If You'd Invested $10,000 in Walmart Stock 10 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Today
Key Points
Walmart's total return in the past decade meaningfully outperformed the S&P 500 index.
Valuation expansion contributed more to the stock’s rise than profit growth.
- 10 stocks we like better than Walmart ›
Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) collected $177.8 billion in revenue during its fiscal 2027 first quarter (ended April 30). This gargantuan figure is second only to Amazon, which has its hands in various other industries.
The market might not view Walmart as an exciting business. But its performance is cheered by shareholders. If you'd invested $10,000 in this retail stock 10 years ago, here's how much you'd have today.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »
Image source: Getty Images.
Walmart's earnings growth is consistent
Over the past decade, Walmart put up a total return of 463% (as of June 30). This gain is significantly better than the S&P 500's showing. And it means that an initial $10,000 investment in the Bentonville, Arkansas-based enterprise would be worth $55,220 today.
Between fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2026, Walmart's diluted earnings per share increased by 6% on an annualized basis. This is a tailwind that propels stock returns. The company's profits have benefited from robust e-commerce penetration, soaring advertising revenue, and the successful launch of the Walmart+ membership program.
Investors shouldn't overlook improving market sentiment, however, which has contributed greatly to the return profile. Over the last 10 years, Walmart's price-to-earnings ratio has increased by 149%. Currently at 39.9, the P/E multiple is unmistakable evidence that shares are extremely expensive right now.
If you're looking to buy Walmart stock, think again. It's best to wait for a much cheaper entry point.
Should you buy stock in Walmart right now?
Before you buy stock in Walmart, 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 Walmart wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $400,101!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,212,683!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 911% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of July 3, 2026.
Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Recommended Articles
