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Key Takeaways
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Walmart shares finished the week modestly higher after recovering from a post-earnings dip. Further ascent is likely, some analysts said.
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Bank of America maintained its bullish price target, saying the retailer is well-positioned to navigate the volatile environment.
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Deutsche raised its second-quarter and full-year projections for Walmart, arguing that the company has the scale to keep prices competitive.
Walmart (WMT) shares finished the week modestly higher after recovering from a post-earnings dip. Further ascent is likely, some analysts said.
Bank of America reaffirmed its "buy" rating and a $120 price target that predated Walmart's release of its first-quarter earnings on Thursday. Walmart stock fell about 5% that morning as executives said higher tariffs could jeopardize profit in the year ahead. The stock rose about 2% on Friday, ending the week up a similar amount.
The company said it plans to start raising prices this month in response to tariffs, but wants to limit increases in the grocery aisles. Competitive pricing is part of what’s working for Walmart, which has been gaining traction with higher-earners, Bank of America said.
“We reaffirm our Buy on [Walmart] as share gains continue … as its strong value offering & digital convenience resonate, supporting [Walmart’s] ability to achieve previous guidance,” the bank's analysts said.
Bank of America has one Wall Street's highest price targets—$120—on Walmart stock. The average price target among analysts polled by Visible Alpha is about 8% less, at $110.79.
Walmart is comfortable with its full-year forecast of a 3% to 4% bump in sales, but CFO John David Rainey said annual earnings growth may not be possible if larger tariffs are reinstated.
Some analysts feel more sure about the company’s prospects: Deutsche Bank raised its second-quarter and full-year projections for earnings per share and comparable U.S. sales growth in a note published Thursday, that gave Walmart a "buy" rating. It has a $109 price target on the shares.
“We think the [Walmart] bull thesis remains intact, with upside driven by its widening competitive moat, including very strong price gaps,” Deutsche said.
Retail analysts will now turn their attention to Target (TGT), which is scheduled to report its earnings Wednesday.
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