Report: Walmart well positioned for grocery battles

The arrival of German discount grocer Lidl and Amazon's purchase of Whole Foods Markets have ratcheted up the already intense grocery wars and put new pressure on existing players, including Walmart. But one analyst thinks the discounter is well-positioned for the battle.



Groceries already account for more than 55% of Walmart's U.S. sales. And by adding Jet.com to its portfolio in 2016, the chain has set itself up to go "toe-to-toe" with any competition — both offline and online — today, Oppenheimer & Co. analyst Rupesh Parikh said in a CNBC report.



The analyst said that Walmart's story as a retailer is “fresher than it's been in years.”



Walmart has made great strides in the grocery department recently and continues to evolve, reflected in the most recent shake-up of its food leadership team. Among the key changes: Shawn Baldwin, senior VP and general merchandise manager for produce and global food sourcing, who will focus on a new initiative for Hispanic customers.



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