Walmart Set to Ramp Up Stores and AI Tech Rollout in Mexico

Walmart WMT -0.41% ▼ is ramping up investment in Mexico with hundreds of news stores set to open before the end of the decade and a push to implement more automation technology.

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Walmex Ramping Up Spend

Walmex plans to spend $2.4 billion in Mexico and Central America this year, an uplift of 10% on 2025. A quarter of that investment will be spent on launching new stores as part of a plan to open 1,500 between 2025 and 2029.

It has already opened 186 new stores in the past 12 months, including 115 in Q4. Walmex said its new stores were already performing well and that they are expected to contribute between 1.5% and 1.7% to total sales growth in 2026.

The Bodega Aurrera format – a discount store chain which is a subsidiary of Walmex – is reportedly expected to be the main growth engine of the expansion.

Digital and Automation Growth

Walmex said that remodeling and maintenance at existing stores will account for 42% of the investment, while 24% is for expansion and modernization of the supply chain through automation with the goal of increasing growth capacity, product availability, and efficiency, while reducing the cost of serving customers. The opening of new automated distribution centers in Guanajuato and Tlaxcala is planned for 2027.

The remaining 8% is for technology projects to improve execution and data management, scale the business, offer a better shopping experience through digital platforms, and increase automation in stores and distribution centers, boosting associate productivity.

At the end of 2025, Walmex had 3,316 stores in Mexico and 949 in Central America. According to Walmart’s recent full year figures for 2026, international sales climbed 7% led by Walmex, China and its Indian-arm Flipkart. In Q4, Walmex recorded a 4.5% sales hike, with e-commerce demand up 14%.

Is WMT a Good Stock to Buy Now?

On TipRanks, WMT has a Strong Buy consensus based on 26 Buy and 3 Hold ratings. Its highest price target is $150. WMT stock’s consensus price target is $138.92, implying a 13.16% upside.

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