Walmart reported a 7.3 percent increase in first-quarter revenue to $177.8 billion, beating analyst expectations through strong e-commerce and advertising growth.Despite these gains, the company absorbed $175 million in fuel costs and issued a cautious outlook for the second quarter that fell below Wall Street forecasts.Shares dropped 7 percent as officials highlighted consumer stress, marked by reduced gasoline purchases and persistent economic uncertainty across the US.CEO
John Furner noted that automation and improved delivery speeds have bolstered operational efficiency during this volatile fiscal period.