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Rising Yields and Oil Prices Rattle U.S. Markets, Walmart Miss Sparks Consumer Concerns
U.S. comparable sales rose 2.6%, but Walmart said lower drug prices and weaker pharmacy traffic slowed growth and pressured spending per trip.
On Thursday, Walmart shares fell 8.7% after the company missed second-quarter comparable sales estimates, reporting 2.6% growth against a 3.8% projection.
Pricing pressure in the pharmacy business hindered growth, marking the slowest pace in six years, while the retailer expects more than $2 billion in fuel-related costs this year.
Chief Executive Officer John Furner stated the company cut prices on 11,000 items, while e-commerce sales increased 24% and Walmart received $2.9 billion in tariff refunds.
Walmart adjusted its fiscal 2027 net sales growth outlook to between 4% and 5%, as Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey described pharmacy pressure as "transitory."
Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management, said the results signal broader consumer strain: "For the consumer economy, this is like Nvidia posting a slowdown.