Fuel shocks hit shoppers as Walmart holds back on raising outlook

Walmart maintained its conservative annual sales and profit targets on Thursday, balancing a surge in value-seeking grocery shoppers against heavy macroeconomic headwinds from spiking U.S. fuel costs.

The retail bellwether has focused on keeping prices low for everyday essentials as the average cost of fuel jumps past $4 a gallon in the United States. Consumer spending nationwide is facing intense pressure, with consumer sentiment plummeting to a record low in May. Additionally, regional supply chains are dealing with rising costs for raw materials, such as packaging resin, driven by geopolitical friction from the Iran war and lingering import tariffs from last year, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Despite these market pressures, Walmart chose to lock in its prior target of annual net sales growth between 3.5% and 4.5%, with adjusted earnings per share projected at $2.75 to $2.85. Wall Street analysts had previously labeled this guidance as conservative, anticipating that the retail giant would raise its outlook as the year progressed. Shares of the company dipped roughly 2% in premarket trading following the decision to hold the line, paired with a cautious second-quarter forecast that missed analyst expectations.

Under CEO John Furner, Walmart is navigating these tight household budgets by absorbing higher transportation costs rather than passing them directly to consumers. Spiking fuel prices impacted Walmart’s operating income by approximately 250 basis points this quarter, primarily within its massive delivery fulfillment operations. "While consumers are telling us they're feeling some pressure, sales strength has persisted and we saw one of our strongest quarters of share gains," the company noted in its earnings report.

While smaller rival Target managed to raise its annual sales forecast off a fresh corporate turnaround plan, and grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons issued conservative targets, Walmart remains a primary destination for budget-conscious families. The retailer easily topped first-quarter comparable sales estimates, increasingly drawing in higher-income shoppers attracted by the convenience of its home delivery ecosystem. Fueled by this demographic shift, Walmart’s e-commerce sales surged 26% in the first quarter, claiming a significantly larger share of the company's total revenue mix compared to last year.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada