$119.82. That was the price of walmart stock when the closing bell rang last Friday. Most people see that number and think about groceries or maybe those blue vests. But if you're just looking at the ticker, you're missing the real story of how a 64-year-old Arkansas company started acting like a Silicon Valley tech giant.
Honestly, it's been a wild ride lately. Back in early 2024, the company pulled a massive move with a 3-for-1 stock split. It was their 12th split ever, and the first one since the late nineties. CEO Doug McMillon basically said they wanted to keep the price "accessible" for the 400,000 employees who buy shares through the company plan.
Smart move.
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Since then, the stock has been on a tear. In 2025 alone, it jumped over 25%. While competitors like Target and Costco were dealing with their own headaches, Walmart just kept grinding higher.
The $120 Ceiling and What Comes Next
We're sitting right near the 52-week high of $121.24. Some analysts are getting a bit twitchy, wondering if the valuation is getting too "stretched." Trading at over 40 times earnings isn't exactly cheap for a retailer. But here’s the thing—Walmart isn't just a retailer anymore.
You've got to look at where the profit is actually coming from these days.
- E-commerce is finally profitable. This is huge. For years, selling stuff online was a money pit for Walmart. Now, it accounts for roughly 1 in every 5 dollars they bring in.
- The "Amazon" effect. Their marketplace—where other people sell stuff on Walmart.com—grew 34% in the last reported quarter.
- Advertising. Walmart Connect is a beast. They're making billions just showing ads to people who are already in the "buying" mindset.
Why the dividend still matters
If you’re a "buy and hold" type, the dividend is probably why you're here. The current yield is around 0.79%, which sounds tiny. But they just paid out $0.24 per share on January 5, 2026, and they've been raising that check every single year for nearly two decades. It’s the definition of a "Dividend Aristocrat."
Is it going to make you a millionaire overnight? Probably not. But in a choppy market, that's the kind of stability people crave.
What Really Happened With the Tech Overhaul
The real reason the price of walmart stock is hovering where it is has less to do with milk prices and more to do with robots. Seriously. By the end of this year, Walmart expects to have 65% of its stores serviced by automated supply chains.
They’re calling it the "Store of the Future."
I saw one of these recently. They've got these massive automated fulfillment centers that cut unit handling costs by about 20%. That’s a massive margin boost that hasn't fully hit the bottom line yet. Plus, they’re remodeling hundreds of stores to handle the surge in "click and collect" orders.
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It's a complete reimagining of the physical footprint.
The Tariffs and the Elephant in the Room
We can't talk about Walmart without mentioning the "T" word. Tariffs. Since a huge chunk of their inventory comes from overseas, any trade volatility hits them first. CFO John David Rainey has been pretty vocal about this. He says they've managed it for years and they'll do it again, but it’s a risk you can’t ignore.
If shipping costs spike or import taxes jump, that $119 price tag could see some "short-term pullbacks," as the technical analysts like to say. Some forecasts suggest a dip back to the $108–$111 range if the macro environment gets ugly.
Actionable Insights for Your Portfolio
If you're looking at the price of walmart stock today and trying to decide your next move, keep these three things in mind:
- Watch the $110 Support. Technical charts show that $110 used to be a ceiling (resistance) but has now become the floor (support). If it stays above that, the uptrend is likely still healthy.
- The Earnings Calendar. Keep an eye out for the February 2026 earnings report. This will show the full impact of the 2025 holiday season and whether those high-margin ad dollars are still growing at 30%+.
- Don't ignore the P/E ratio. At 41x earnings, the stock is priced for perfection. Any miss on growth could cause a sharp correction.
The bottom line? Walmart is transitionging from a "boring" value stock into a diversified platform. It’s a mix of a grocery store, a warehouse, an advertising agency, and a logistics tech firm. Whether that justifies the current price depends on how much you believe in their ability to keep squeezing profit out of every pixel and every square foot.
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Next Steps for Investors:
Review your current position to see if Walmart has become too large a percentage of your portfolio after the 2025 rally. If you're looking to enter, consider "dollar-cost averaging" over several months to mitigate the risk of buying at a local peak near $120. Check the ex-dividend date in late March 2026 if you’re looking to capture the next quarterly payout.