Topic: How To Invest

Wall Street Stock Forecaster Hotline Friday, February 19, 2021

Article Excerpt

WALMART INC., $138.34, New York symbol WMT, is your #1 Conservative Buy for 2021. The company is the world’s biggest retailer, with 11,443 outlets in 25 countries. The stock fell 4% this week as Walmart expects its sales growth will return to normal levels as COVID-19 related shopping eases. It’s also spending more on employee wages and technology. However, these moves should improve its ability to serve its customers, particularly at its online businesses. In the fiscal 2021 fourth quarter, ended January 31, 2021, Walmart’s sales rose 7.3%, to $152.08 billion from $141.67 billion a year earlier. That beat the consensus forecast of $148.47 billion. In addition to higher in-store sales, U.S. online sales jumped 69%. As a result, Walmart’s U.S. same-store sales (including online) rose 8.6%. Fewer people are coming to Walmart’s stores—the number of transactions fell 10.9% in the quarter. However, spending per visit jumped 21.9%. In response to COVID-19, the company is spending more to clean its stores, install plexiglass barriers at…