Walmart shares dropped nearly 6% before Thursday’s opening bell, erasing roughly $50 billion in market value after a rare sales miss marking the retailer’s slowest US growth in six years. Store visits rose 1.5% but spending per trip increased only 1.1%, with gas prices at $4.09 per gallon squeezing purchasing power. Revenue reached $187.9 billion and adjusted earnings hit $0.81 per share, beating forecasts, but traders focused on the demand slowdown. Operating income jumped 28.8% to $9.4 billion, boosted by tariff refunds that Walmart plans to pass back through lower prices in the second half. With consumer spending driving about two-thirds of US GDP, upcoming retail earnings and the Fed’s September meeting will determine whether shoppers are tapped out or simply catching their breath.
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