Honestly, if you looked at Walmart five years ago, you probably saw a slow-moving retail dinosaur. Big stores. Blue vests. Cheap groceries. But things have changed in a huge way. The wal mart stores inc stock price—trading under the ticker WMT—is currently hovering around $119.20 as of mid-January 2026. That is a massive jump from where it sat just a couple of years back.
It's kinda wild to think about.
Walmart isn't just a place where you buy a gallon of milk anymore. It's a tech company. It's an advertising powerhouse. It's an AI-driven logistics machine. Investors who ignored this shift are probably kicking themselves right now. If you're looking at the charts, you've likely noticed that the stock is sitting right near its 52-week high of $121.23. The momentum is real.
What’s Actually Driving the Wal Mart Stores Inc Stock Price?
People always ask why a "boring" grocery stock is outperforming the tech darlings. The answer is simpler than you’d think. It's the "Omnichannel" transition. Basically, Walmart figured out how to use its 4,700+ U.S. stores as mini-warehouses.
In their Q3 FY2026 earnings report, they posted a 27% growth in global e-commerce. That’s not a fluke. They are delivering orders in under three hours for about 35% of their store-fulfilled sales. You can’t do that from a single warehouse in the middle of nowhere.
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The "Hidden" Margin Boosters
Retail is a low-margin business. Everyone knows that. You make pennies on a box of cereal. But Walmart found a workaround:
- Walmart Connect: Their advertising business grew 33% in the U.S. recently. When brands pay to be at the top of Walmart’s search results, that’s almost pure profit.
- Membership Income: Between Walmart+ and Sam’s Club, the recurring revenue is skyrocketing. Sam’s Club China, specifically, is seeing massive membership growth.
- AI and Automation: They aren't just talking about AI; they're using it to fix the "last mile" of delivery. EVP Daniel Danker has been vocal about 2026 being the year of "agentic commerce."
The 3-for-1 Split and the Nasdaq Move
If the price looks "low" compared to historical data, remember the 3-for-1 stock split that happened back in February 2024. It brought the price down to make it more accessible for employees and retail investors, but it didn't change the value of the company.
There was also a major shift recently. In late 2025, Walmart officially moved its listing from the NYSE to the Nasdaq. This was a symbolic move as much as a financial one. It signaled to the world that they view themselves as a technology-first company. Being part of the Nasdaq-100 puts the wal mart stores inc stock price in a different spotlight, attracting more tech-focused ETFs.
Real Talk: Is it Overvalued?
Some analysts, like those at Raymond James, have given it an "Outperform" rating but noted that it’s trading slightly above their immediate price targets. The P/E ratio is currently around 41.8. That's high for a retailer. But investors are betting on the future. They aren't buying a grocery store; they are buying a platform.
- Bull Case: Continued e-commerce dominance and high-margin ad revenue justify the premium.
- Bear Case: If consumer spending slows down significantly or if the VIZIO acquisition (which they're still integrating) hits regulatory snags, the stock could pull back to the $100 range.
Dividends: The Reliable Part of the Story
Even with all the tech talk, Walmart remains a "Dividend King." They have increased their dividend for 51 consecutive years. The current annual payout is $0.94 per share.
With a yield of about 0.79%, it’s not going to make you rich overnight from the payout alone. However, for a long-term portfolio, that consistency is gold. The payout ratio is a healthy 31.92%, meaning they have plenty of cash left over to keep buying companies or building out their drone delivery networks.
What to Watch Next
The next big date on the calendar is February 19, 2026. That’s when the next earnings report drops. Analysts are looking for earnings per share (EPS) of around $0.73. If they beat that, we might see the wal mart stores inc stock price break through the $125 resistance level.
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If you’re holding or looking to buy, keep an eye on the "Walmart Connect" numbers. That advertising segment is the "secret sauce" that could turn this from a steady performer into a growth monster.
Actionable Insights for Investors
- Monitor the February Earnings: Look specifically at "Operating Income" growth versus "Sales" growth. If income is growing faster than sales, their automation is working.
- Watch the VIZIO Integration: Walmart wants to turn your TV into a shopping portal. Any news on how they’re using VIZIO data for advertising will be a huge catalyst for the stock.
- Check the Dividend Ex-Date: If you’re in it for the income, the next ex-dividend date usually falls in March. Make sure you’re on the books before then.
- Diversification Check: Since Walmart is now on the Nasdaq, make sure your portfolio isn't accidentally becoming too tech-heavy if you also hold big positions in Apple or Amazon.
The retail landscape of 2026 is a "winner-takes-most" environment. Right now, Walmart is doing the taking.