Walmart (WMT) is the world's largest retailer, competing with companies like Target (TGT), Costco (COST), Amazon.com (AMZN) and Best Buy (BBY). The company recently released its earnings for last quarter and we have updated our price estimate to $70.75, which implies a 30% premium to the market price.

One of the outcomes in the earnings was continued improvements in Sam's Club's results. Sam's Club is a warehouse club that charges a membership fee to its customers and gives them an opportunity to buy goods at lowest prices in the market. It offers bulk displays of brand name merchandise, including hard goods, some soft goods, commercial-sized grocery items, and selected private-label items under the "Member' Mark", "Bakers & Chefs" and "Sam's Club" brands in a warehouse club format.

Continue reading Sam's Club Could Perk Up Walmart Sales If It Was More Like Costco

Sam's Club Could Perk Up Walmart Sales If It Was More Like Costco originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Sam's Club Enters World of Small-Business Finance

Sam's Club Enters World of Small-Business Finance originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Walmart (WMT) will be getting rid of more than 11,000 employees inside its Sam's Club wholesale stores and replacing them with outside marketers. Frankly, it's surprising the world's largest retailer didn't do this years ago.

Sam's Club offers so many products in bulk that goading some aisle surfers into buying 36-packs of portable sausages comes at a price: sampling and in-aisle live displays. The manufacturers of those products or their hired outsourcers will now get the joy of working those demo displays.

Continue reading Walmart to Cut Over 11,000 Sam's Club Positions, Outsource In-Store Product Demos

Walmart to Cut Over 11,000 Sam's Club Positions, Outsource In-Store Product Demos originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST), the nation's largest largest wholesale club operator, is scheduled to discuss its financial results for the fiscal first quarter 2010 in a conference call Thursday, December 10, at 11:00 AM (ET). Speakers include CFO Richard A. Galanti. You can catch the live webcast of the call on the company's website.

The three months that ended in November saw Costco report strong monthly sales and declare a quarterly dividend. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect Costco to report that its earnings fell a nickle per share from a year ago to $0.60 per share. But revenue for the quarter is expected to total $17.3 billion, 5.6% higher than a year ago.

Continue reading Costco earnings preview: Lower Q1 profit, higher sales expected

Costco earnings preview: Lower Q1 profit, higher sales expected originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A little over a year after teaming up to offer in-store technical support, the folks in Bentonville have dumped Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) as their partner. Walmart (NYSE: WMT) now plans to use its Sam's Club division to help its consumer electronics customers.

Sam's Club will offer free technical support for many consumer electronics products offered in Walmart stores and will even offer home delivery and installation services for a fee. The question I have is this: does Sam's Club have employees with a decent level of technical expertise who can help instead of frustrate customers?

Continue reading Walmart ends technical support program with Dell, will use Sam's Club instead

Walmart ends technical support program with Dell, will use Sam's Club instead originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Wal Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT), the world's largest retailer, with $405 billion in revenues last year, has remained remarkably strong during the recession even as other retailers have floundered," says Stephen Leeb.

In his The Complete Investor, he explains, " Its low prices have lured more customers, while its product line-up emphasizes items seldom cut from consumer budgets, such as food and health care products." Here's his review.

"Its Wal-Mart stores draw an estimated 100 million people a week, explaining why the company dominates the U.S. supermarket industry, with a better than 25% market share. The company also sells under numerous other names, including Sam's Club.

Continue reading Wal-Mart (WMT): A 'giant without peer'

Wal-Mart (WMT): A 'giant without peer' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Now, international net sales didn't fare so well because of currency translations. If you decide to include that effect, then sales dipped well over 14% last month. Excluding currencies gives you a much more positive 7.8% increase. Can't really do much about currency issues right now. As we all know, all companies with international exposure have to face them. Nevertheless, I like Wal-Mart's comps. And I particularly like the performance at Sam's Club. A lot of consumers seem to be using the warehouse club to save money during the tough times. Wal-Mart's management is apparently reaching that shopper.

Continue reading Wal-Mart's comps don't meet Wall Street's expectations -- buying or selling opportunity?

Wal-Mart's comps don't meet Wall Street's expectations -- buying or selling opportunity? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of a series featuring bargain stocks that are worth a look now. See more Cheap Stocks.

In troubled economic times, it seems like a no-brainer that discount retailers will fare better than their mid-market competitors. Of the discount group, Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) garners extra points for its brand recognition, broad geographic reach, and dedication to its customers.

Speaking of customer service, I recall being mildly shocked earlier this year upon reading this BusinessWeek article, which alleges that Costco often chooses to cater to its customer base rather than pleasing its investors. Amid skyrocketing commodity costs in July, the mega-retailer warned of a quarterly earnings shortfall, because of a reluctance to hike its own prices and potentially alienate its customer base.

I'm no CEO, but to my mind, the happiness of Costco's investors is directly pegged to how satisfied its customers are. If shoppers are turned off by price increases and take their business over to, say, Sam's Club -- what have the investors won? It takes a clear-headed management team to consider the long-term effects on its core customer base over the short-term demands of frustrated traders.

Continue reading Cheap Stocks: Costco Wholesale

Cheap Stocks: Costco Wholesale originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Rice shortages in America? Unbelievable

Rice shortages in America? Unbelievable originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.