- Walmart beat first-quarter earnings estimates but fell just short of sales expectations.
- Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said consumers could start to see higher prices as soon as later this month.
- The company said its e-commerce business was profitable for the first time during the quarter.
Walmart
on Thursday fell just short of quarterly sales estimates, as even the world’s largest retailer said it would feel the pinch of higher tariffs.
Even so, the Arkansas-based discounter stuck by its full-year forecast, which calls for sales to grow 3% to 4% and adjusted earnings of $2.50 to $2.60 per share for the fiscal year. That cautious profit outlook had disappointed Wall Street in February.
Walmart also marked a milestone: It posted its first profitable quarter for its e-commerce business both in the U.S. and globally. The business has benefitted from the growth of higher-margin moneymakers, including online advertising and Walmart’s third-party marketplace.
In an interview with CNBC, Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said tariffs are “still too high” – even with the recently announced agreement to lower duties on imports from China to 30% for 90 days.
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https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/15/walmart-wmt-q1-2026-earnings.html