Bank of America Sticks With “Buy” on Walmart, Sees $120 Target

Analysts at Bank of America reiterated their “Buy” rating on Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), raising no doubts about the retail behemoth's enduring value proposition, omni‑channel expansion, and growing profitability engines.

1. Dominant Convenience and Same‑Day Delivery

• Household Reach: Walmart's same‑day service now covers 76% of U.S. households and is on track to hit 95% by year‑end.

• Speed Innovations: From curbside pickup to last‑mile drone drops, Walmart continues to shrink delivery windows—a key moat against both pure‑play e‑tailers and grocery chains.

2. E‑Commerce Powerhouse

• 20%+ Growth: Online sales are accelerating at over 20% annually, contributing to half of total net sales growth.

• AI & Automation: The “Sparky” AI assistant and expanded fulfillment‑center robotics have improved conversion and cut fulfillment costs, driving margin resilience.

3. International Momentum

• Sam's Club China: Average delivery times down to 46 minutes.

• Flipkart (India): A record 3‑minute delivery service highlighted as a global benchmark in BofA's note.

4. Margin Expansion from New Verticals

• Digital Advertising: Higher‑margin ad sales are scaling rapidly to capitalize on Walmart's 150 million weekly shoppers.

• Third‑Party Marketplace: Seller fees and value‑added services are lifting gross merchandise volume without capital‑intensive inventory.

• Wage Investments: Targeted wage hikes have improved retention and service quality, offset by productivity gains from automation.

Track the full distribution of Walmart's analyst price targets: Analyst Price Targets for WMT

5. Valuation and Risk Profile

• $120 Price Target: Implies a 41× multiple on BofA's FY27 EPS estimate of $2.90, reflecting Walmart's sticky comps and robust free‑cash flow generation.

• Risks: Potential margin pressure from pharmacy reimbursement headwinds and food‑price deflation. However, scale, supply‑chain efficiency, and tech investments underpin BofA's conviction.

Review Walmart's credit rating and key financial metrics: Walmart Credit & Company Profile