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Bloomberg Published December 18, 2024 Reading time
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At a time when the American consumer’s resiliency has been questioned amid signs of a slowing economy, Walmart Inc. has thrived. The world’s largest retailer, famed for its discount prices but increasingly known for its pursuits in advertising and an online marketplace, is headed for its best year since 1998.
Its shares have surged 82%, adding more than $340 billion to Walmart’s market value this year. Compare that to many of its peers. Shares in Dollar Tree Inc. and Dollar General Corp., which should have also benefited as the economy cooled and shoppers hunted for bargains, have slumped more than 40%. Walmart has outperformed rival Target Corp. and other retail heavyweights like Amazon.com Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp. too.
Looking ahead to 2025, analysts and investors anticipate that Walmart will continue to set itself apart from its retail peers. They’re betting that further market-share gains and increased profit contributions from Walmart’s higher-margin ancillary businesses will extend the stock’s rally.
