Walmart discounts AirPods Max 2 for holiday shoppers

Apple’s second-generation AirPods Max are one of the most recognizable premium audio products on shelves, and the markdown gives Walmart a headline deal that can attract higher-income shoppers while also nudging broader basket sales. The headphones feature Apple’s H2 chip, improved spatial audio, stronger active noise canceling and Live Translation, making them a high-interest item even after the cut.

Walmart shares have climbed 16% over the past month and closed at $117.87 on Oct. 15, just below the stock’s 200-day moving average of $117.83, while the 50-day moving average sits at $108.72. The stock’s RSI reading of 73.4 points to stretched near-term momentum, but the move reflects confidence that Walmart can keep using deals like this to defend traffic as rivals fight for the same holiday dollars.

That same dynamic is hitting the broader retail complex. Target, whose stock has lost ground from an August peak, closed at $156.63 on Oct. 15, still above its 200-day average but well below its recent highs, underscoring how uneven the holiday setup remains across mass retail.

For investors, the key question is whether early promotions can drive volume without sacrificing profitability. Walmart’s recent filings show e-commerce and omnichannel traffic remain important sales engines, and the company has also been using price investments to stay competitive, even as tariff refunds helped offset some costs.

The AirPods Max deal is a small ticket item in revenue terms, but it fits the larger story: Walmart is trying to own the front end of holiday spending before inflation and gift-card competition erode discretionary budgets. If shoppers keep responding to premium discounting, Walmart could extend its traffic lead into year-end while pressuring rivals with weaker assortment or less pricing power.