The Zacks Analyst Blog Walmart, Marvell and Amphenol

Core Insights - The ongoing Q4 earnings season shows a strong performance with total earnings for 48 S&P 500 members up by +21.3% year-over-year and revenues up by +6.8% [4][5] - Walmart, Marvell Technology, and Amphenol Corp. are highlighted as key stocks in the current market analysis [2][9][12] Group 1: Earnings Performance - Total earnings for 48 S&P 500 members are up +21.3% from the same period last year, with 83.3% beating EPS estimates and 70.8% beating revenue estimates [4][5] - For the entire Q4, S&P 500 earnings are expected to increase by +8.6% on +4.8% higher revenues [5][6] - Full-year 2025 S&P 500 earnings are projected to rise by +13.7% on +5.4% higher revenues, marking the first time since 2018 that all 16 Zacks sectors are expected to see positive earnings growth [6][7] Group 2: Walmart Inc. - Walmart shares have outperformed the Zacks Retail - Supermarkets industry over the past year, gaining +74% compared to +68.4% for the industry [9] - The company benefits from a diverse business model and a strong omnichannel strategy, which has increased traffic across physical and digital platforms [9][10] - Despite raising its fiscal 2025 guidance, Walmart faces challenges from adverse currency movements and margin pressures, indicating a potential slowdown in Q4 revenue and operating income [11] Group 3: Marvell Technology, Inc. - Marvell Technology shares have outperformed the Zacks Electronics - Semiconductors industry, with a +93.3% increase compared to +58.5% for the industry [12] - The company reported a 98% year-over-year increase in data center end market revenues, driven by AI demand for PAM products and ZR electro-optics [13] - However, weakening consumer spending and high inflation may negatively impact sales in the Consumer segment [14] Group 4: Amphenol Corp. - Amphenol shares have gained +4% over the past six months, slightly underperforming the Zacks Electronics - Connectors industry, which gained +5.2% [15] - The company is well-positioned due to strong demand for its high-technology interconnect products, particularly in defense and commercial markets [15][16] - Amphenol expects a mid-teens increase in sales from the Defense market for 2024, supported by its diversified business model [16][17]