Walmart Inc. Just Recorded A 6.8% EPS Beat: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting Next

Investors in Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) had a good week, as its shares rose 4.6% to close at US$88.39 following the release of its quarterly results. Walmart reported US$168b in revenue, roughly in line with analyst forecasts, although statutory earnings per share (EPS) of US$0.57 beat expectations, being 6.8% higher than what the analysts expected. Following the result, the analysts have updated their earnings model, and it would be good to know whether they think there's been a strong change in the company's prospects, or if it's business as usual. So we collected the latest post-earnings statutory consensus estimates to see what could be in store for next year.

Check out our latest analysis for Walmart

Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for Walmart from 28 analysts is for revenues of US$704.6b in 2026. If met, it would imply a credible 4.6% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to swell 11% to US$2.72. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$702.3b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$2.70 in 2026. The consensus analysts don't seem to have seen anything in these results that would have changed their view on the business, given there's been no major change to their estimates.

The consensus price target rose 11% to US$95.20despite there being no meaningful change to earnings estimates. It could be that the analystsare reflecting the predictability of Walmart's earnings by assigning a price premium. It could also be instructive to look at the range of analyst estimates, to evaluate how different the outlier opinions are from the mean. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Walmart at US$105 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$58.00. There are definitely some different views on the stock, but the range of estimates is not wide enough as to imply that the situation is unforecastable, in our view.

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. We would highlight that Walmart's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 3.6% annualised growth rate until the end of 2026 being well below the historical 5.2% p.a. growth over the last five years. Compare this against other companies (with analyst forecasts) in the industry, which are in aggregate expected to see revenue growth of 4.5% annually. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Walmart is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants.

The Bottom Line

The most obvious conclusion is that there's been no major change in the business' prospects in recent times, with the analysts holding their earnings forecasts steady, in line with previous estimates. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. We note an upgrade to the price target, suggesting that the analysts believes the intrinsic value of the business is likely to improve over time.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Walmart going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here..

You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Walmart you should be aware of.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.