Stock Market Today: Dow Flirts With 40K After Walmart Earnings
The 30-stock index briefly traded above the 40,000 mark as blue chip retail stock Walmart surged after earnings.


Stocks were choppy Thursday coming off Wednesday's record-setting session. A steady stream of headlines gave investors plenty to consider – including the Dow Jones Industrial Average's first-ever foray atop the psychologically significant 40,000 mark. The 30-stock index didn't stay there for long, but it certainly sparked excitement across Wall Street.
A positive earnings reaction for blue chip retail giant Walmart (WMT, +7.0) helped to boost the Dow above 40k in mid-morning trading. Not only did the company beat on the top and bottom lines thanks to a 22% year-over-year surge in e-commerce sales, but it also said it expects full-year results to be at the high end or slightly above its previous guidance.
"We've got customers that are coming to us more frequently than they have before and newer customers that we haven't traditionally had, and they're coming into a Walmart whether it's a virtual store online, or whether it's one of our physical stores," John David Rainey, chief financial officer of Walmart, said in an interview with CNBC.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Deutsche Bank analyst Krisztina Katai (Buy) was upbeat heading into Walmart's Q1 print even amid "a volatile consumer spending backdrop" and "increased concerns on the health of the low-end consumer."
Katai thinks Walmart's recent share gains are sustainable given its "very strong pricing position" and "incremental rollback activity." The analyst also believes WMT's "premium private label push will help drive volume and retain higher income households."
Cisco slumps after earnings
At the other end of the roster was Cisco Systems (CSCO), which slumped 2.7% – making it the worst Dow Jones stock today.
While the networking equipment specialist's fiscal third-quarter results beat estimates and it raised its full-year revenue forecast, CSCO narrowed its earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2025.
The cut to the top end of its full-year earnings guidance is "frustrating," says UBS Global Research analyst David Vogt (Neutral, the equivalent of Hold). However, the analyst feels "green shoots in data center switching" and revenue brought in by potential artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives could "limit downside in the shares" going forward.
Chubb booms after Berkshire builds a stake
Chubb (CB) was a notable gainer on news Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B, +0.1%) has built a stake in the property and casualty insurance firm.
The holding company initiated a stake back in Q3 2023, but requested confidential treatment from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to keep investors from buying the financial stock and bidding up its share price. Indeed, CB climbed 4.7% today after being revealed as Buffett's "mystery stock."
On the sell side of Berkshire's ledger, Buffett & Co. reduced its stakes in Apple (AAPL, +0.1%), as we previously reported, and Chevron (CVX, -0.2%) and completely exited HP (HPQ, -X%). Here, we feature the full list of stocks Buffett bought and sold in Q1.
As for the main indexes, the Dow ended the day with a down 0.1% at 39,869, the S&P 500 shed 0.2% to 5,297, and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.3% to 16,698.
Related content
- Kiplinger's Earnings Calendar for This Week
- What Is Stagflation and How Can Investors Prepare?
- Can Stocks Picked by Artificial Intelligence Beat the Market? 3 Stocks to Watch
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

With over a decade of experience writing about the stock market, Karee Venema is the senior investing editor at Kiplinger.com. She joined the publication in April 2021 after 10 years of working as an investing writer and columnist at a local investment research firm. In her previous role, Karee focused primarily on options trading, as well as technical, fundamental and sentiment analysis.
-
Dow Adds 238 Points as UnitedHealth, Caterpillar Pop: Stock Market Today
The lack of a September jobs report didn't seem to worry market participants, with the data delayed due to the ongoing government shutdown.
-
Kiplinger Quiz of the Week: Test Yourself on the Week's Stories
Quiz The Nike stock price, Amazon's settlement and the shutdown were all covered by Kiplinger this week — but why? How much do you know about the week's financial news?
-
Dow Adds 238 Points as UNH, CAT Pop: Stock Market Today
The lack of a September jobs report didn't seem to worry market participants, with the data delayed due to the ongoing government shutdown.
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: The OBBB Is a Reminder for Older People to Have a Long-Term Plan
The new tax bill presents a good opportunity for retirees to revisit tax plans, look into doing some Roth conversions and consider plans for long-term care.
-
I'm an Insurance Expert: This Is Exactly Why Your Insurance Rates Are Soaring (and What You Can Do)
A dramatic rise in the frequency and cost of severe weather and wildfires means you need to prepare, prepare, prepare — no matter where you live — for higher premiums.
-
Stocks at New Highs as Shutdown Drags On: Stock Market Today
The Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average all notched new record closes Thursday as tech stocks gained.
-
Government Shutdown Puts IPO Resurgence at Risk
The IPO market has been sizzling in recent months, but the government shutdown threatens to put a short-term halt to public offerings. Here's why.
-
Q3 2025 Post-Mortem From an Investment Adviser: Markets Continue to Climb, Gold Shines
The third quarter saw market gains driven by Fed rate cuts and strong earnings, despite high valuations and concerns about speculative trading and job growth. Gold and international stocks could be potential hedges.
-
Moving Abroad? You Might Need a Cross-Border Financial Adviser
If you want to live in another country long term, you could benefit from an expert's guidance. Here's how to find a good qualified adviser to help with residency requirements, documentation, financial laws and tax impacts.
-
S&P 500 Sees New Highs on Shutdown Day: Stock Market Today
Most of its components were in the red, but the S&P 500 Index still managed to hit a new intraday all-time high.