News on Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

2010-03-17T16:15:49Z

<div id="subtitle">Black people must leave store, announcer at NJ Walmart says; company investigates</div><div><p>An announcement at a Walmart store in New Jersey ordering black people to leave brought chagrin and apologies Wednesday from leaders of the company, which has built a fragile trust among minority communities.</p><p>A male voic...

More charges in alleged child-punching at Walmart

2010-03-15T10:46:12Z

<div id="subtitle">Police bring more charges against Ohioan accused of punching kids with key in fist at Walmart</div><div><p>Police in Ohio have brought more charges against a Walmart shopper accused of punching children in the head for kicks.</p><p>Columbus Police Sgt. John Hurst says two addition...

Retail leaders group spent $850,000 lobbying in 4Q

2010-03-11T11:00:15Z

<div id="subtitle">Retail Industry Leaders Assn. spent $850,000 in 4th quarter to lobby federal government</div><div><p>The Retail Industry Leaders Association spent $850,000 in the fourth quarter to lobby on a variety of issues from health care reform to consumer product safety, accor...

Wal-Mart spent $1.78 million lobbying in 4Q

2010-03-10T15:30:20Z

<div id="subtitle">Wal-Mart spent $1.78 million lobbying in 4Q on health care reform, credit card issues</div><div><p>Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, spent nearly $1.78 million lobbying in the fourth quarter on a wide range of issues from health care reform to organized crime and food safety issues, according to a recent disclosure report.</p><p>The low-price retailer, ...

Walmart returns items to shelves after lost sales

2010-03-10T13:46:25Z

<div><p>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc has put roughly 300 items back on its U.S. store shelves after the retailer said it "disappointed" customers by not stocking certain products.</p><p>"We did discontinue...

Suspected gunman killed outside Walmart in Texas

2010-03-08T13:00:54Z

<div id="subtitle">Suspected gunman killed in shootout with police outside Texas Walmart; off-duty officer hurt</div><div><p>A man walked into a Walmart carrying at least two guns before engaging in a shootout with police outside the store, authorities said. The man was killed and an off-duty officer in the store was shot in the chest.</p><p>The sh...

Bumpy ride for corporate giving amid recession

2010-03-05T12:00:08Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Giving by U.S. companies endured the worst recession in decades with mixed results as some pared back philanthropy in the face of tough times, others increased budgets and most predicted a steady 2010.</p><p>The economic downturn sparked some changes in giving priorities as well, with several companies placing more import...

Wal-Mart increases annual dividend

2010-03-04T08:46:27Z

<div><p>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc <WMT.N> on Thursday said it raised its annual dividend by 11 percent, citing its strong underlying operations and free cash flow.</p><p>The world's biggest retailer said that for its current fiscal year, which be...

Wal-Mart raises annual dividend

2010-03-04T06:00:49Z

<div id="subtitle">Wal-Mart Stores raises annual dividend by 12 cents to $1.21, first payment on April 5</div><div><p>Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is increasing its annual dividend by 12 cents to $1.21.</p><p>The world's largest retailer says the dividend will be paid in annual installments of slightly more than 30 cents for the year ending Jan. 31., 2011. The next dividend will be paid on April 5...

On the call: Costco CFO Richard Galanti

2010-03-03T11:00:25Z

<div id="subtitle">Costco's CFO discusses competition among retailers</div><div><p>The down economy has caused a major shift in consumer spending. As shoppers cut back on how much they spend, they've become much more selective about where they spend those dollars — looking specifically to retailers that can offer the best deals. That led to increased competition among many stores.

Wal-Mart to pay $11.7 million in EEOC gender bias suit

2010-03-02T12:15:53Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc will pay more than $11.7 million to settle a gender discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency said.</p><p>The lawsuit accused th...

Snow may have slowed retail sales

2010-03-02T12:15:32Z

<div><p>CHICAGO (Reuters) - Record snow along the U.S. East Coast and other regions likely muted retail sales in February, limiting increases in what was expected to be an easy month for retailers to show big gains over last year.</p><p>Retailers that were likely hit the hardest by the storms, based on location of their stores, include

Wal-Mart to pay $12M in Ky. discrimination suit

2010-03-02T07:45:34Z

<div id="subtitle">Wal-Mart to pay $12 million to settle sex discrimination lawsuit over Ky. warehouse hiring</div><div><p>Wal-Mart Stores will pay nearly $12 million and change it's hiring practices to settle a sex-discrimination suit over hiring at an eastern Kentucky warehouse.</p><p>The retail giant reached the deal with the Wal-Mart to push suppliers to cut 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions</div><div><p>Wal-Mart Stores Inc. wants its suppliers to reduce 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2015.</p><p>The world's largest retailer's push goes beyond its efforts to date to reduce its own emissions by designing more energy-efficient stores and pursu...

GameStop CFO Smith resigns to join Walmart

2010-02-24T14:46:15Z

<div id="subtitle">GameStop chief financial officer Smith resigns to join Walmart International</div><div><p>Video game retailer GameStop Corp. said Wednesday that its chief financial officer, Catherine R. Smith, has resigned and taken a job at Walmart's international b...

Wal-Mart to open up to 40 supercenters in Canada

2010-02-23T14:00:35Z

<div id="subtitle">Wal-Mart Stores to create 6,500 jobs, open 35 to 40 supercenters in Canada in 2010</div><div><p>Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday it will open 35 to 40 Wal-Mart supercenters in Canada this year.</p><p>A spokesman for the world's largest retailer said that more than half of the locations will be entirely new stores or relocation...

Target's 4Q profit rises 53.7 percent

2010-02-23T12:45:11Z

<div id="subtitle">Target's 4Q profit rises 53.7 percent; tight inventory controls, stronger holiday sales help</div><div><p>Lean inventory and stronger-than-expected holiday sales helped Target Corp.'s fourth-quarter profit soar 53.7 percent.</p><p>Target said it expects to pick up more market share this year as it rolls out a new store format that includes a bigger grocery section. But it of...

Target holiday profit up, has tepid 1st quarter view

2010-02-23T10:45:23Z

<div><p>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Target Corp <TGT.N> posted a quarterly profit slightly above Wall Street expectations, helped by better-than-expected holiday sales, improved margins and a lower tax rate.<...

Wal-Mart buys Vudu in move into Web movies

2010-02-23T09:15:28Z

<div><p>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc will buy the fledgling Vudu online movie on-demand service, in a deal expected to close within weeks and pit the world's largest retailer against the likes of Wal-Mart to buy digital movie seller Vudu to get ability to sell movies directly through TVs</div><div><p>Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Monday it will buy broadband entertainment provider Vudu, a deal that gives the world's biggest retailer the ability to sell movies directly through TVs and Blu-ray players over the Internet.</p>&l...