New York, Feb 11, 2026, 10:01 EST — Regular session
- Walmart climbed roughly 1.1% in early trading, bouncing back after losing 1.8% the day before.
- RBC and BTIG bumped up their price targets to $140, with investors getting ready for Walmart’s quarterly numbers next week.
- Estée Lauder has filed a fresh lawsuit, accusing online sellers of dealing in fake beauty goods—a development traders are now factoring in.
Walmart Inc. got a bump in its share price on Wednesday after analysts boosted their targets, shifting investor attention to next week’s quarterly numbers and what the retailer might say about the year ahead.
Walmart’s valuation doesn’t give it much margin for error right now. Analysts point to strong grocery demand and quicker growth in newer segments like advertising as positives. Still, they caution that expectations heading into the print are high.
Because of its massive reach in groceries and essentials, Walmart tends to serve as a barometer for the U.S. consumer. The stock reacts quickly to any hint of shoppers cutting back or opting for cheaper options—even when the retailer keeps taking market share.
In early trading, shares climbed roughly 1.1% to $128.13. The session saw the stock hit $128.18 at its peak and slide to $126.45 at the low. Shares had finished Tuesday at $126.70.
RBC Capital bumped Walmart’s price target up to $140 from $126, sticking with its “Outperform” call but warning that the bar is set high ahead of the Feb. 19 report. The firm’s models call for adjusted EPS of $0.72 and 4.2% growth in Walmart U.S. comparable sales for the quarter—excluding the impact of store openings, closures, and calendar shifts. Investing.com
BTIG bumped its price target for Walmart up to $140 from $125, keeping its “Buy” rating in place and highlighting Walmart’s ongoing effort to integrate physical stores with e-commerce. The firm is looking for earnings per share of $0.72 and 4.5% growth in U.S. comparable sales in the upcoming report. Investing.com
Wells Fargo’s Edward Kelly bumped his price target up to $140 from $130 on Tuesday, sticking with his “Overweight” call. He noted management’s tendency toward conservative guidance makes the 2026 outlook “tricky,” but still sees a “solid” quarter ahead. TipRanks
Oppenheimer’s Rupesh Parikh bumped his price target to $140 earlier this week, but says he’s sticking with the view that management will “only” stick to Walmart’s usual plan: around 4% sales growth, with operating income rising somewhere between 4% and 8% for the year. TipRanks
Another issue hit on Tuesday, when Estée Lauder filed a lawsuit against Walmart in a California federal court, alleging the retail giant allowed counterfeit Estée Lauder fragrances and skincare to be sold via its website. Walmart, according to Reuters, hadn’t responded to a request for comment.
Bulls face a tough spot: expensive valuations running into wary guidance, while macro indicators throw off mixed signals. December’s softer retail sales number has already rattled investors before the crucial U.S. jobs report, and if demand takes a deeper hit, even supposed safe bets in the sector could come under fire.
Walmart’s fourth-quarter results for FY2026 land on Feb. 19, with the conference call set to follow. Investors plan to scrutinize guidance, U.S. comparable sales, and look for any updates on the retailer’s push into higher-margin segments like advertising and marketplace services.
