Home Compare TGT vs WMT
Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Discount Stores

Target vs Walmart: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Walmart carrying a narrow edge on stability. Target still has the edge on valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is broadly comparable for both — no clear directional signal from price behavior. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

Stability is the clearest driver, while valuation keeps the result from looking one-way.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Discount Stores

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. TGT and WMT share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Target and Walmart each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
TGT
Target Corporation
52
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
WMT
Walmart Inc.
53
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in stability.

Dimension spread: TGT vs WMT Profitability 58 65 Stability 23 80 Valuation 85 37 Growth 20 34 TGT WMT
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +57
#2 Valuation +48
#3 Growth +14
#4 Profitability +7
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for TGT and WMT Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer TGTWMT Relative valuation Structural strength

The price setup looks more supportive for Walmart Inc., but Target Corporation still has the stronger structure.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where TGT and WMT each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY TGT Neutral · near norm 0th 50th 100th 65 pct gap WMT Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 34th 99th
Today TGT sits in the lower-middle of its own 5-year history (34th percentile), while WMT sits higher in its own history (99th). Within each stock's own 5-year context, TGT is at a historically more favourable entry position than WMT. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger — peer-relative analysis is a separate question addressed above.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
Walmart Inc. ranks near the top of the group on stability; Target Corporation sits in the weaker half.
Valuation
The same broad pattern appears on valuation: Target Corporation ranks near the top of the group, while Walmart Inc. stays in the weaker half.
Stability — Dominant Gap
TGT
23
WMT
80
Gap+57in favour of WMT

The clearest distance comes from a steadier profile over time.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Absolute pricing still looks more supportive for Target, with a forward P/E that is 26 turns lower there.

What this means for the comparison

Stability is the clearest driver of the lead, with valuation adding further support — though valuation still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the TGT vs WMT comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how TGT and WMT each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.