What to Expect in Markets This Week: Earnings from Walmart, Target and Home Depot
What to Expect in Markets This Week: Earnings from Walmart, Target and Home Depot
Sarina TrangleSun, August 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC
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Target is one of several large retailers slated to report this week.Credit: Kevin Van Paassen / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Now that inflation has cooled a bit, are shoppers still clipping coupons and leaving gas stations with half-filled tanks?
Investors will get a read on how Americans are spending when major retailers—including Walmart, Target and Home Depot—hand in quarterly results this week. Consumer sentiment declinedover the last month despite inflation dipping for a second month in a row, according to the University of Michigan’s surveys of consumers.Hiring has stagnated, wages aren’t keeping up with the cost of living, and some worry inflation will accelerate as the war drags on and tariffs rise.
Walmart earlier this year said customers appear to be “navigating financial distress” based on changes in gas-buying behavior this spring. The chain reduced prices in response. Investors will look for indications that the strategy is working when Walmart hands in its numbers on Thursday.
Other retailers are cutting prices to try to win over, and keep, inflation-weary customers. Target, which reports Wednesday, saw sales climb last quarter. But CFO Jim Lee said consumers’ downbeat mood could temper its growth. Consumer spending has been slowing, according to Census data: Retail sales fell 0.6% from June to July, down from a 0.2% bump in June and a roughly 1% increase in May.
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Investors should also get a feel for where people are focusing their spending, with companies specializing in everything from tractors to tennis shoes due to report. Quarterly results are expected from Home Depot, Lowe’s, John Deere & Co. and Amer Sports, the parent company of Arc’teryx and Salomon.
Market Recap
All three major U.S. indexes ended last week higher after tumbling at the beginning of the week. Shares began to reverse course on Wednesday, when federal data showed inflation decelerated in July, a signal that the Fed may be less likely to raise interest rates than thought. Strong results from CoreWeave and Super Micro Computer helped lift AI and tech-related stocks. The results came even after a quietly downbeat Friday session; for our recap of the end-of-week trading, click here.
This Week’s Top Events
Here’s a look at major events happening this week. TradingView publishes a more detailed calendar, but clicking the link will take you off the Investopedia site.
Tuesday, Aug. 18: Amer Sports (AS) is slated to release its second-quarter results before the opening bell, and host a webcast at 8 a.m. ET. The company beat expectations last quarter and raised its forecast.
Tuesday: Home Depot (HD) is set to host a conference call on its second-quarter results at 9 a.m. ET, with the figures expected before then. The retailer had strong top and bottom line figures last quarter, but slower-than-expected same-store sales growth. Americans have been putting off major home improvement projects for years, and in response, home improvement stores are trying to bolster business with professional contractors. Investors are slated to get results from another industry giant, Lowe’s (LOW), on Wednesday.
Wednesday, Aug. 19: Target (TGT) is scheduled to host a conference call on its second-quarter results at 8 a.m. ET, with the numbers expected before then. The retailer topped estimates last quarter, with same-store sales growing for the first time in more than a year. New CEO Michael Fiddelke said the chain’s turnaround campaign is “resonating” with customers.
Wednesday: Estée Lauder Cos. (EL) plans to publish its fiscal fourth-quarter results and host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET. Shares of the cosmetic company surged in May when Estée Lauder announced it was abandoning plans to buy Puig, another makeup company. Coty (COTY), parent company of CoverGirl and Sally Hansen, is also scheduled to report this week.
Wednesday: Minutes from the July Federal Open Markets Committee meeting are due at 2 p.m. ET. Investors will look for insight on how monetary policymakers are talking about using interest rates to temper inflation, which has been above the 2% target for years. The Fed held rates steady at the meeting, with three members dissenting.
Wednesday: TJX Cos. (TJX) plans to release second-quarter results before the opening bell, followed by a conference call at 11 a.m. ET. The parent company of TJ Maxx and Marshalls handed in better-than-expected numbers last quarter and raised its guidance. Ross Stores (ROST), another off-price retailer, is slated to report Thursday.
Thursday, Aug. 20: Walmart (WMT) is scheduled to release its second-quarter results at 7 a.m. ET, followed by a conference call at 8 a.m. ET. Walmart’s earnings were in line with expectations last quarter, and its revenue came in above estimates.
Thursday: Deere & Co. (DE) is slated to host a conference call on its fiscal third-quarter results at 10 a.m. ET, with the results expected before then.Investors sold shares of the farming and construction equipment company after its second-quarter results, but Deere has generally had a good 2026, thanks to demand from firms constructing AI data centers.
Friday, Aug. 21: BJ’s Wholesale Club (BJ) is set to release its second-quarter results before the stock market opens, and host a conference call at 8 a.m. ET. The warehouse club operator mostly beat expectations last quarter.
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Source: “AOL Money”
