NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 17:34 ET
The 2026 forecast for Walmart’s stock points to modest upside, with analysts’ 12-month price targets averaging $123.63, TipRanks data showed. Walmart shares (WMT) last traded at $111.41. Targets range from $108 to $136 and the consensus rating is “Strong Buy.” TipRanks
The outlook matters as investors reset for 2026 after U.S. stocks logged another year of gains in 2025, even as the major indexes ended the final session lower. The S&P 500 rose 16.39% in 2025, the Nasdaq gained 20.36% and the Dow added 12.97%, Reuters reported.
Walmart is pitching investors on a tech-first model as it tries to narrow the gap with Amazon in digital commerce. EMARKETER analyst Rachel Wolff wrote that the retailer enters 2026 under incoming CEO John Furner, with e-commerce expected to account for more than 10% of U.S. online sales next year. She said Walmart has leaned into artificial intelligence, including a partnership with OpenAI designed to let shoppers buy within ChatGPT.
In November, Walmart raised its annual sales and earnings forecasts for the second time in 2025 after a strong fiscal third quarter, led by a 28% rise in online sales and 4.5% U.S. comparable sales growth, Reuters reported. Executives also said more than 40% of the company’s new software code was AI-generated or AI-assisted, and more than 60% of freight moved through automated distribution centers. Walmart’s results contrasted with weaker outlooks from retailers such as Target and home-improvement chains Lowe’s and Home Depot, the report said.
Walmart transferred its stock listing to Nasdaq from the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 9 while keeping its “WMT” ticker, the company said in a statement. “Moving to Nasdaq aligns with the people-led, tech-powered approach to our long-term strategy,” Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said. Walmart also said it serves about 270 million customers and members each week across more than 10,750 stores and numerous e-commerce sites in 19 countries. Business Wire
Retailers headed into the holiday stretch facing cautious consumers even as bargain-hunting held up, Reuters reported in December. The report said shoppers at Target and Walmart cut back on impulse purchases during Cyber Week and that more consumers tapped buy-now-pay-later services, a form of short-term installment credit.
For 2026, bulls are looking for proof that Walmart’s newer businesses can keep lifting profitability. Advertising, marketplace fees and membership income can carry higher margins than selling goods, but the company still faces intense price competition in groceries.
Investors will also watch how far automation trims fulfillment and logistics costs. The flip side is that tech rollouts can be uneven, and the benefits can take time to show up in quarterly results.
John Furner, a longtime Walmart executive, is set to take over as chief executive on Feb. 1 after Doug McMillon’s retirement, Reuters reported in November. The report said the handover comes as tariffs and shifting consumer behavior pressure the broader retail industry, even as shareholders look for returns on Walmart’s AI spending.
Walmart ended 2025 with shares up nearly 25% on the year and with a mid-December peak around $117, TipRanks reported on Wednesday. It put Walmart’s valuation at about $893 billion and its price-to-earnings ratio — a measure comparing share price to earnings — at 39.3.
That valuation leaves less room for disappointment if consumer demand cools or costs rise. The gap between bullish and cautious analyst targets reflects a debate over whether Walmart can keep scaling its digital and advertising businesses fast enough to justify the multiple.
For now, the consensus forecast points to steady gains in 2026 rather than another breakout year. Investors will look for fresh guidance and clear signs that Walmart’s technology push is translating into faster profit growth.
