Walmart Eyes Vizio Acquisition to Supercharge Its Smart TV and Advertising Game

Walmart Inc WMT is venturing into the smart TV market by negotiating the purchase of Vizio Holding Corp VZIO, a leading television manufacturer, for over $2 billion. 

This acquisition would significantly expand Walmart’s advertising capabilities, enabling the retail giant to sell more ads and promote products more effectively. 

The potential merger underscores the growing importance of consumer data and advertising space for retailers aiming to enhance their advertising ventures and compete with Amazon.Com Inc AMZN, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

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Retail media is becoming increasingly competitive, with companies like Best Buy Co Inc BBY, Kroger Co KR, and Instacart entering the advertising arena, contributing to the projected $59.6 billion in U.S. ad revenue for the retail media space this year.

Walmart views its Walmart Connect ad unit as a critical strategy for increasing profits, particularly from its grocery segment, which traditionally offers lower profit margins. 

The acquisition of Vizio could bolster Walmart’s advertising revenue, providing the retailer with additional funds to invest in faster shipping and other customer services.

Vizio, founded in 2002 and known for its affordable TVs, has expanded into advertising and streaming, offering a new avenue for Walmart to grow its advertising business.

Price Action: VZIO shares closed higher by 24.70% at $9.76 on Tuesday.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Walmart Photo by Sundry Photography on Shutterstock