Walmart reports strong growth in China, e-commerce sales surge

Walmart Inc reported its first-quarter results for fiscal year 2027 on Thursday, with strong performance in the Chinese unit.

Walmart China posted net sales of $8 billion in the first quarter, marking a 22.3 percent increase year-on-year. E-commerce sales were a standout, rising 31 percent and accounting for 50 percent of total sales — up 335 basis points from the same period last year. The company credited strong demand during the Chinese New Year for providing key momentum behind the growth.

The company's membership-based format, Sam's Club, also maintained its growth trajectory, adding nine new stores over the past 12 months, while sustaining double-digit transaction growth.

"E-commerce in China grew over 30 percent as we leverage our cloud network to make deliveries within minutes," John David Rainey, Walmart Inc executive vice president and CFO said during an earnings call. "The team delivered over half a billion units in the first quarter, with about 75 percent arriving in under one hour."