Walmart Shares in Focus as Analysts’ Earnings Estimates Drift Lower, Zacks Keeps Stock at Hold

Walmart’s stock (WMT) is drawing renewed attention from retail investors, according to a new “tale of the tape” style review that highlights how changing Wall Street expectations can move a stock in the near term. The piece frames investor interest around revisions to analysts’ earnings estimates, arguing that the direction and magnitude of those revisions often track how shares perform over the next few months.

At the center of the update is the current-quarter earnings outlook. Zacks said Walmart is expected to earn $0.74 per share in the current quarter, an 8.8% increase versus the year-ago quarter. It also noted the Zacks Consensus Estimate for that quarter was marked down by 1.2% over the prior 30 days, suggesting analysts had tempered expectations recently.

Zacks also projected earnings growth for both the full fiscal year and the following year. The consensus earnings estimate for the current fiscal year was $2.89 per share, up 9.5% year over year, but down slightly (0.1%) over the last month. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate was $3.27, representing a 13.3% year-over-year increase, with the estimate rising 0.6% over the past month.

For near-term trading implications, Zacks relied on its proprietary Zacks Rank, which is designed to translate earnings-estimate changes into a rating. In this case, Walmart received a Zacks Rank of #3, labeled “Hold.” Zacks said the rank reflected the size of the recent consensus estimate move and three other factors related to earnings estimates, positioning the stock for results “in line with the broader market” rather than a clear upside or downside catalyst.

The Zacks review included a look back at the company’s last reported quarter. It said Walmart posted revenues of $177.75 billion, up 7.3% year over year. It also reported earnings of $0.66 per share, versus $0.61 a year earlier. Zacks characterized the results as coming in above consensus on both the top line and earnings, citing a revenue surprise of 1.83% and an EPS surprise of 1.54%. It further noted Walmart surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times in the prior four quarters and topped consensus revenue estimates in each of those quarters.

Beyond earnings revisions, Zacks pointed to revenue growth forecasts and valuation. It projected a consensus sales estimate of $186.4 billion for the current quarter, implying 5.1% year-over-year growth, and it forecast revenue growth to continue into the current and next fiscal years. On valuation, Zacks referenced its Zacks Value Style Score, explaining that it compares valuation multiples such as price-to-earnings, price-to-sales, and price-to-cash-flow to history and peers. In this update, Walmart was graded “D,” which the article described as trading at a premium to peers.

While the Zacks piece centers on Wall Street’s estimate revisions rather than a new corporate event, Walmart’s broader strategy has continued to emphasize omnichannel growth and higher-margin commerce. In its Q1 FY27 earnings release, Walmart highlighted digital momentum, including 26% global eCommerce growth and growth in global advertising, which it attributed to Walmart Connect, its advertising platform. That release also cited operating income growth of 5.0%, operating cash flow of $4.7 billion, and automation progress in fulfillment.

Still, the Zacks update does not introduce new guidance or company-specific developments on its own, and it does not spell out the underlying drivers behind analysts’ estimate changes. It is also not possible to confirm from the article whether the revisions reflect supply-chain impacts, promotional intensity, labor costs, or advertising demand, since those details are not disclosed in the Zacks write-up. Investors looking for follow-through would likely need to monitor whether consensus estimates keep moving upward or resume downward revisions following the next earnings cycle.