If you’ve checked the price of walmart stock today, you probably noticed things feel a little... tense. As of Wednesday, January 14, 2026, Walmart (WMT) is basically teetering on a knife's edge near its all-time highs. It’s trading right around $120.04, down a tiny fraction—about 0.27%—from yesterday's close.
But honestly, the "red" on the screen today doesn't tell the whole story.
Just hours ago, the stock hit an intraday high of $121.24. That is a huge deal because it effectively pushed the company's market cap toward the $960 billion mark. We are talking about a retail giant that is slowly but surely morphing into a tech titan, and the market is pricing it like one. If you’re used to Walmart being that boring "widows and orphans" stock that moves like a glacier, those days are long gone.
The $120 Battleground: What’s Moving the Needle?
Why is everyone obsessed with the price of walmart stock today specifically? It’s not just about the daily fluctuation.
There is a massive shift happening behind the scenes. Walmart is officially set to join the Nasdaq-100 Index next week, on January 20, 2026. It’s replacing AstraZeneca. This isn't just a name change on a list; it means every index fund that tracks the Nasdaq-100 has to go out and buy millions of shares. That "forced buying" is a big reason why we've seen WMT climb over 26% in the last six months.
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Then there’s the Google factor.
Over the weekend, Walmart’s AI lead, Daniel Danker, dropped news about a deep partnership with Google’s Gemini AI. Basically, they want their AI agents to talk to each other so you can build a shopping cart just by chatting with your phone. Analysts at BMO Capital and TD Cowen are all over this. TD Cowen even named Walmart their "Best Idea for 2026," sticking a $136 price target on it.
Current Market Stats at a Glance
- Daily Range: $119.03 – $121.24
- 52-Week High: $121.24 (Hit today!)
- Market Cap: ~$959.3 Billion
- Dividend Yield: 0.78%
- P/E Ratio: 42.1 (Yeah, it's getting expensive)
Is it Overvalued? The Great Valuation Debate
Look, let’s be real for a second. A P/E ratio of 42 for a grocery store is kind of wild.
For comparison, the S&P 500 usually trades around 22 times earnings. Morningstar analysts have actually labeled Walmart as "overvalued" recently. They argue that while the business is great, the stock price has run up way too fast. They aren't the only ones worried. Some bears are pointing to the fact that while revenue is up (hitting over $703 billion annually), the return on capital has actually dipped slightly to about 12.03%.
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But the "Bulls" don't care about the old metrics. They see:
- Global E-commerce growth: Up 27% in the last reported quarter.
- Advertising Revenue: Their "Walmart Connect" business is exploding, growing 33% in the US.
- Automation: More than 50% of their fulfillment center volume is now automated.
When you look at the price of walmart stock today, you aren't just buying a place that sells cheap milk. You’re buying a high-margin advertising and logistics machine. That’s why firms like RBC Capital just raised their targets to $126. They think the AI-driven "personalization" of shopping is going to make the company way more profitable than it’s ever been.
What to Expect Next
The next big "catalyst" (that's fancy talk for things that make the price move) is the Q4 earnings report on February 19, 2026.
Wall Street is expecting earnings of about $0.73 per share. If they beat that, $130 is probably the next stop. If they miss, or if the consumer starts feeling the pinch of inflation again, we could see a retreat back to the $110 level.
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Investors are also keeping an eye on OnePay, the Walmart-backed fintech firm. It just got valued at over $4 billion. It’s these "side quests" that Walmart is on—fintech, AI, healthcare—that are keeping the stock price elevated despite a pretty high valuation.
Actionable Strategy for Investors
If you’re looking at the price of walmart stock today and wondering if you missed the boat, here’s how the pros are playing it.
First off, don't chase the "Nasdaq-100 inclusion" high. Usually, there's a bit of a "sell the news" event right after a stock joins a major index. If you’re a long-term holder, the 0.78% dividend yield isn't much, but Walmart has raised that dividend for 53 consecutive years. It’s a "Dividend King" for a reason.
- For the cautious: Wait for a "pullback." The stock has a gap to fill around the $114-$115 area from earlier this month.
- For the momentum traders: If it closes above $121.50 and stays there, the path to $130 is wide open.
- The "Hedge" play: Keep an eye on Target (TGT). It’s trading at a much lower valuation (around $102), and if Walmart gets too expensive, some institutional money might rotate over there.
Whatever you do, don't ignore the technicals. The stock is currently trading well above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. That’s generally a very healthy sign, but it also means it's "extended." In plain English? It’s a bit like a rubber band that’s been stretched. It can go further, but it’s getting tighter.
Keep a close watch on the $119 support level. As long as it stays above that, the bulls are in total control of the price of walmart stock today. If it breaks below $118, we might be looking at a cooling-off period before the February earnings call.
The smartest move right now? Check your portfolio's exposure. If Walmart has grown to be 10% or 20% of your holdings because of this recent rally, it might be time to take a little off the table. But if you’re looking for a stable giant that is actually innovating, it’s hard to bet against the house of Walton.