**Why Walmart Just Crushed Retail While Competitors Stumbled**

Walmart's Q3 earnings were basically a masterclass in what happens when you nail value strategy. Here's the playbook:

📊 **The Numbers:**
- Revenue hit $179.5B (+5.8% YoY), beat estimates by 1.3%
- EPS $0.62 (vs $0.61 expected) - snapped a rare miss streak
- US comps up 4.5% ex-fuel (1.8% transaction lift + 2.7% ticket growth)
- E-commerce surged 27% globally, membership income +16.7%
- Advertising business growing 53% - basically printing money

🎯 **Why It Matters:**
While Home Depot stumbled and Target whiffed on revenue + cut guidance, Walmart kept gaining share across income segments. The retailer's betting big on deeper discounts, same-day pickup, and spreading deals beyond Black Friday to capture budget-conscious shoppers.

💡 **The Signal:**
Retail's bifurcating - value-first players like Walmart thriving, discretionary-focused peers struggling. This screams persistent consumer caution despite what the headlines say. Also worth noting: Walmart's shifting to Nasdaq, signaling a tech rebrand as e-commerce becomes core to growth.

FY2026 guidance upped to 4.8-5.1% sales growth + $2.58-2.63 EPS. Stock up 6%+ on the news. TL;DR - when everyone else is bleeding, Walmart's the one stealing wallets.