22%, while the two-year yield was at 3.50%, suggesting market expectations for the Federal Reserve's future interest rate policy are stabilizing, with an 84.2% likelihood of rates remaining unchanged in March.
- Stock Dynamics: FedEx shares rose 0.47% after announcing plans to acquire InPost for €7.8 billion, showcasing a proactive business expansion strategy, while ON Semiconductor fell 1.38% as analysts expect quarterly earnings to miss expectations.
See More
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- Stock Market Trends: Stock futures were declining on Monday as investors expressed concerns about the sustainability of a recent relief rally.
- Investor Sentiment: There is a prevailing uncertainty among investors regarding the market's ability to maintain upward momentum following last week's gains.
See More
