Walmart Stock Surges on Q1 Earnings Beat, Strong Outlook
Walmart stock is higher after beating first-quarter earnings expectations and issuing a strong outlook. Here's what you need to know.


Walmart (WMT) stock jumped more than 6% out of the gate Thursday after the retail giant beat top- and bottom-line expectations for its first quarter and issued strong guidance.
In the three months ended April 30, Walmart's revenue increased 6% year-over-year to $161.5 billion, driven by a 21% increase in global e-commerce sales. Its earnings per share (EPS) surged 22.4% to 60 cents. At Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club, same-store sales increased 3.8% and 4.4%, respectively, excluding fuel.
"Our team delivered a great quarter," Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement. "Around the world our goal is simple - we're focused on saving our customers both money and time.”

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-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.
The results handily beat analysts' expectations. According to Yahoo Finance, Wall Street anticipated revenue of $159.5 billion and EPS of 52 cents.
As a result of its strong start to the year, Walmart said it now expects its fiscal 2025 full-year results to be at the high-end or slightly above its original guidance. Specifically, this called for consolidated net sales growth in the range of 3% to 4% and EPS to arrive between $2.23 to $2.37, up 3.6% year-over-year at the midpoint.
Walmart also provided its guidance for the second quarter. It expects consolidated net sales growth in the range of 3.5% to 4.5% and EPS in the range of 62 cents to 65 cents.
The Q2 guidance satisfies analysts' expectations, which call for revenue of $167.5 billion, representing growth of 3.7% from the year-ago period, and EPS of 64 cents.
Is Walmart stock a buy or hold?
Analysts' remain bullish on the world’s largest retailer amid its impressive run higher this year. Indeed, shares are up more than 21% on a total return basis (price change plus dividends), making it one of the best-performing Dow Jones stocks of 2024.
Speaking for the bulls is Deutsche Bank analyst Krisztina Katai, who has a Buy rating on the blue chip stock. The analyst was optimistic 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 believes Walmart's recent share gains are sustainable given its "very strong pricing position" and "incremental rollback activity." The analyst also feels WMT's "premium private label push will help drive volume and retain higher income households."
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the consensus analyst target price for WMT stock is $65.64, representing implied upside of just over 3% to current levels. Meanwhile, the consensus recommendation is Buy.
However, it's important to note that analysts may increase their price targets in the days and weeks ahead after the strong Q1 report.
Related Content
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.

Joey Solitro is a freelance financial journalist at Kiplinger with more than a decade of experience. A longtime equity analyst, Joey has covered a range of industries for media outlets including The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Market Realist, and TipRanks. Joey holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.
-
Nasdaq Ends the Week at a New High: Stock Market Today
The S&P 500 came within a hair of a new high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average still has yet to hit a fresh peak in 2025.
-
Google's AI Overview Is Wrong About Life Insurance 57% of the Time, Says Study
You need more than a grain of salt when getting life insurance tips from Google's AI overview.
-
Nasdaq Ends the Week at a New High: Stock Market Today
The S&P 500 came within a hair of a new high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average still has yet to hit a fresh peak in 2025.
-
For a Richer Retirement, Follow These Five Golden Rules
These Golden Rules of Retirement Planning, developed by a financial pro with many years of experience, can help you build a plan that delivers increased income and liquid savings while also reducing risk.
-
Time for a Money Checkup: An Expert Guide to Realigning Your Financial GPS
Even if your financial plan is on autopilot, now is the perfect time to make sure it's still aligned with your goals, especially if retirement is on the horizon.
-
Stocks Swing Lower as Eli Lilly, Fortinet Spiral: Stock Market Today
The main indexes finished well off their session highs after a disappointing batch of corporate earnings reports.
-
Are You Leaving Money on the Table? Four Strategies to Free Up Stuck Investments
From forgotten 401(k)s to outdated asset allocations, here’s how stuck money can hurt your retirement.
-
A Taxable Brokerage Account May Be What Your Retirement Is Missing
You can supplement your retirement nest egg or save for other goals with a taxable brokerage account.
-
What Tariffs Mean for Your Sector Exposure
New, higher and changing tariffs will ripple through the economy and into share prices for many quarters to come.
-
Five Things to Do if You're Forced Into Early Retirement (and How to Reset and Recover)
Developing a solid retirement plan — before a layoff — can help you to adapt to unexpected changes in your timeline. Once the initial panic eases, you can confidently reimagine what's next.