24/7 Wall St.

Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is scheduled to release its fiscal second-quarter financial results before the markets open on Thursday. The consensus forecast calls for $1.22 in earnings per share (EPS) and $130.21 billion in revenue. The same period of last year had $1.29 in EPS and $128.03 billion in revenue.

Earlier this quarter, the mega-retailer said that it wants to offer people the ultimate way to get perishable groceries. One of its workers will bring them to your house, open the door and then open the refrigerator to put in your order. It is another ratcheting up in the battle between the world’s largest retailer and Amazon.

Walmart spelled out its reasoning by saying that since it already delivers groceries, and also offers grocery pickup, delivery to refrigerators is the next level of service. Its grocery pickup will operate out of 3,100 stores by the end of 2019. Its delivery service will operate out of 1,600.

CEO Doug McMillon made the official announcement, and it demonstrated the importance the new plan has for Walmart. The new program will be called InHome Delivery.

Overall, Walmart has performed more or less in line with the broad markets, with the stock up about 15% year to date. In the past 52 weeks, the stock is up about 19%.

A few analysts weighed in on Walmart ahead of the report:

• Loop Capital has a Hold rating and a $115 price target.
• Goldman Sachs has a Buy rating with a $123 price target.
• KeyCorp has an Overweight rating with a $125 price target.
• Morgan Stanley rates it as Overweight with a $115 target.
• Jefferies has a Buy rating with a $120 price target.

Shares of Walmart traded at $107.02 on Wednesday, in a 52-week range of $85.78 to $115.49. The consensus price target is $111.93.