WMT vs SBUX Stock Comparison
WMT currently leads SBUX in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 54 vs 44. The clearest difference is momentum.
What is the main difference between WMT and SBUX?
WMT leads the current stock comparison as Walmart Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Walmart Inc. vs Starbucks Corporation
WMT leads
WMT leads by 10 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Value. Wall Street currently favors SBUX on target upside.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support WMT, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Walmart Inc.
Starbucks Corporation
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors WMT over SBUX, 54 versus 44 as of Oct 21, 2026. WMT's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and value. WMT also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors SBUX. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor WMT today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. WMT lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 10 points over 30 sessions. WMT leads on all four AIQ factor dimensions. Value is itself one of those four, so a sweep is not explained by valuation alone — it deserves additional scrutiny for unmodeled catalysts, expectations or event risk.
Compare Walmart Inc. and Starbucks Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare WMT and SBUX against another ticker
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AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum76 vs 64WMT +12
- Value35 vs 24WMT +11
- Quality53 vs 44WMT +9
- Risk Resilience55 vs 50WMT +5
4 of 6 evidence groups favor WMT. WMT’s edge is concentrated in momentum and value.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum -7
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum +14
New signals
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
WMT's lead narrowed by 5 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — WMT and SBUX both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
WMT (Walmart Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and value.
SBUX (Starbucks Corporation): the counter-case, on fundamentals, analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
WMTWMT on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
SBUXSBUX on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
WMTWMT on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points.
Momentum
WMTWMT on the Momentum factor, by 12 points.
Lower downside
WMTWMT on Risk Resilience, by 5 points.
Analyst upside
SBUXSBUX on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors WMT, analyst targets favor SBUX. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | WMT | SBUX | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +11% | +15.9% | SBUX has more room |
| Target dispersion | +34.4% | +28.7% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 19 | 14 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Dividend growth
| Dividend metric | WMT | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y dividend CAGR | 5.48% | 7.84% |
| 2020 regular DPS | $0.720 | $1.680 |
| 2025 regular DPS | $0.940 | $2.450 |
| Years increased | 5 | 5 |
| No cut in window | Yes | Yes |
| Cohort rank | #232 | #149 |
SBUX grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 7.84% a year against WMT's 5.48%. Neither company reduced its regular dividend in any year of the window.
Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.
Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor WMT. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | WMT | 54 vs 44 |
| Fundamentals | SBUXon balance | revenue growth 5.7% vs -2.2%; EPS growth 19.4% vs 102.2%; TTM ROE 22.7% vs -24.3%; gross margin 25.2% vs 31.7%; operating margin 4.4% vs 9.4% — SBUX takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | WMT | Value 35 vs 24 |
| Technicals | WMT | Price vs 50-day 7.9% vs -0.9%; vs 200-day -0.4% vs 0.1% |
| Risk Resilience | WMT | Risk Resilience 55 vs 50 |
| Analyst expectations | SBUX | Target upside 11% vs 15.9% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of WMT and SBUX and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 10 points.
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on WMT.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20WMT lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 10 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- WMT +10
- 54 vs 44
- 7 sessions ago
- WMT +14
- 54 vs 40
- 30 sessions ago
- WMT +12
- 46 vs 34
- 90 sessions ago
- Level
- 47 vs 47
The lead changed hands once in this window, most recently on Jul 22 when WMT moved ahead of SBUX.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
Only WMT
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (8.41%)
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
2 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
Only SBUX
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (0.65%)
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: MACD Bullish Crossover.
WMT leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.04%, AIQ -1 points).
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 4 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -0.29%, AIQ +4 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1SBUX closes the Momentum gap — currently 12 points behind, the largest single contributor to WMT's edge.
- 2SBUX's BB Upper Band Breach resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
- 3WMT's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
SBUX leads on balance| Metric | WMT | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 5.7% | -2.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 19.4% | 102.2% |
| Gross margin | 25.2% | 31.7% |
| Operating margin | 4.4% | 9.4% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 22.7% | -24.3% |
| Debt to equity | 0.75 | -2.92 |
Performance
SBUX leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | WMT | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 5% | 8% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 7% | 4.5% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 7.8% | -4.4% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -9.1% | 1.6% |
| Year to date | 5.8% | 18% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 10.7% | 17.8% |
Technicals
WMT has the stronger structure| Metric | WMT | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 80.7 | 65.4 |
| ADX (14) | 27.6 | 31 |
| Price vs 50-day | 7.9% | -0.9% |
| Price vs 200-day | -0.4% | 0.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 24.4% | 24.6% |
Risk
WMT is the more resilient| Metric | WMT | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | -0.1 | 0.53 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.33 | 0.55 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.43 | 1.02 |
| Max drawdown | -23.5% | -16.4% |
| Current drawdown | -12.2% | -8.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 26.3% | 27.4% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.5% | -2.5% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, WMT or SBUX?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, WMT is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 54 against SBUX's 44. The edge comes from momentum and value. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is WMT or SBUX the better buy right now?
WMT carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor WMT over SBUX?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. WMT leads Momentum by 12 points; WMT leads Value by 11 points; WMT leads Quality by 9 points. WMT leads on all four AIQ factor dimensions. Value is itself one of those four, so the sweep is not explained by SBUX simply being cheaper — it warrants extra scrutiny for unmodeled catalysts, forward expectations or event risk the factors do not capture.
Which has more analyst upside, WMT or SBUX?
Analyst price targets imply +11% upside for WMT and +15.9% for SBUX, so the Street currently favors SBUX. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors WMT. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, WMT or SBUX?
WMT is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. WMT on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, WMT or SBUX?
SBUX on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, WMT or SBUX?
WMT on the Momentum factor, by 12 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, WMT or SBUX?
WMT is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. WMT on Risk Resilience, by 5 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is WMT more profitable than SBUX?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 25.2% vs 31.7%; operating margin 4.4% vs 9.4%; ttm roe 22.7% vs -24.3%. WMT leads on one measure and SBUX on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is WMT's lead over SBUX getting stronger or weaker?
WMT lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 10 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands once in that window, most recently on 2026-07-22, when WMT moved ahead of SBUX.
What would change the WMT vs SBUX verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: SBUX closes the Momentum gap — currently 12 points behind, the largest single contributor to WMT's edge; SBUX's BB Upper Band Breach resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it; WMT's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about WMT and SBUX?
WMT: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. SBUX: 2 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on WMT is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On SBUX it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare WMT and SBUX with others
Continue your research
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.