Walmart Becomes First Retailer Worth $1 Trillion

Walmart has made history by becoming the first conventional retail company to reach a market valuation of $1 trillion, placing it among a small group of global giants largely made up of technology firms.

The landmark valuation highlights the strong performance of the US-based retailer’s expanding e-commerce operations, as well as its success in attracting cost-conscious shoppers during a period of persistent inflation and a cooling labour market. Investors have also reacted positively to Walmart’s growing use of artificial intelligence across its business.

With this achievement, Walmart joins a select list of trillion-dollar companies that includes names such as Nvidia and Alphabet. The company’s share price has surged in recent months, climbing more than 3% on Tuesday alone.

As the largest physical retailer in the United States, Walmart has benefited from higher-income consumers increasingly seeking cheaper alternatives, while its fast home-delivery services continue to draw customers from all income levels. In its most recent earnings report in November, the retailer posted solid growth in major categories including groceries and apparel.

Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey previously said Walmart’s strong value offering leaves it better positioned than most competitors to navigate economic uncertainty.

Company executives have also indicated that the impact of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs has been less severe than originally feared. Although import taxes have pushed up prices for some products such as electronics and toys, Walmart’s size and purchasing power have helped cushion the effect.

Walmart’s online business has grown into a serious challenger to Amazon, recording a 28% rise in US e-commerce sales in the three months to October 31, driven by online shopping and digital advertising. Even so, Amazon’s market value remains far higher, at about $2.6 trillion.

The retailer’s embrace of AI has further boosted investor confidence. During the first week of chief executive John Furner’s tenure, Walmart crossed the $1 trillion mark, underscoring market optimism about his leadership and technology strategy.

Last October, Walmart announced a partnership with OpenAI, enabling customers and Sam’s Club members to plan meals, reorder essentials and discover products through conversational tools. The company’s decision to move its stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq also signalled its ambition to be viewed increasingly as a digital-first enterprise.

While technology companies still dominate the trillion-dollar valuation club, Walmart now stands as the first traditional retailer to reach this milestone.