Feb 3 (Reuters) - Walmart became the first retailer ever to hit $1 trillion in market valuation on Tuesday, riding on a year-long rally that has seen its shares rise nearly 26%, putting it in the ranks
of Big Tech heavyweights such as Nvidia and Alphabet.
The Bentonville, Arkansas-based chain has cashed in on wealthier consumers choosing the convenience of faster deliveries and flocking to the retailer for discretionary categories, such as apparel and furniture. Over the last decade, Walmart's stock is up 468%, compared to a 264% rise in the S&P 500 index.
U.S. households, particularly low- and middle-income earners, have been under mounting financial strain for some time due to persistent inflation and a cooling job market. Tariffs and uncertainty surrounding the recent U.S. government shutdown have also weighed on spending.
The latest milestone for the company came just two weeks after Walmart replaced British drugmaker AstraZeneca in the tech-focused Nasdaq-100 Index, home to the most valuable non-financial companies.
The company has bet on artificial intelligence, pouring billions into automation in its supply chain to help stock its stores with fresher produce and improve delivery times, as consumers increasingly prefer the convenience of purchasing groceries online.
"They've gone from just being the local retailer for good prices to really embracing technology. It's been a massive digital business transformation that this company has gone through over the last five years," said Eric Clark, chief investment officer at Accuvest Global Advisors.
Walmart joins a roster of U.S. companies valued at $1 trillion or more, including Nvidia at $4.5 trillion, Alphabet at $4.1 trillion, Apple at $3.9 trillion, Microsoft at $3.1 trillion, Amazon at $2.6 trillion, Meta at $1.8 trillion, Broadcom at $1.6 trillion, Tesla at $1.6 trillion and Berkshire Hathaway at $1 trillion.
Walmart is emerging as "the new AI giant" thanks to how effectively it is weaving the technology into its operations, from cutting the cost of goods to capturing a larger share of consumer spending, according to Brian Mulberry, senior client portfolio manager at Zacks Investment Management.
(Reporting by Johann M Cherian and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Anil D'Silva)
