When the US consumer is weakening, Walmart is usually one of the last dominoes to fall. When economic conditions get tough, low-income shoppers rely on it even more. It’s also become a destination for higher-income consumers looking to cut costs. That’s what made Walmart’s first comparable-sales loss in six years particularly hard to swallow on
Walmart, America’s largest retailer and one of its most critical economic bellwethers, just sent a worrying message. The firm beat second-quarter earnings estimates and lifted its full-year guidance, but unveiled several worrying figures that suggest US consumers aren’t doing so hot. Shares of the 64-year-old retail giant tumbled as much as 9% to a 2026
