New York, February 19, 2026, 16:14 EST — After-hours
After the bell Thursday, Walmart Inc shares slipped 1.4% to $124.82, down $1.77 from the previous close. Earlier, the stock traded between $121.94 and $130 in the regular session.
This wasn’t just about a single retailer. Walmart occupies a central spot in U.S. grocery and household budgets, so its guidance can ripple through consumer stocks, influencing how investors value the sector for weeks at a stretch.
Investors approached the day expecting Walmart to play it safe on guidance, with John Furner just stepping up and shares hovering close to all-time highs. The company’s valuation topped $1 trillion not long ago, and its P/E ratio hit roughly 45, LSEG data showed. Greg Melich at Evercore ISI pointed out that management “tends to be conservative” with its first forecasts. Reuters
Walmart reported a 5.6% jump in fiscal fourth-quarter revenue to $190.7 billion, with adjusted earnings coming in at 74 cents per share. Comparable sales at Walmart U.S.—excluding fuel—climbed 4.6%. On the digital side, U.S. e-commerce sales surged 27% and global e-commerce was up 24%. The retailer also pointed to a 37% increase in its global advertising business. Looking ahead, Walmart projected fiscal 2027 net sales growth between 3.5% and 4.5%, set adjusted EPS guidance at $2.75 to $2.85, and unveiled a new $30 billion share buyback plan.
Walmart’s board signed off on a $0.99 per share annual cash dividend for fiscal 2027—a 5% bump over last year. “We’re proud to be increasing our annual dividend for the 53rd consecutive year,” Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said. Walmart News & Leadership
During the post-earnings call, Furner flagged that budgets at the lower end remain tight, noting “wallets are stretched” among households making under $50,000. Fitch analyst David Silverman pointed out Walmart’s scale lets it double down on e-commerce, while Russell Shor of Jefferies-owned retail platform Tradu read the outlook as signaling a “value-focused consumer” unlikely to splurge on bigger purchases. Reuters
It’s a tug of war Walmart knows well. The retailer draws in customers chasing low prices and quicker delivery, yet it keeps pouring money into tech upgrades and logistics. At the same time, the company is betting on higher-margin areas like advertising.
A cautious outlook isn’t always in sync with reality. If demand stays firm, guidance may turn out to be overly guarded. But if the labor market sags and inflation rears up again—particularly for goods where buyers can easily delay—those same forecasts can quickly seem too hopeful.
Target is on deck to report earnings March 3, giving investors a fresh look at discretionary demand.
