New York, Feb 19, 2026, 05:56 EST — Premarket
- Walmart shares slipped in early premarket action as investors looked ahead to the retailer’s upcoming quarterly results.
- After the report, traders are on edge, anticipating a bigger swing than normal.
- The next move probably hinges on guidance and where consumer demand is pointing.
Walmart Inc shares slipped 1.7% to $126.62 ahead of Thursday’s open, following a Wednesday close at $128.86.
The retailer’s shares slipped ahead of its fourth-quarter earnings release, due before the bell—a report closely watched as a barometer for the U.S. consumer. According to Investopedia, options pricing signals traders are expecting roughly a 5% move, up or down, by the end of this holiday-shortened week. (Investopedia)
Not great timing for the bulls. U.S. stock index futures slipped early Thursday, with investors eyeing pockets of stretched valuations and bracing for both weekly jobless claims and Friday’s personal consumption expenditures data—the inflation readout the Fed watches most closely. “Under a divided committee, the bias will be toward keeping interest rates on hold,” wrote Bernard Yaros, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, following the latest minutes from the Fed. (Reuters)
It’s not just about the quarter for Walmart. Investors are pressing for the annual outlook, and they’re watching to see how far the company will push on pricing, speedier delivery, and advertising—without letting profits slip.
Hopes are riding high. “Historically management tends to be conservative when providing its initial guide for the year,” Evercore ISI’s Greg Melich pointed out, while noting that investors are “set a high bar” as the stock hovers up near records. The valuation? Walmart trades at roughly 45 times earnings, according to Reuters. Fourth-quarter revenue’s estimated to land close to $190.4 billion, based on figures from LSEG. Store traffic gained 2.3% last quarter and picked up further momentum in January, Placer.ai data showed. (Reuters)
The supply side got a slight bump in a fresh SEC filing. According to a Form 144 dated Feb. 17, officer Daniel J. Bartlett intended to sell 1,255 shares of Walmart, totaling $167,178.55 in value. The filing pointed to a trading plan adopted in March 2024. (Walmart Inc.)
Investors are tuning in for any signals on online growth and advertising—key pillars for margins lately—and watching to see if the company can keep luring higher-income customers without abandoning its essential “save money” message.
Another wrinkle: how much of Walmart’s tech investment actually makes it into reported figures. The company’s been touting its artificial intelligence initiatives and quicker fulfillment, moves aimed at fending off competitors long entrenched online.
The setup isn’t one-sided. Drop in a cautious outlook, maybe a whiff of cost creep, or even a trace of bargain-hunting gaining traction—any of that could hit the stock hard, and with the current valuation not offering much cushion, buyers feel it.
Assuming results come in solid and guidance stays intact, traders shift focus. It’s the subtleties in management’s responses they’ll parse—less fixation on the quarter just reported, more on what management telegraphs for the road ahead.
Walmart plans to release its earnings materials around 6 a.m. CT, with a live call for investors set to kick off at 7 a.m. CT. (Walmart)
