Story perspectives

Walmart Forecasts $190B Q4 Revenue Amid Rising Gas Prices

5/19/2026

Summary

Walmart Reports Earnings

Walmart Inc. will report its Q4 2026 earnings during the week of May 18-19, 2026.
Analysts project revenue of $188.6-$190.0 billion, a 5.2%-9.85% year-over-year increase, and earnings per share of $0.72-$0.73.
Same-store sales are expected to rise 3.9%-4.5% as higher-income shoppers trade down.
Early-May consumer sentiment fell to 48.2, with 33% blaming gasoline prices that topped $4.50 per gallon.
April CPI rose 3.8% year-over-year, driven by a 17.9% jump in energy prices.

Summary

Walmart Expands Membership

Walmart is shifting to a retail-media-membership model, with advertising revenue up 37% YoY and sales jumping 53% YoY in Q3 2026 post-VIZIO acquisition, and Walmart+ membership growing among high-income users, with revenue up 15.1% in Q4 2026.
Forty-three analysts rate Walmart a Buy with a $136.45 price target on May 17 2026, while the stock trades at a 48× P/E, above its five-year average of 36×.
Dividend and share-repurchase plans attract income investors.

History

Historical Context

Amazon.com, founded July 5 1994, went public on May 15 1997 at $18 per share, riding the dot-com bubble that fueled rapid online growth. Its early success spurred other retailers to adopt data-rich subscription services, a trend now echoed by giants such as Walmart as they expand into retail-media revenue and profit models.

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Walmart Reports Earnings

Walmart Inc. will report its Q4 2026 earnings during the week of May 18-19, 2026.
Analysts project revenue of $188.6-$190.0 billion, a 5.2%-9.85% year-over-year increase, and earnings per share of $0.72-$0.73.
Same-store sales are expected to rise 3.9%-4.5% as higher-income shoppers trade down.
Early-May consumer sentiment fell to 48.2, with 33% blaming gasoline prices that topped $4.50 per gallon.
April CPI rose 3.8% year-over-year, driven by a 17.9% jump in energy prices.

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