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Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) announced this week that it had completed the opening of 36 new stores and wholesale clubs across the U.S. for the month of October. This could be seen as a PR effort to trumpet the new jobs these locations have created in several nationwide communities.

Indeed, Wal-Mart stated that 10,800 new jobs will be available for new associates in these just-opened locations, along with an additional 4,300 new associates having been hired to fill positions at expanded and relocated stores nationally as well. Well, for a company that has publicly said that it will slow down store growth to make existing stores more profitable and temper market saturation, it's hard how to read this news outside of the "job creation" angle. Perhaps there's not one.

As one would expect by now, Wal-Mart COO Bill Simon worked in the retailer's corporate motto by stating that these new locations would be "helping our customers nationwide save money so they can live better." With the holiday shopping season arriving and home equity borrowing slumping due to shrinking home sales, those words carry more weight now than at anytime this year.

The new stores are spread across 22 states, from Oklahoma to Florida. Since February of this year, the world's largest retailer has opened 163 new Supercenters and 19 Sam's Clubs, among other store formats. Job creation count? 61,500, according to Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart opens 36 new stores in October; 163 so far in 2007 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bill SimonBillSimoninthenewsWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc.Wal-Mart SupercenterWal-martStores,Inc.Wal-martSupercenterWMTTue, 30 Oct 2007 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Wal-Mart gets new heads of U.S. operations and HR]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/04/09/wal-mart-gets-new-heads-of-u-s-operations-and-hr/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/04/09/wal-mart-gets-new-heads-of-u-s-operations-and-hr/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/04/09/wal-mart-gets-new-heads-of-u-s-operations-and-hr/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In an effort to re-ignite sales growth in the U.S., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) continues to make management changes to mix up the party. The retailer's latest move is to create two new executive positions for its operations and human resources departments in the U.S.. I guess this comes as no surprise as U.S. sales in 2006 grew at the slowest pace in almost three decades. Bill Simon will become U.S. chief operating officer, and Pat Curran will become the executive vice president for human resources.

Wal-Mart still receives 80% of its revenue from its home market of the U.S., where sales increased last year at a much slower pace but than in many previous years. A large combination of pad publicity, corporate scandals, enhanced competition and a floundering image have all hurt Wal-Mart in the last 12 months, but the company seems determined to turn that all around. So far, efforts are having a middling effect -- but anything in Wal-Mart land takes a long time.

Bill Simon previously led Wal-Mart's pharmacy division (highlighted by the introduction of $4 prescription drugs last year) and Pat Curran was most recently senior vice president of operations on the U.S. East Coast. As head of HR, Curran will most likely face the brunt of pressure from labor groups and watchdog groups that constantly pick at Wal-Mart's "poor wages" and substandard benefits.

Wal-Mart gets new heads of U.S. operations and HR originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bill SimonBillSimonPat CurranPatCurranWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc.Wal-martStores,Inc.WMTMon, 09 Apr 2007 10:35:00 EST