AI Evaluation Notes

Tariffs were indeed applied in late 2024 and early 2025, with average US tariff rates increasing significantly. Walmart explicitly stated that it would raise prices due to these tariff costs to maintain profit margins, with its CEO noting the company couldn't absorb all the pressure. While Walmart also employed strategies like nearshoring and cross-department subsidies to mitigate some impact, the core prediction of increasing prices due to tariffs to protect margins was accurate.