🚀 Walmart and Palantir Shares Fall

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Market Overview
Read time 1.4 minutes

Year To Date Performances:

1. Walmart shares fell 6% after the retailer warned of slower profit growth for the fiscal year, despite exceeding earnings and revenue expectations in Q4. E-commerce sales surged 20%, and membership income grew 16%, but investors were disappointed by a cautious outlook that includes headwinds from the Vizio acquisition and a leap-year adjustment. CFO John David Rainey cited geopolitical uncertainty and potential tariffs on Mexico and Canada as risks but emphasized Walmart’s ability to adapt. Meanwhile, Walmart’s high-margin businesses—advertising, third-party marketplaces, and express delivery—are expanding rapidly, boosting profitability even as economic conditions remain uncertain.

2. Palantir shares tumbled 11% Thursday, extending a two-day decline of over 20% as retail traders' enthusiasm for the AI-driven defense contractor showed signs of fading. The selloff followed news that CEO Alex Karp plans to sell up to 10 million shares and reports of potential U.S. defense budget cuts. Despite surging 340% last year and still being up 32% in 2025, analysts warn the stock’s sky-high valuation—trading at 80 times sales—makes it unsustainable. While loyal retail investors have propped up Palantir, Wall Street remains skeptical, with most analysts recommending a hold or lower.

3. Trump is considering distributing 20% of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cost-cutting savings to Americans, alongside another 20% to reduce the national debt. The idea, floated at the FII Priority Summit, gained traction after Elon Musk suggested funding tax refund checks with DOGE’s savings. While Trump’s allies claim up to $55 billion in cuts, reports suggest the real savings are far lower, with miscalculations inflating figures. Legal challenges persist, but a federal judge ruled Tuesday that DOGE can continue its cost-cutting efforts while litigation unfolds. Critics remain skeptical of both the numbers and the feasibility of a so-called “DOGE Dividend.”

4. Headlines

   1. Amazon will be taking control of the creative direction for the James Bond franchise.

   2. Mercedes Benz will be refocusing on internal combustion engines to help revive earnings.

   _{* This is sponsored content.}

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