Flipkart remained central to Walmart’s international growth story in the first quarter of FY27, as the US retailer highlighted its India ecommerce unit for driving advertising momentum, improving profitability, and scaling faster delivery through Flipkart Minutes.
Walmart International’s net sales rose 18% year-on-year to $35.1 billion in the quarter ended April 30, helped by currency movements. On a constant currency basis, the segment’s net sales rose 10.1% to $32.8 billion.
The unit’s ecommerce sales grew 27%, led by store-fulfilled pickup and delivery and marketplace, while its advertising business grew 32%, “driven by continued momentum at Flipkart,” the company said in its earnings release.
Operating income for the international business rose 23.9% to $1.6 billion, or 10.2% in constant currency terms. Walmart said the operating income growth was driven by China and Flipkart, and benefited from lower ecommerce losses and business mix changes.
The India commentary was focused on speed and quick commerce. John Furner, Walmart’s president and chief executive, on the earnings call, said, "Flipkart now operates more than 800 microfulfillment centres for Flipkart Minutes and is delivering items in less than 13 minutes on average."
Chief financial officer John David Rainey added that Flipkart delivered orders in under 13 minutes across more than 30 Indian cities.
That fits into Walmart’s broader push to use faster fulfilment, marketplace, advertising and membership to improve ecommerce economics. Globally, Walmart’s ecommerce sales grew 26% in the quarter, while its global advertising business rose 37%.
Furner’s recent comments on Flipkart’s quick commerce push come weeks after ET reported that he, during a Flipkart townhall in Bengaluru, said Walmart was bullish on quick commerce in India . Flipkart launched Minutes in August 2024 and has since stepped up expansion as it competes with Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart and Amazon’s quick commerce push.
