Walmart Inc. (WMT) shares climbed to a fresh all-time high Wednesday, and there's more going on here than just strong holiday shopping. The retail giant is pulling off something interesting: convincing Wall Street it's as much a technology company as it is a store operator.
What's Driving the Rally
The momentum starts with Black Friday, where U.S. online spending jumped 9.1% to hit $11.8 billion. Walmart captured a meaningful chunk of that spending, helped along by Sparky, its new AI-powered shopping assistant that's been guiding customers through purchases. It's the kind of digital infrastructure that gets investors excited about more than just selling groceries.
This follows a robust third-quarter performance where Walmart delivered revenue of $179.5 billion and raised its fiscal 2026 outlook. The strength? Coming from high- and middle-income consumers, which suggests the company is broadening its appeal beyond its traditional value-focused base.
Building Infrastructure for the Long Game
On Tuesday, Walmart opened a $350 million dairy processing plant in Georgia. That's not the sexiest headline, but it matters. By strengthening its supply chain and controlling grocery costs directly, the company is building competitive moats that are hard to replicate.
Then there's the Nasdaq move. On December 9, Walmart transfers to the Nasdaq Global Select Market, a symbolic shift that underscores how much the company has evolved into a tech-powered omnichannel retailer. It's not just about physical stores anymore.
The Technical Picture
Walmart shares were up 1.42% at $113.99 at the time of publication Wednesday. The stock is trading approximately 9.4% above its 50-day moving average and 16.3% above its 200-day moving average. Those numbers suggest strong momentum in both the short and long term, with buyers firmly in control.
Market data highlights the company's fundamental strength with a Quality score of 85.76, its highest ranking across key metrics, alongside a solid Growth score of 79.57. The technical indicators and fundamental strength are lining up in the same direction, which tends to catch investor attention.
How To Get Exposure
You can buy Walmart shares directly through a brokerage platform, including fractional shares if you don't want to commit to a full position. Alternatively, you can gain exposure through an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that holds the stock, or through a strategy in your 401(k) that allocates to mutual funds tracking the Consumer Staples sector. Since Walmart is a major player in that space, sector-focused funds will likely include it as a core holding.