Walmart reported third-quarter revenue of $179.5 billion, up 5.8% year-over-year and beating consensus by $4.35 billion. E-commerce sales grew at a mid-teens percentage rate, while its in-house advertising division delivered over 20% revenue growth as retailers increased spend on targeted digital campaigns. The company’s net margin expanded to 3.26% and return on equity reached 21.3%, underpinning a raised full-year EPS guidance range of 2.580 to 2.630. Analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein and Mizuho have both lifted their price targets based on this mix of brick-and-mortar resilience and online strength.

Building on its grocery and essentials leadership, Walmart is bolstering its home goods assortment with higher-end products, including a $1,699 espresso machine from a marquee European brand. This curated collection of small appliances, décor and tabletop offerings is being rolled out in 1,200 supercenters and on its online marketplace. Management cites early test results showing a 12% lift in basket size for households in the top income quintile, a segment where Amazon has traditionally held an advantage.

During Q3, Howland Capital Management raised its stake by 1.5%, acquiring 5,570 additional shares to hold 365,781 in total—equivalent to 1.4% of its portfolio and valued at $37.7 million. Other small institutional investors added positions worth between $26,000 and $39,000. Meanwhile, insiders have sold a combined 139,215 shares over the last quarter, including CEO C. Douglas McMillon’s sale of 19,416 shares for $2.13 million and EVP Daniel Danker’s sale of 4,365 shares for $525,000. Institutional ownership stands at 26.8%, while insiders now hold just 0.10% of outstanding shares.