Getty Images Investment Thesis Walmart ( WMT ) is one of the largest omnichannel retailers striving to integrate their eCommerce and retail stores. Everyday Low Prices is their philosophy, and they have earned the trust of their customers by providing a broad assortment of quality merchandise and services at low prices. Tariffs have been a hot topic in the past couple of years. The recent U.S. Sup...
Getty Images Investment Thesis Walmart ( WMT ) is one of the largest omnichannel retailers striving to integrate their eCommerce and retail stores. Everyday Low Prices is their philosophy, and they have earned the trust of their customers by providing a broad assortment of quality merchandise and services at low prices. Tariffs have been a hot topic in the past couple of years. The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling against tariffs , and the Trump administration's response, brought new layers of uncertainty and confusion to an already complicated situation. Walmart imports much of their merchandise from other countries, and they also manufacture some of their goods on foreign soil. Therefore, they have a large exposure to tariffs, and management discussed some challenges related to tariffs in their earnings call. In this article, I will share my analysis of the impact that tariffs have on Walmart's business and implications for the stock price. What is going on with Tariffs? Ever since the Trump administration announced a slate of tariffs on countries with high trade deficits with the United States on so-called Liberation Day , the global economy has been dealing with various impacts. Some, but not all, countries made trade deals with the U.S. as a response to the tariffs. A group of U.S. businesses filed a lawsuit against the tariffs, claiming their businesses had been severely harmed by the tariffs. Many U.S. retail and restaurant trade groups expressed concerns over the negative economic impact of the tariffs. Concerns over the tariffs have been the big story around global trade since Liberation Day. Recently, the tension related to the tariffs increased sharply when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the President doesn't have the authority to impose tariffs. President Trump responded to the Supreme Court's decision by signing an executive order that would impose a 10% tariff on all countries. In calendar year 2025, custom duties raised $264 B for the U.S. governme...
This report is from this week's "Inside India" newsletter which brings you timely, insightful news and market commentary on the emerging powerhouse. Subscribe here. The big story India can't seem to escape from the fallout of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. A significant share of the country's energy imports risk disruptions and its aviation sector is staring at higher costs due to air...
This report is from this week's "Inside India" newsletter which brings you timely, insightful news and market commentary on the emerging powerhouse. Subscribe here. The big story India can't seem to escape from the fallout of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. A significant share of the country's energy imports risk disruptions and its aviation sector is staring at higher costs due to airspace restrictions. But there's another multibillion-dollar worry that the country will need to contend with: remittances. India is the largest recipient of remittances globally and they account for nearly 3.5% of the GDP — that's higher than the share of exports to the U.S. at 2% of the economy. More than 9 million Indians reside in the Middle East and the money they send home plays a major role in shoring up India's finances, helping cut its current account deficit. NEW DELHI, INDIA - MARCH 3: Indian passangers with relaxed expressions at Terminal 3 after their special flight from Riyadh arrive back in India at Indira Gandhi International Airport on March 3, 2026 in New Delhi, India. Hindustan Times | Hindustan Times | Getty Images The Indian diaspora in the Gulf countries contributes nearly 38% to India's total remittance inflows, according to a Citi report. Based on the inflows of $135.4 billion in financial year 2025, the share of gulf countries is to the tune of $51.4 billion. To put it in perspective: India's total trade surplus with the U.S. was $58.2 billion in 2025. According to experts, Indian workers in the Gulf countries are mostly employed in oil services, construction, hospitality and retail sectors, industries particularly vulnerable to the disruption caused by Iranian attacks. "A sharp decline [in remittance inflows] – particularly if combined with higher oil prices due to the conflict – would worsen India's external position and could put some pressure on the rupee," said Alexandra Hermann, lead economist at Oxford Economics. In recent years, India's remit...
When evaluating big-box retailers, Walmart (WMT 0.08%) and Target (TGT 0.69%) are usually the first two companies that come to mind. Over the past year, however, their underlying financial results (and stock prices) have diverged sharply. Walmart continues to flex its massive scale, capturing market share and delivering consistent top-line momentum. And its stock? Up more than 34% over the past 12...
