We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Walmart Bets on AI Super Agents: Is Retail Entering a New Era?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
Walmart is deploying four AI super agents to enhance customer, employee and supplier experiences.
Sparky, Walmart's app assistant, is shifting navigation toward AI-driven discovery, reorders and returns.
Walmart created AI-focused leadership roles to drive innovation and efficiency across its ecosystem.
The retail landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, and Walmart Inc. (WMT - Free Report) is at the forefront, betting big on artificial intelligence. WMT is accelerating its push into artificial intelligence with the rollout of AI super agents that could redefine how the retail industry currently operates. CEO Douglas McMillon emphasized that artificial intelligence plays a vital role in enhancing both customer and employee experiences, with Walmart’s AI efforts built around four super agents designed to handle different aspects of the business.
Leading the charge is Sparky, the smiling digital assistant in Walmart’s app. Sparky is already shifting the experience from search-based navigation to AI-powered assistance and is set to become the primary tool for product discovery, reorders and returns. Early feedback has been positive, and Walmart plans to scale Sparky into a more intelligent and personalized companion for shoppers.
Complementing Sparky are three more super agents. Starting with the associate agent, which will consolidate key functions such as scheduling and sales data into one hub. For suppliers and advertisers, another agent will simplify onboarding, order management and campaign execution, enhancing efficiency across Walmart’s ecosystem. The final developer agent is designed to accelerate innovation by improving how Walmart tests and launches new products.
Walmart has created leadership roles focused solely on artificial intelligence. WMT is exploring AI-powered digital twins of facilities that can predict or prevent issues and provide more accurate delivery windows covering 95% of U.S. households by the end of the year. By embedding artificial intelligence, Walmart is signaling that the next era of retail will be shaped as much by intelligent agents as by physical stores.
What the Latest Metrics Say About Walmart
Walmart, which competes with Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST - Free Report) and Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) , has been a standout performer, with shares rallying 28.5% in the past year, almost in tandem with the industry’s growth of 28.2%. Shares of Costco have advanced 6.6%, while Target declined 41.1% in the aforementioned period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Walmart's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 36.98, higher than the industry’s 33.81. WMT carries a Value Score of C. Walmart is trading at a premium to Target (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 11.38) but at a discount to Costco (48.55).
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Walmart’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 4% and 3.6%, respectively.
Image: Bigstock
Walmart Bets on AI Super Agents: Is Retail Entering a New Era?
Key Takeaways
The retail landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, and Walmart Inc. (WMT - Free Report) is at the forefront, betting big on artificial intelligence. WMT is accelerating its push into artificial intelligence with the rollout of AI super agents that could redefine how the retail industry currently operates. CEO Douglas McMillon emphasized that artificial intelligence plays a vital role in enhancing both customer and employee experiences, with Walmart’s AI efforts built around four super agents designed to handle different aspects of the business.
Leading the charge is Sparky, the smiling digital assistant in Walmart’s app. Sparky is already shifting the experience from search-based navigation to AI-powered assistance and is set to become the primary tool for product discovery, reorders and returns. Early feedback has been positive, and Walmart plans to scale Sparky into a more intelligent and personalized companion for shoppers.
Complementing Sparky are three more super agents. Starting with the associate agent, which will consolidate key functions such as scheduling and sales data into one hub. For suppliers and advertisers, another agent will simplify onboarding, order management and campaign execution, enhancing efficiency across Walmart’s ecosystem. The final developer agent is designed to accelerate innovation by improving how Walmart tests and launches new products.
Walmart has created leadership roles focused solely on artificial intelligence. WMT is exploring AI-powered digital twins of facilities that can predict or prevent issues and provide more accurate delivery windows covering 95% of U.S. households by the end of the year. By embedding artificial intelligence, Walmart is signaling that the next era of retail will be shaped as much by intelligent agents as by physical stores.
What the Latest Metrics Say About Walmart
Walmart, which competes with Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST - Free Report) and Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) , has been a standout performer, with shares rallying 28.5% in the past year, almost in tandem with the industry’s growth of 28.2%. Shares of Costco have advanced 6.6%, while Target declined 41.1% in the aforementioned period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Walmart's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 36.98, higher than the industry’s 33.81. WMT carries a Value Score of C. Walmart is trading at a premium to Target (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 11.38) but at a discount to Costco (48.55).
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Walmart’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 4% and 3.6%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Walmart currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.