John Furner, Walmart Inc President and CEO. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
E-commerce major Flipkart’s 13-minute delivery services is “really impressive”, said Walmart Inc President and CEO John Furner, lauding the rapid pace of innovation and delivery execution by its Indian unit, in which it owns a controlling stake.
Walmart acquired a 77% controlling stake in Flipkart in 2018, in a $16 billion deal. Its shareholding now stands at over 80%.
“… the speed at which people are delivering, they are innovating, they are delivering product is impressive. Having deliveries in International, and Flipkart in particular, at 13 minutes is really impressive,” said Mr. Furner in the Q1 FY 2027 earnings call.
Walmart’s fiscal year runs from February 1 to January 31.
Total revenue of Walmart in the first quarter grew 7.3% to $177.8 billion.
“In India, Flipkart now operates more than 800 micro fulfilment centres used for fast delivery, something we call Flipkart Minutes, and they are delivering items in less than 13 minutes on average,” Mr. Furner said.
He was on an India visit earlier this month, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said Walmart will continue its investment in Flipkart ane PhonePe.
“The team delivered strong sales growth for the quarter… our supply chain is one of the best parts of my job, whether that is in the U.S. or places like China and India, where I got to spend time recently,” he said.
Running an omnichannel business through great stores and clubs requires the best technology and people that embrace innovation, he said.
While delivery from Sam’s Club in the U.S. grew over 90%, Walmart’s China business delivered more than half a billion units in the first quarter, with nearly 75% reaching customers in under one hour.
Walmart Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said e-commerce growth in China exceeded 30%, supported by the company’s cloud network enabling deliveries within minutes.
“Flipkart delivered orders in less than 13 minutes on average across more than 30 cities in India,” Mr.Rainey said, underlining Walmart’s focus on strengthening quick-commerce capabilities in key international markets.
During the quarter, the operating income of its international business was $1.6 billion, up 23.9%.
This operating income growth was driven by China and Flipkart. In the division, e-commerce sales was up 27%, led by store-fulfilled pickup and delivery and marketplace.
In Q1 FY 2027 (January 31, 2026 – April 30, 2026), Walmart International’s “advertising business grew 32%, driven by continued momentum at Flipkart,” it said.
Subsequently, it has raised its shareholding and now owns over 80% stake in the Bengaluru-headquartered e-commerce major.
Published – May 22, 2026 03:16 pm IST
