Published:
Wal-Mart Reports June Sales
BENTONVILLE, Ark., July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
(NYSE: WMT) reported net sales for the five- and 22-week periods ending
July 4, 2008, and July 6, 2007, respectively, as follows (dollars in
billions).
Net Sales
5 Weeks Ended Percent 22 Weeks Ended Percent
7/4/2008 7/6/2007 Change 7/4/2008 7/6/2007 Change
Wal-Mart Stores $25.248 $22.940 10.1% $104.475 $97.572 7.1%
Sam's Club 4.809 4.417 8.9% 19.876 18.550 7.1%
International 9.882 8.454 16.9% 41.966 35.564 18.0%
Total Company $39.939 $35.811 11.5% $166.317 $151.686 9.6%
Comparable store sales for the five- and 22-week periods ending July 4,
2008, and July 6, 2007, respectively, were as follows.
Five Weeks Comparable Store Sales
Without Fuel With Fuel Fuel Impact
7/4/2008 7/6/2007 7/4/2008 7/6/2007 7/4/2008 7/6/2007
Wal-Mart Stores 6.1% 1.6% 6.1% 1.6% 0.0% 0.0%
Sam's Club 4.6% 6.9% 8.3% 7.6% 3.7% 0.7%
Total U.S. 5.8% 2.4% 6.4% 2.5% 0.6% 0.1%
Twenty-two Weeks Comparable Store Sales
Without Fuel With Fuel Fuel Impact
7/4/2008 7/6/2007 7/4/2008 7/6/2007 7/4/2008 7/6/2007
Wal-Mart Stores 3.2% 0.4% 3.2% 0.4% 0.0% 0.0%
Sam's Club 3.1% 5.4% 6.1% 5.5% 3.0% 0.1%
Total U.S. 3.2% 1.1% 3.7% 1.2% 0.5% 0.1%
Wal-Mart U.S.
All six merchandise units (grocery, entertainment, health and wellness,
apparel, home and hardlines) achieved comparable store sales increases in the
June five-week period. The strongest results remain in grocery, entertainment
and health and wellness. Favorable weather and improved assortments helped
drive seasonal sales in apparel, toys and hardlines. In addition, the economic
stimulus checks contributed to increases in overall comparable store traffic
results.
"Our underlying business is strong because of price leadership, clearly
defined product offerings and a better store experience that continue to drive
customers to our stores," said Eduardo Castro-Wright, Wal-Mart U.S. president
and chief executive officer. "Customers like what they are seeing and they're
shopping more of the store. Assortments and brands have improved, which bodes
well for the upcoming seasons, including back-to-school."
Sales in entertainment were strong, with flat panel television sets
continuing to run high double-digit comparable store increases. Within
apparel, sales of swimwear and sportswear were strong.
Sam's Club
Sam's Club sales during the June period had strengths in fresh foods, dry
grocery and consumables. Video games and mattresses were among the best
performing general merchandise categories. House wares and jewelry were soft.
Seasonal hardline sales were also behind plan.
"Both traffic and ticket continued to increase with both our Business and
Advantage members in June, even excluding fuel sales," said Doug McMillon,
Sam's Club president and chief executive officer. "We continue to see a shift
in the overall mix toward fuel, food and consumables, as our members manage
through the current environment. Small business is especially price conscious
in this environment and we remain committed to delivering value for them."
Fuel sales were higher both in gallons and dollars sold, increasing
comparable club sales with fuel by 3.7 percentage points. The transition of
the clubs to back-to-college and fall merchandise is on schedule for later in
the month.
Wal-Mart International
Wal-Mart International's sales for the June period were strongest in the
United Kingdom,Brazil andChina.
"Our international businesses continued to show strong sales increases
during June," said Mike Duke, vice chairman, Wal-Mart International. "We are
committed to serving our customers in a manner that resonates with them
everywhere we do business. Our ability to serve our customers through
different formats at every day low prices is helping us lead in each of our
markets."
In the U.K., sales at ASDA grew faster than the market due to higher
customer traffic, which was driven by ASDA's strong value message. ASDA won an
award for being the lowest priced supermarket in the country from The Grocer,
the U.K.'s leading grocery trade publication, for the eleventh year in a row.
Brazil again had strong sales, led by the low-income format Todo Dia, the
hypermarkets in the South and Southeast, and Maxxi, the cash-and-carry format.
At Wal-Mart China, merchandising for a new federal holiday -- the Dragon
Boat Festival -- and effective advertising contributed to the positive sales
performance. One Trust-Mart store located inSichuan province remains closed
because of the May 12 earthquake.
Wal-Mart Canada had strong sales leading up to Canada Day, a national
holiday on July 1. Wal-Mart Canada opened two new supercentres, bringing the
total number of Canadian supercentres to 34 and total units inCanada to 307.
Wal-Mart Mexico's total and comparable store sales growth continue to be
driven by traffic growth at the self-service formats, Bodega Aurrera, Wal-Mart
Supercenter, Sam's Club, and Superama. Yesterday, Wal-Mart Mexico announced
its comparable store sales increased 8.0 percent in nominal terms during the
calendar June period. Lower consumer confidence negatively affected sales at
the discretionary spending formats, Suburbia and Vips.
Guidance
"Our estimate for U.S. comparable store sales, excluding fuel, for the
July four-week period is between two and four percent," said Tom Schoewe,
executive vice president and chief financial officer. "The Wal-Mart U.S.
underlying business remains strong. However, consumers and small business
owners remain concerned about the economy, inflation and most of all, higher
gas prices. With the last large mailing of economic stimulus checks due this
Friday, it is difficult to forecast the benefit from the economic stimulus
through the remainder of the year.
"Because of our improved sales results during the quarter, we have updated
our guidance estimate for earnings per share for the second quarter of fiscal
year 2009 to a range of $0.82 to $0.84," Schoewe said.
The July four-week period runs from July 5, 2008 through Aug. 1, 2008. The
second quarter of fiscal year 2009 runs from May 1, 2008 through July 31,
2008.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount stores, supercenters,
Neighborhood Markets and Sam's Club locations inthe United States. The
Company operates inArgentina,Brazil,Canada,China,Costa Rica,El Salvador,
Guatemala,Honduras,Japan,Mexico,Nicaragua,Puerto Rico and theUnited
Kingdom and, through a joint venture, inIndia. The Company's securities are
listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT. More information
about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartstores.com. Online
merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and
http://www.samsclub.com.
This release contains statements that Wal-Mart believes are
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and that are intended to enjoy the
protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by that
act. These forward-looking statements relate to our management's estimates
for our comparable store sales inthe United States for the July four-week
reporting period to end August 1, 2008, and for our earnings per share for the
second quarter of fiscal 2009. These statements are identified by use of the
word "estimate" in the statements. These forward-looking statements are
subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, domestically and
internationally, including general economic conditions, the availability of
consumer credit, consumer spending patterns and debt levels, unemployment
levels, fuel prices, inflation levels, weather conditions, competitive
pressures and other risks. The Company discusses certain of these matters and
other risk factors more fully in its filings with the SEC, including the most
recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. This release should be
read in conjunction with that annual report on Form 10-K and certain other
Company filings with the SEC through the date of this release. The Company
urges you to consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors
carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements made in this release
and not to place undue reliance on such statements. As a result of these and
other matters, including changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or
other circumstances, our actual results may differ materially from those
discussed in such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements
included in this release are made only as of the date of this release, and we
undertake no obligation to update either of them to reflect subsequent events
or circumstances.
SOURCE Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze,
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