Walmart Drives Holiday Momentum With Bigger, Faster Savings Push

Walmart Inc. WMT, which named John Furner as the new president and CEO (from Feb. 1, 2026), is entering the holiday season with a more aggressive value strategy. The company is rolling out more deals and faster fulfillment to attract shoppers who want to save money and shop quickly. The goal is to build early momentum by offering more choices and making holiday shopping easier both online and in stores.

This year’s lineup features a wider range of low-price offers across electronics, home goods and popular gift categories. Walmart is putting extra attention on items under $20 to appeal to budget-conscious customers. Walmart+ members also get early online access, which helps build loyalty and encourages shoppers to lock in deals sooner.

Online shopping remains a big growth driver, and Walmart plans to drop another round of web-only discounts as December begins. Spreading out promotions over several events helps the retailer keep shoppers engaged beyond the usual Black Friday rush and bring more traffic to its digital platforms.

Convenience is another core theme, with Walmart sharpening its same-day and rapid delivery capabilities. Shoppers can choose from options like same-day pickup or quick home delivery, with the company emphasizing speed as a key advantage as consumers juggle tight schedules and last-minute needs.

Overall, Walmart’s expanded deals, member perks and faster fulfillment are aimed at keeping demand strong throughout the season. The retailer is clearly betting that combining strong value with quick, easy shopping will help it stay ahead in a highly competitive holiday landscape.

Holiday Competition Heats Up for Kohl’s and Target

Kohl’s Corporation KSS is leaning into early holiday value with its expanded Black Friday Week running from Nov. 23-29. Kohl’s is also boosting engagement through its “Holiday Quest” promotion, offering more than $1 million in prizes. These efforts show how KSS is sharpening its focus on richer deals and loyalty-driven incentives. Kohl’s continues to emphasize affordability and repeat engagement as key drivers of its holiday strategy. 

Target Corporation TGT is also stepping up its holiday game with roughly 20,000 new seasonal items. Customers can score up to 50% off in its daily deals and enjoy weekly discounts released every Sunday from Nov. 2 to Dec. 24. Target is also offering a Holiday Price Match Guarantee through Dec. 24, with extra savings available through Target Circle and the Target Circle Card. TGT’s focus on assortment, low-price gifting and faster delivery strongly supports its bid to capture more holiday shopping share.

WMT’s Stock Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates

Shares of Walmart have risen 13.4% year to date, in line with the industry’s growth.

WMT Price Performance Versus Industry

From a valuation standpoint, WMT trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 35.87, higher than the industry’s average of 32.79.

WMT Valuation Compared to Industry

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WMT’s fiscal 2026 and 2027 earnings implies year-over-year growth of about 4% each.

Walmart currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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