Placer.ai recently shared store traffic data that highlights an important trend: Walmart and Target are moving in opposite directions.
Walmart’s store visits strengthened in the back half of 2025 and accelerated into January 2026. Consistent year-over-year gains like this support the fact that Walmart remains one of the most durable anchors in the market.
Grocery continues to be a major driver as well, which reinforces Walmart’s role as a daily-needs destination and a reliable traffic generator.
Target’s traffic has been softer overall, with declines in much of the second half of 2025. January showed a slight improvement, but Placer.ai suggested it may have been influenced by the calendar.
More notably, Target’s weekend visits were down significantly compared to Walmart. Since weekends often capture more discretionary, browsing-oriented trips, that weakness may be where Target is most exposed.
So, Walmart’s momentum reinforces its value as an anchor, while Target’s softness is a reminder that discretionary retail is still under pressure.
