Walmart, the company that practically invented “everyday low prices,” just delivered a quarter that left Wall Street feeling anything but reassured. Shares tumbled roughly 8% in morning trading on May 21 after the retailer’s earnings report painted a picture of a consumer under pressure, despite top-line numbers that looked solid on paper.
The drop is notable because Walmart almost never misses. This marks one of the few quarters in recent memory where the world’s largest retailer failed to exceed bottom-line expectations, and the market’s reaction was swift and unforgiving.
The numbers behind the sell-off
Walmart’s fiscal first-quarter 2027 revenue came in at $177.8B, a 7% increase year-over-year that actually beat analyst estimates. Adjusted earnings per share landed at 66 cents, which matched Wall Street’s consensus. US comparable sales grew 4.1%, right at market estimates. Global e-commerce sales surged 26%, and the company’s advertising business posted 37% growth.
Guidance that rattled the room
