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May 11, 2012
Here come the comps - data sharing era begins

Walmart’s view of the shopper is a whole lot clearer now that the company has resumed sharing point-of-sale data with the likes of Nielsen, SymphonyIRI Group and NPD. No wonder chief merchant Duncan Mac Naughton and consumer insights head Cindy Davis expect good things to happen.

May 11, 2012
Wal-Mart Stores falls on Fortune list

Wal-Mart Stores fell to the number two spot on the Fortune 500 list after holding the number one spot for two years. It was ousted by Exxon Mobil, which benefitted from rising oil prices.To see the full list, click here.

May 3, 2012
Major Walmart shareholder urges rejection of key board members at annual meeting

It’s looking like Walmart’s upcoming annual meeting is going to be a bittersweet affair as the company observes its 50th anniversary against the backdrop of an unfolding Mexican bribery scandal and an appeal from a major shareholder this week urging a no vote on five board members.

May 2, 2012
Network of Executive Women honors Walmart chief Duke with diversity award

The Network of Executive Women is honoring Michael Duke, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, with its William J. Grize Diversity Hall of Fame Award, on June 28 during Women's Day at the LPGA in Rogers Ark.

April 26, 2012
Wal-Mart first-ever retailer to launch online ‘pay with cash’ option

Walmart has launched a “Pay with Cash” service that offers cash payment options for online orders at Walmart.com in the United States.

April 23, 2012
Wal-Mart’s Mexican unit hit by bribery scandal

Wal-Mart Stores confirmed that it is investigating its operations in Mexico for possible violations of the U.S. law that prohibits bribery overseas.

April 20, 2012
Mac Naughton to headline another investor conference

For the third time in the past five months, Walmart chief merchandising and marketing officer Duncan Mac Naughton is representing Walmart at a major investor conference.

April 16, 2012
Walmart board searches for right fit with Google exec

The Walmart board of directors is poised for an infusion of fresh, and young, talent when shareholders vote to approve a slate of directors that includes Google’s VP of local and maps.

April 13, 2012
Record expansion and leadership depth on display in Canada

Impressive. That is the best way to describe what a ballroom full of financial analysts and thousands of others watching via Web cast saw unfold Thursday inside a Toronto hotel ballroom where Walmart held its annual international meeting for the financial community.

April 13, 2012
The international appeal of retail basics

Walmart should shorten its checkout lines and improve the store experience in Canada prior to the arrival of Target next spring. That was the advice of Diane Briesebois, president and CEO of the Retail Council of Canada who spoke Wednesday at a dinner in Toronto, which preceded Walmart’s annual international meeting for the financial community.

April 10, 2012
Market Track: March 2012

In March there was a decline in the number of circulars overall, however, pages per flyer increased. The increase in pages was primarily due to a significant increase in Walmart and Toys"R"Us page counts. Much of the promotional activity was driven by Easter falling earlier in April as compared to 2011.

April 9, 2012
Walmart, The Band Perry, Kimberly Williams-Paisley join to fight hunger

The Walmart Foundation has joined with The Band Perry, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and four of the nation's largest food companies — General Mills, ConAgra Foods, Kraft Foods and Kellogg Company — to fight hunger this spring.

April 6, 2012
IBM forecast: Home furnishings to see big gains in Q2

ARMONK, N.Y. — An IBM analytics-based forecast released Thursday expects that sales of home furnishings in the United States will shoot higher in the second quarter, with in-store sales increasing nearly 8% to $23.2 billion and online sales increasing 28.4%.

Combined in-store and online sales of home furnishings are expected to grow 16.6% in the second quarter.

IBM experts cited a number of important factors that could be driving purchases, including “Year of the Dragon” weddings and the trend toward accessorizing living spaces.

April 6, 2012
Walmart wipes up competition with White Cloud, Great Value

Is Walmart’s private brand White Cloud toilet tissue too good? That’s the question the company has to be asking itself about the product’s specifications after seeing recent test results from Consumer Reports.

April 5, 2012
Walmart empowers women factory workers

Walmart is offering the women who work in the factories that supply its products the chance for a better life with lessons in such critical life skills related to communication, hygiene, reproductive health, occuputational health and safety and gender sensitivity.

April 5, 2012
Walmart gives away nearly $1 billion in 2012

As a large, profitable retailer, Walmart is expected to give back. While many could argue it could do more, the company gave away $958.9 million in cash and in-kind contributions around the globe during the fiscal year ending Jan. 31.

March 9, 2012
Walmart to move forward with Massmart purchase in South Africa

A South African regulatory body gave Wal-Mart Stores permission on Friday to move ahead with its $2.2 billion purchase of South African chain Massmart.

February 29, 2012
Walmart rolls out the financial big guns

Three Wal-Mart Stores executives are scheduled to speak at two key retail conferences on March 7.

February 28, 2012
Walmart puts automotive, wireless safety in SGS' hands

Consumers trust retailers will provide them with safe, effective products -- no easy task when one considers the numerous items any given company can sell. This is especially true for such retailers as Wal-Mart Stores, which has approved a partnership with SGS for safety and compliance testing for all wireless and automotive products sold through Walmart and Sam's Club, both in store and online, for the U.S. market.

February 23, 2012
Walmart wants to be the Amazon of China

News this week that Walmart acquired a majority stake in one of China’s fastest growing e-commerce companies positions Walmart to become a dominant multichannel player in China far faster than it ever would have on its own.

February 21, 2012
Mild weather warms up Home Depot sales

Boosted by mild temperatures and spring-like selling conditions throughout much of the country, Home Depot saw sales rise nearly 6% in the fourth quarter.

February 21, 2012
Walmart boosts investment in Chinese e-commerce

Wal-Mart Stores' investment in China continues to grow as the company now has a controlling stake in one of the country's fast-growing e-commerce websites.

February 21, 2012
Walmart had a “great” Christmas

Walmart’s U.S. stores division regained customer traffic during the fourth quarter to post a 1.5% same-store sales increase and continues gather momentum as familiar strategies and effective marketing are resonating with customers, the company said Tuesday morning in conjunction with the release of quarterly results.

February 16, 2012
From Russia with media love

Here we go again. Every so often the media gets a hint that Wal-Mart Stores is looking to expand into Russia and the speculation begins. The latest report from Reuters claims that the retailer still sees opportunity in the country as it looks to possibly by the X5 chain. X5, however, is denying reports that it is in talks with Walmart. Whether a purchase in Russia will happen anytime soon remains to be seen, but anything regarding the biggest retailer and one of the biggest markets will continue to garner attention. Read the full article here.

February 10, 2012
"Great For You" is great for Walmart and select shoppers

Walmart’s goal of making food healthier and healthier food more affordable is a noble undertaking that has favorably affected the company’s reputation and put it in good stead with the Obama administration. The question that remains, as the company begins affixing to products and packaging its new “Great For You” food label unveiled this week in Washington D.C., is whether shoppers will behave in a manner consistent with their stated intentions.

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