The giant retailer single-handedly eased recession fears in the U.S. economy, posting third-quarter revenue of $169.3 billion, beating analysts’ expectations.

• Walmart shares WMT rose 6.6% on Thursday after the company reported better-than-expected earnings and sales for the latest quarter. In addition, the giant retailer has single-handedly eased recession fears thanks to its unmatched ability to attract shoppers and gauge the purchasing power of the American consumer. After all, Walmart is the world’s largest company by revenue, with $648 billion in sales last fiscal year.
• In the June quarterRevenue rose to $169.3 billion and adjusted earnings per share reached 67 cents. Both revenue and earnings beat analyst estimates of $168.6 billion and 65 cents, respectively. The world’s largest retailer reported a 4.2 percent year-over-year increase in sales at its flagship U.S. store, beating estimates of 3.6 percent. Online sales rose 22 percent.
• “So far we are not “We’re seeing a weaker consumer overall,” CEO Doug McMillon said on a conference call with analysts on Thursday. The robust financials, which show a resilient U.S. consumer with no signs of slowing spending, were so good that they prompted Walmart to revise its 2025 forecast. Net sales are expected to rise 3.75 percent to 4.75 percent, up from the previous forecast of 3 percent to 4 percent. Walmart is up 38 percent year over year, outperforming the broader S&P 500, which rose 17 percent.