Early Reactions To Walmart's Q4 Miss: 'Not Surprising'

Retail giant Walmart Inc WMT reported Tuesday with fourth-quarter results that fell shy of expectations. The stock erased its premarket losses and was trading in the green by the afternoon.

Walmart CEO: What's Next For 2020

Walmart's outlook for 2020 includes no headwind from the coronavirus and assumes the economy will remain consistent with what was seen in 2019, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a CNBC interview. The company expects to end the year with 3% topline growth and 3% operating income.

Walmart 'Well-Positioned' Despite Miss

Walmart remains "well-positioned" for 2020 and beyond after heavy investments in its supply chain and distribution, Strategic Resource Group managing director Burt Flickinger said in a Fox Business interview.

The company is better positioned than any other in terms of delivery to consumer homes, he said. 

Walmart's Miss 'Not Surprising'

Walmart's fourth quarter miss is "not surprising" based on the simple reality that the company can't show significant growth indefinitely, Retail Trends Analyst Charcy Evers said on Yahoo Finance's "On the Move." Nevertheless, Walmart's dominant market positioning remains unchanged.

Walmart has an opportunity to expand its grocery pickup service to include higher-margin goods like clothing to help spur growth, she said. Walmart has done a good job in competing with rivals in terms of price but may need to do a bit more to add a new type of customer experience.

"I think it's all about finding new touchpoints for customers," she said.

A Credit To Walmart's Grocery Expansion

Walmart's decision to expand to grocery was first met with skepticism dozens of years ago, Timothy Lesko, partner at Granite Investment Advisors, said on CNBC's "Squawk Box."

Fast forward to the modern era and Walmart's grocery business is credited with contributing to same-store sales growth amid a troubled retail environment, he said. 

Investors and the public tend to forget Walmart is now the second-largest online retailer, next to Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN, he said.

Walmart remains very well-positioned in the future of same-day and next-day delivery, but the stock comes with a "much better" valuation, Lesko said.

Walmart shares were up 1.3% at $19.42 at the time of publication Tuesday.

Related Links:

Walmart's Exposure To China 'Overestimated', Ex-Exec Says

Walmart Earnings Lower Than Expected As Holiday Sales Disappoint

Photo courtesy of Walmart.

 

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Posted In: Analyst ColorEarningsNewsAnalyst RatingsMediaDoug McMillonGroceryretailretail earnings
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