Walmart Outperforms Amazon Over Five-Year Period

A five-year experiment pitted Walmart against Amazon in a battle of retail titans. A $10,000 investment in each stock played out over 5 years ending August 20, 2026. The results showed Walmart's total return coming in at 118.4%, turning the initial position into $21,842. In contrast, Amazon returned 62.6% over the same stretch, leaving that position worth $16,257.

The two stocks followed different paths: Amazon spent a prolonged period below its starting value before rebounding, while Walmart experienced shallower drawdowns and a steady climb across the back half of the period.

Historically, many retail investors assumed e-commerce represented the superior growth story. However, this five-year scorecard challenges that assumption by showing Walmart outperforming Amazon in terms of total return.