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As the Q3 earnings season comes to a close, it’s time to take stock of this quarter’s best and worst performers in the large-format grocery & general merchandise retailer industry, including Walmart and its peers.

Big-box retailers operate large stores that sell groceries and general merchandise at highly competitive prices. Because of their scale and resulting purchasing power, these big-box retailers–with annual sales in the tens to hundreds of billions of dollars–are able to get attractive volume discounts and sell at often the lowest prices. While e-commerce is a threat, these retailers have been able to weather the storm by either providing a unique in-store shopping experience or by reinvesting their hefty profits into omnichannel investments.

The 4 large-format grocery & general merchandise retailer stocks we track reported a mixed Q3. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 3.2% on average since the latest earnings results.

Best Q3: Walmart

Known for its large-format Supercenters, Walmart is a retail pioneer that serves a budget-conscious consumer who is looking for a wide range of products under one roof.

Walmart reported revenues of $179.5 billion, up 5.8% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.1%. Overall, it was a satisfactory quarter for the company with a decent beat of analysts’ gross margin estimates but full-year EPS guidance meeting analysts’ expectations.

Walmart achieved the biggest analyst estimates beat of the whole group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is up 14.1% since reporting and currently trades at $114.88.

Is now the time to buy Walmart? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

BJ's

Appealing to the budget-conscious individual shopping for a household, BJ’s Wholesale Club is a membership-only retail chain that sells groceries, appliances, electronics, and household items, often in bulk quantities.

BJ's reported revenues of $5.35 billion, up 4.9% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. The business performed better than its peers, but it was unfortunately a mixed quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

However, the results were likely priced into the stock as it’s traded sideways since reporting. Shares currently sit at $90.87.

Is now the time to buy BJ's? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: Target

With a higher focus on style and aesthetics compared to other large general merchandise retailers, Target serves the suburban consumer who is looking for a wide range of products under one roof.

Target reported revenues of $25.27 billion, down 1.6% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a mixed quarter as it posted full-year EPS guidance beating analysts’ expectations but a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Target delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth in the group. Interestingly, the stock is up 3.4% since the results and currently trades at $91.54.

Read our full analysis of Target’s results here.

Costco

Designed to be a one-stop shop for the suburban consumer, Costco is a membership-only retail chain that sells groceries, apparel, toys, and household items, often in bulk quantities.

Costco reported revenues of $86.16 billion, up 8.1% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations. Taking a step back, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced an impressive beat of analysts’ gross margin estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Costco achieved the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is down 5.1% since reporting and currently trades at $895.58.

Read our full, actionable report on Costco here, it’s free for active Edge members.

The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how general industrial machinery stocks fared in Q3, starting with Honeywell .

Automation that increases efficiency and connected equipment that collects analyzable data have been trending, creating new demand for general industrial machinery companies. Those who innovate and create digitized solutions can spur sales and speed up replacement cycles, but all general industrial machinery companies are still at the whim of economic cycles. Consumer spending and interest rates, for example, can greatly impact the industrial production that drives demand for these companies’ offerings.

The 15 general industrial machinery stocks we track reported a strong Q3. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.8% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady. On average, they are relatively unchanged since the latest earnings results.

Honeywell

Originally founded in 1906 as a thermostat company, Honeywell is a multinational conglomerate known for its aerospace systems, building technologies, performance materials, and safety and productivity solutions.

Honeywell reported revenues of $10.41 billion, up 7% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 2.6%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

Vimal Kapur, chairman and chief executive officer of Honeywell, commented, "As we progressed toward separating into three industry-leading public companies, we drove strong financial results and unlocked new value creation opportunities during the third quarter. Increased orders across our business segments pushed the company's total backlog to another record high and reinforced the benefit of the new, innovative solutions we are delivering for customers. All of this translated to us exceeding the high end of our guidance for both organic growth and adjusted earnings per share in the quarter."

Honeywell delivered the weakest full-year guidance update of the whole group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is down 6.9% since reporting and currently trades at $192.44.

Is now the time to buy Honeywell? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Best Q3: Hillenbrand

Hillenbrand, Inc. is an industrial company that designs, manufactures, and sells highly engineered processing equipment and solutions for various industries.

Hillenbrand reported revenues of $652.1 million, down 22.1% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 9.8%. The business had an incredible quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and EBITDA estimates.

However, the results were likely priced into the stock as it’s traded sideways since reporting. Shares currently sit at $31.78.

Is now the time to buy Hillenbrand? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: Albany

Founded in 1895, Albany is a global textiles and materials processing company, specializing in machine clothing for paper mills and engineered composite structures for aerospace and other industries.

Albany reported revenues of $261.4 million, down 12.4% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 12.8%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a miss of analysts’ Engineered Composites revenue estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.

Albany delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. As expected, the stock is down 10.9% since the results and currently trades at $48.63.

Read our full analysis of Albany’s results here.

Crane

Based in Connecticut, Crane is a diversified manufacturer of engineered industrial products, including fluid handling, and aerospace technologies.

Crane reported revenues of $589.2 million, up 7.5% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

The stock is down 1.9% since reporting and currently trades at $187.87.

Read our full, actionable report on Crane here, it’s free for active Edge members.

3M

Producers of the first asthma inhaler, 3M Company is a global conglomerate known for products in industries like healthcare, safety, electronics, and consumer goods.

3M reported revenues of $6.32 billion, flat year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 1%. It was a strong quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and a decent beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

The stock is up 8.4% since reporting and currently trades at $169.15.

Read our full, actionable report on 3M here, it’s free for active Edge members.