Walmart맥스카지노�s first quarter profit slipped and it said it must raise prices due to higher costs from tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump.The nation맥스카지노�s largest retailers posted strong quarterly sales Thursday and said it expects sales growth of 3.5% to 4.5% in the second quarter.Like many other U.S. companies, however, it did not issue a profit outlook for the quarter because of the chaotic environment, with stated U.S. tariff policies changing constantly. The company maintained its full-year guidance issued in February.Walmart earned $4.45 billion, or 56 cents per share, in the quarter ended April 30, down from $5.10 billion, or 63 cents per share, in the same period last year.Adjusted earnings per share were 61 cents, exceeding the 58 cent-projections from industry analysts, according to FactSet.Revenue rose 2.5% to $165.61 billion, just short of analyst estimates.Walmart맥스카지노�s U.S. comparable sales 맥스카지노� those from established physical stores and online channels 맥스카지노� rose 4.5% in the second quarter, though that맥스카지노�s slowed from a 4.6% bump in the previous quarter, and a 5.3% increase in the third quarter of 2024.Shares rose almost 3% before the opening bell Thursday.Video below: Inflation cooled for the third straight month, but economists still fear it could rise againBusiness was fueled by health and wellness items as well as groceries. Sales were weaker in home and sporting goods, which was offset by robust sales of toys, automotive goods and kids' clothing, the company said.Global e-commerce sales rose 22%, up from 16% in the previous quarter.Future sales have become a concern for all retailers for a number of reasons.Many Americans have been pulling back on spending as they grow uneasy about the economy, and inflation remains elevated. Trump맥스카지노�s tariffs on China and other countries threaten the low-price model that is at the core of Walmart맥스카지노�s success.Trump맥스카지노�s threatened 145% import taxes on Chinese goods were reduced to 30% in a deal announced Monday, with some of the higher tariffs on pause for 90 days.Retailers and importers had largely stopped shipping shoes, clothes, toys, and other items with the duties so high, but many will now resume importing from China in the narrow window, hoping to avoid sparse shelves this fall. Yet many retailers say they must raise prices to offset tariff costs. And they are also bracing for higher shipping costs fueled by a surge of companies scrambling to get their goods on ships to the U.S.Walmart has built in hedges against some tariff threats. Two-thirds of Walmart맥스카지노�s merchandise is sourced in the U.S., with groceries driving much of that. Groceries account for roughly 60%, of Walmart맥스카지노�s U.S. business.Still, Walmart isn맥스카지노�t immune and said it will have to raise prices even as it works to absorb the costs of the tariffs.맥스카지노�We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible but given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren맥스카지노�t able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins,맥스카지노� said CEO Doug McMillon in a statement.Walmart is among the first major U.S. retailers to report financial results and the numbers can provide a hint as to the mood of the American shopper and how the tariffs are impacting its business.Earlier this month, Amazon announced higher first-quarter profit and sales that beat analysts맥스카지노� projections, underscoring the online behemoth맥스카지노�s hold on shoppers looking for low prices and a wide selection in an uncertain economy.Amazon brought in foreign goods before Trump맥스카지노�s tariffs took effect. And Amazon맥스카지노�s president and CEO Andy Jassy told analysts during its earnings call that many of its third party sellers did the same. And because of that move, a fair amount of third-party sellers haven맥스카지노�t changed their pricing yet, he said.