When evaluating big-box retailers, Walmart (WMT 0.08%) and Target (TGT 0.69%) are usually the first two companies that come to mind. Over the past year, however, their underlying financial results (and stock prices) have diverged sharply. Walmart continues to flex its massive scale, capturing market share and delivering consistent top-line momentum. And its stock? Up more than 34% over the past 12 months. Target, on the other hand, has struggled to regain its footing in a difficult consumer environment, and shares have gained less than 2% over this same period. Given Walmart's stronger growth and impressive e-commerce momentum, it might seem like the obvious choice for investors choosing between the two retailers. But a closer look reveals a different story. Ultimately, though, one of the two stocks comes out ahead when compared as potential investments today. So, which is it? Walmart is priced for perfection Highlighting Walmart's impressive resilience, the company's recent financial performance has been stellar. The retailer posted fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $190.7 billion, up 5.6% from the prior-year period. More impressively, Walmart's global e-commerce sales surged 24% year over year in the quarter, demonstrating that its investments in digital fulfillment are paying off. Expand NASDAQ : WMT Walmart Today's Change ( -0.08 %) $ -0.10 Current Price $ 127.81 Key Data Points Market Cap $1.0T Day's Range $ 126.24 - $ 128.09 52wk Range $ 79.81 - $ 134.69 Volume 888K Avg Vol 31M Gross Margin 25.40 % Dividend Yield 0.73 % This momentum hasn't gone unnoticed by the market, driving shares higher. However, this success has pushed Walmart's valuation to a substantial premium. Today, the stock trades at a lofty multiple of about 47 times earnings. While the business is executing flawlessly, this high valuation leaves very little room for error. Investors are essentially paying up for continued strong top and bottom-line growth rates for the foreseeable future. Th...
Key Points Demand for Evolus' beauty products is growing. Management expects to generate sustainable profits in 2026. 10 stocks we like better than Evolus › Shares of Evolus (NASDAQ: EOLS) climbed on Wednesday after the aesthetics specialist announced that it achieved profitability. By the close of trading, Evolus' stock price was up over 35%. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our tea...
Key Points Demand for Evolus' beauty products is growing. Management expects to generate sustainable profits in 2026. 10 stocks we like better than Evolus › Shares of Evolus (NASDAQ: EOLS) climbed on Wednesday after the aesthetics specialist announced that it achieved profitability. By the close of trading, Evolus' stock price was up over 35%. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » The path to profit Evolus' products can soften wrinkles and temporarily improve the appearance of frown lines in adults. Demand for the beauty company's offerings is rising, with revenue growing 14% year over year to $90.3 million in the fourth quarter. Moreover, customers appear to be satisfied with the results, with reorder rates of roughly 71%. Better still, Evolus posted an operating profit of $4.2 million, compared to a loss of $2.3 million in the prior-year period. "We achieved profitability in the fourth quarter, reflecting the benefits of decisive expense actions we implemented in the second quarter, proactively rebasing our expense structure to align with current market conditions while preserving our growth trajectory," CEO David Moatazedi said. Sustainable cash generation Looking ahead, Evolus expects revenue to increase by 10% to 13% to between $327 million and $337 million in 2026. "As we advance toward sustainable profitability and meaningful free cash flow, we expect to have the financial flexibility to actively manage our capital structure while continuing to invest in growth, reinforcing the strength and durability of our long-term value creation strategy," Moatazedi said. Should you buy stock in Evolus right now? Before you buy stock in Evolus, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Evolus...
As Iran’s national anthem began to trumpet around Gold Coast Stadium on Monday night, members of an Iranian fan group who had gathered near the halfway line began to unfurl red, white and green flags. They weren’t the flags of their home nation, though. At least, not the nation they want to remember. “The flag is the Lion and Sun flag: our last known flag before the Islamic regime took over in 197...
As Iran’s national anthem began to trumpet around Gold Coast Stadium on Monday night, members of an Iranian fan group who had gathered near the halfway line began to unfurl red, white and green flags. They weren’t the flags of their home nation, though. At least, not the nation they want to remember. “The flag is the Lion and Sun flag: our last known flag before the Islamic regime took over in 1979 and invented the new flag,” says Ara Rasuli, who was in the crowd. “It is our national flag. The current regime does not represent us, and therefore their flag does not represent us. It doesn’t represent Iran.” Recently revived as a symbol of opposition to the current regime, they knew they would probably be caught when waving them in the stands at Iran’s opening game against South Korea. But they also knew how much it meant, especially for the players standing silently on the pitch below them, defiantly refusing to sing. Since arriving in Australia against a backdrop of violence and terror back home, Iran’s players have been wrapped in a cone of silence. Requests for media interviews have been shut down and information about their open training sessions were removed from the official tournament schedule. Even mandatory press conferences have been cagey, with an AFC media officer allowing just three “football” questions in each of the team’s pre-match appearances. View image in fullscreen Iran players on the bench during the defeat to South Korea. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP Their silence is understandable given the very real and imminent threats reportedly faced by players and staff who speak out against the regime. And so, in the vacuum of their silence, it has been the Iranian diaspora – the fans – who are speaking out. Ahead of Thursday’s second group-stage match against the Matildas, a demonstration is being organised outside of Gold Coast Stadium by Iranians wanting to draw attention to the oppressive nature of the regime, not just back in their home but also here in ...
