Events & Resources

Learning Center
Read through guides, explore resource hubs, and sample our coverage.
Learn More
Events
Register for an upcoming webinar and track which industry events our analysts attend.
Learn More
Podcasts
Listen to our podcast, Behind the Numbers for the latest news and insights.
Learn More

About

Our Story
Learn more about our mission and how EMARKETER came to be.
Learn More
Our Clients
Key decision-makers share why they find EMARKETER so critical.
Learn More
Our People
Take a look into our corporate culture and view our open roles.
Join the Team
Our Methodology
Rigorous proprietary data vetting strips biases and produces superior insights.
Learn More
Newsroom
See our latest press releases, news articles or download our press kit.
Learn More
Contact Us
Speak to a member of our team to learn more about EMARKETER.
Contact Us

Walmart’s value edge shines in Q2, even as tariffs chip away at margins

The news: Walmart boosted its full-year earnings and sales outlook, even as tariffs weigh on its costs.

The numbers:

  • Adjusted earnings per share were 68 cents, up 1.5% YoY, but short of the 74 cents analysts expected. That was its first miss in three years, which Walmart attributed to a mix of legal claims and some job cuts.
  • Revenues of $177.40 billion, up 4.8% YoY, ahead of the $176.16 billion.
  • Walmart US comparable sales, excluding fuel, rose 4.6%, ahead of the 4.05% expected, thanks to strong growth in the grocery and health and wellness categories.
  • Sam’s Club comparable sales, excluding fuel, increased 5.9%, ahead of the 5.29% expected.

The company now expects net sales to rise 3.75% to 4.75% for the fiscal year, up from its previous expectations of 3% to 4%. It raised its adjusted earnings per share outlook slightly to $2.52 to $2.62, up from the prior range of $2.50 to $2.60.

The tariff impact: While Walmart said in May that it would need to hike prices on some items in response to tariffs, it has taken a cautious, deliberate approach to such increases with CEO Doug McMillon emphasizing, “We're keeping our prices as low as we can for as long as we can.”

  • That means raising prices on only about 10% of its imports while absorbing the rest of the costs, CFO John David Rainey told The Wall Street Journal. Grocery inflation was about 1.5%, and general merchandise was in the low-single digit percentages.
  • To soften the blow, Walmart is placing early bets on likely bestsellers and cutting back on big-ticket items more exposed to tariffs and consumer pullback. More price increases are expected, but Rainey said they’ll be handled “item by item, category by category” to minimize shopper impact.
  • So far, the consumer response has been muted, though McMillon noted that in discretionary categories where prices have risen, unit volumes have slipped as shoppers trade down within categories—or switch away altogether.

You've read 0 of 2 free articles this month.

Get more articles - create your free account today!