WMT Stock Before Earnings: ±5.1% Priced, IV Ramps +82% Into the Print

What happens to WMT stock before earnings? Two things are measurable: options currently price a ±5.1% move for the Aug 20, 2026 report (before market open) against a 10-year average move of about ±5.3%; at-the-money implied volatility climbed +82% over the final five sessions before the print on average across Walmart's last 9 reports (it rose into 9 of the 9), with the last day alone averaging +19%. That ramp is what an IV-rush trade tries to capture — and it collapses the moment the numbers are out (IV crush), which is why buying calls or puts the night before is usually a bet against the odds unless the move beats what was priced.

Options price

±5.1%

for Aug 20, 2026 · before market open

Avg move (10Y)

±5.3%

peak earnings-day move

Typical IV ramp

+82%

-5d → last close, avg of 9 reports

Last-day ramp

+19%

final session alone, average

WMT live implied move & 10Y history → · WMT stock after earnings → · Who is on the IV Rush Radar this week → · How the IV rush trade works →

How WMT's implied volatility ramps into the print

The IV Rush Radar records at-the-money IV twice a day for the last five sessions before every Walmart report. Its most recent release (May 21, 2026) looked like this — IV at each 4pm close, versus the -5d morning reading of 46%:

Session	ATM IV	vs -5d open
-5d 4pm	44%	-3%
-4d 4pm	45%	-1%
-3d 4pm	58%	+27%
-2d 4pm	65%	+42%
-1d 4pm	74%	+63%

Across all 9 tracked reports the five-session ramp averaged +82% and the last day alone +19%.

Report	IV at -5d	IV at last close	Ramp
May 21, 2026	46%	74%	+63%
Feb 19, 2026	▮▮%	▮▮▮%	+▮▮%
Nov 20, 2025	▮▮%	▮▮▮%	+▮▮%
Aug 21, 2025	▮▮%	▮▮▮%	+▮▮%

The other 8 Walmart reports, side by side — and the live curve for the next one — are in the IV Rush Radar. This is the tool members use to trade the ramp before the crush: the historical median IV path for WMT drawn against today's real-time IV, three snapshot signals (is IV rising now, is the projected straddle gain worth it, does WMT usually rise on the last day), a projected straddle price into the close, and the platform's daily P1/P2/P3 rush picks. Ideal setups light all three signals green — and the radar tells you when to be out (always before the last close). See member plans →

Why "just buy calls before earnings" usually loses even when you're right

Everything the market expects is already in the premium: implied volatility peaks at the last close before the report and collapses the moment the numbers are out. A call bought the night before needs the stock to move more than the implied move in the right direction just to break even — a smaller-than-priced move loses money on both calls and puts. Our IV crush guide walks through the mechanics; the expected-move calculator turns a straddle price into the break-even you'd need.

Buying the WMT straddle at the last close and holding through: 4 of 8 paid

The backtester replays a long ATM straddle entered at the last close before each of Walmart's last 8 reports and marked at the reaction-day close — real contract prices, not theory. Long vol won 4 of 8; short vol is the mirror image.

Report	Straddle at entry	At reaction close	Long-vol P&L
Feb 19, 2026	$6.96	$2.44	-65%
Nov 20, 2025	$4.98	$7.29	+46%
Aug 21, 2025	$▮▮.▮▮	$▮▮.▮▮	▮▮%
May 15, 2025	$▮▮.▮▮	$▮▮.▮▮	▮▮%
Feb 20, 2025	$▮▮.▮▮	$▮▮.▮▮	▮▮%

Every one of the 8 instances — entry, open, midday and close prices for straddles, strangles, iron butterflies and condors — is in the Backtester, and the Simulator gives the likelihood of success and risk/reward for the exact position you'd put on for the next report. See member plans →

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Frequently asked questions

Should I buy WMT before earnings?

That is a decision only you can make, and this page does not give advice. What the data says: options price a move of ±5.1% for the Aug 20, 2026 report, so a long call or put needs Walmart to move more than that in the right direction to profit after IV crush. Implied volatility has climbed +82% on average over the final five sessions, which is why some traders trade the ramp itself and exit before the print.

Does WMT implied volatility go up before earnings?

Usually. Across Walmart's last 9 reports at-the-money IV rose into the print 9 times, averaging +82% from five sessions out to the last close, with the last day alone averaging +19%. Into its May 21, 2026 report IV went from 46% to 74%.

When does WMT IV peak before earnings?

At the last close before the report — the final session before the print carries the biggest step for most names, which is why an IV-rush trade is exited before that close and never held through the announcement.

What is WMT's implied move for the next earnings?

Options currently price about ±5.1% for Aug 20, 2026 (before market open); the 10-year average move is about ±5.3%.