US military forces are turning to a range of artificial intelligence tools to quickly manage enormous amounts of data for operations against Iran, according to US Central Command, highlighting the emerging technology’s growing role in warfare. Since the start of military strikes last week, the US has hit more than 2,000 targets, including 1,000 within the first 24 hours. The effort has been descri...
US military forces are turning to a range of artificial intelligence tools to quickly manage enormous amounts of data for operations against Iran, according to US Central Command, highlighting the emerging technology’s growing role in warfare. Since the start of military strikes last week, the US has hit more than 2,000 targets, including 1,000 within the first 24 hours. The effort has been described by Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of Central Command, as nearly “double the scale” of America’s “shock and awe” assault on Iraq in 2003. In the Iran campaign, AI technology has played a critical role by supporting the initial screening of incoming data, allowing human analysts to focus on higher-level analysis and verification, according to Captain Timothy Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson. “Centcom uses a variety of AI tools, and that is exactly what they are, tools, to assist human experts in a rigorous process aligned with US policy, military doctrine and the law,” Hawkins said in an interview with Bloomberg News. He declined to name the tools or the companies that provide them to the military. Read More: Anthropic’s Pentagon Showdown Is About More Than AI Guardrails The Iran war is adding new urgency to a widening global debate over who controls the future of AI as a tool of war, including whether the rapidly evolving technology can be used in a lawful manner. It lies at the heart of a high-stakes dispute pitting US defense officials against Anthropic PBC , one of the most promising AI companies whose models are used on the Pentagon’s classified cloud. After failing to agree with Anthropic on terms governing the use of its AI technology, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared the company a supply-chain risk last week and gave military contractors six months to stop working with the firm. President Donald Trump also instructed federal agencies to cease work with Anthropic, describing it as an “out-of-control, Radical Left AI company.” Anthropic Chief Executi...
Anton Zacon/iStock via Getty Images In this article, I'll cover one of my previously favorite telecom companies, Millicom International Cellular ( TIGO ). The company and my investment in it have been a bit of a "success story". I've been able to generate outperformance, quite a significant one, by investing when the valuation was inexpensive. For the past two articles, starting in late 2025, my r...
Anton Zacon/iStock via Getty Images In this article, I'll cover one of my previously favorite telecom companies, Millicom International Cellular ( TIGO ). The company and my investment in it have been a bit of a "success story". I've been able to generate outperformance, quite a significant one, by investing when the valuation was inexpensive. For the past two articles, starting in late 2025, my rating has been negative/neutral. If you follow my work, you know it takes a while for me to change my ratings, and I don't change my PTs or FVs based on momentary or short-term exuberance. In this article, I'll be addressing whether exuberance is what we have here, or if there's something more to it - if we perhaps have a trend reversal that would justify a higher valuation. It's suitable, given that we have 4Q25 results that are less than 2 weeks old. At the same time, I want to make it clear that Millicom has seen increasing volatility for the past few years. It's changing its operations and divesting some countries entirely. In my last article, found here , I started addressing some of these issues and risks that I saw. For the past 2 years, Millicom has undergone major strategic changes that have impacted both the company's financials and the expected returns. When I started covering it, the company was high-investment CapEx and low cash flow in terms of returns. It was a company that had yet to convince the market. Now, some of that convincing is being done, and some has already been done - and there are a few ownership changes that merit special attention and that I perhaps did not cover expansively enough in my previous article - so I'll do that here. But Millicom started meeting my targets between 2023 and 2024, where it significantly reduced its operating costs and is still targeting close to $1B FCF by 2026. Let's see how this is going by the end of fiscal 2025. Upside from high returns So, I promised some high-level and ownership news. First, the French billionai...