Walmart Expands Same-Day Pharmacy Delivery With Refrigerated Meds

Walmart Inc. WMT has extended its Same-Day Pharmacy Delivery service to include refrigerated and reconstituted medications such as insulin, GLP-1s and pediatric amoxicillin. This marks the first time a major retailer has offered cold-chain prescriptions alongside groceries and household items in one seamless online order. The new service is a direct response to customer needs, broadening access to critical medications.This latest development builds on the momentum of Walmart’s pharmacy delivery program, which has already completed more than four million orders since its pilot launch one year ago. The service has already demonstrated speed, with its fastest order completed in just nine minutes. By adding refrigerated medications that account for more than 30% of pharmacy sales, Walmart unlocks significant new value for customers nationwide.    The offering is designed with customer assurance in mind. Deliveries are tracked in real time through the Walmart app, and medications are packaged in insulated, light-blocking bags to preserve condition and efficacy. Customers can choose delivery windows ranging from scheduled to on-demand and must sign for their orders in person.Walmart’s pharmacy footprint of more than 15,000 pharmacists provides additional support, including counsel, screenings and immunizations. Its long-standing $4 generic prescription program is also eligible for delivery. For Walmart+ members, the service comes at no added cost, aligning affordability with innovation. This step highlights Walmart’s ability to merge scale with technology to expand healthcare access across the United States.What Latest Metrics Say About WalmartWalmart, which competes with Costco Wholesale Corporation COST and Target Corporation TGT, has been a standout performer, with shares rallying 27.4% in the past year, almost in tandem with the industry’s growth of 26.4%. Shares of Costco have advanced 4.6%, while Target declined 44.6% in the aforementioned period. Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchFrom a valuation standpoint, Walmart's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 36.65, higher than the industry’s 33.30. WMT carries a Value Score of C. Walmart is trading at a premium to Target (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 10.93) but at a discount to Costco (47.13).Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Walmart’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 4% and 3.6%, respectively.  Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchWalmart currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor StockThis under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. And it's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $971 billion by 2028.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Target Corporation (TGT): Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks