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- Walmart posted surprisingly strong sales growth in the last quarter, while Target reported a decline.
- The difference comes down in large part to each company's reliance on grocery spending.
- As shoppers increasingly prioritize essentials, one in four US grocery dollars are spent at Walmart.
The past several months have had no shortage of confusing data and conflicting reports about the state of the US consumer economy, but one thing that has remained consistent throughout: Households are prioritizing essentials like groceries in their weekly budgets.