Not too long ago, I wrote about Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and the entrance of the world's largest retailer more heavily into locally-grown fresh produce. As a way of differentiating itself, Wal-Mart is really on the right track here. Partnering with local merchants near each community it serves could help repair the rift between small-town merchants and the retailing behemoth that has steadily grown for the last two decades.

The retailer may finally be heeding the advice of many critics. That is, when it does good, it needs to actively market and promote that effort as much as possible. Last week, one of the retailer's locations in Manteca, California along with local growers, put the positive word out about how Wal-Mart is joining with the local merchants to ensure customers can buy produce with confidence. This is great -- but Wal-Mart needs these "workshops" at every location where it has a significant and growing relationship with local food suppliers.

Tiffany Moffatt, Wal-Mart's corporate affairs director for the western U.S. region, stated that "In the (West Sacramento, Calif.) store, we carry more than 120 locally grown products .. our partnerships with local farmers have grown by 50% over the last two years." This is great PR, and Wal-Mart needs even more of it moving forward. When you have local food suppliers describing Wal-Mart as a "a demanding but loyal customer," then one has to guess that Wal-Mart is indeed sowing the seeds to forming new relationships with communities outside its rather boring big-box store presence. Alerting the buying public is the next phase in Wal-Mart's efforts -- and it can't happen soon enough.

With Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and Dell, Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) already having inked a solid relationship last year, it should be no surprise that the PC company would be partnering with the world's largest retailer to test out in-store technical support services.

The experiment involves 15 stores in the Dallas, Texas region. These "Solution Stations by Dell" will focus on home theater installations, PC repair, and wireless network setup assistance. It's hard to see how in-store kiosks can assist customers who then have to take all that equipment home, but for a Dell brand builder alone, the partnership is quite unique.

I'm a bit puzzled how Dell will be able to assist with home theater questions and installations, but that's besides the point. If Wal-Mart really intends to compete with the in-store technical support concept, it needs to attack Best Buy Co., Inc.'s (NYSE: BBY) Geek Squad model and really add some value to that consumer experience. Consumer electronics are more confusing than ever for most U.S. consumers, and having some properly seasoned experts in many Wal-Mart stores to help with all those questions would be of enormous benefit.

Not only would Dell's image be polished if this experiment is successful and the Solution Station kiosk concept goes into more Wal-Mart store locations, but the retailer has a real chance to keep it on top of world in terms of consumer electronics purchases. Circuit City, Inc.'s (NYSE: CC) Firedog concept has been left behind as that retailer continues swirling down the drain, so Wal-Mart and Best Buy may be the only ones that could give technical support on a national stage in all locations. Best Buy, though, is already positioned well ahead of Wal-Mart here. It's Wal-Mart's game to lose.

Welcome to the 69th installment of The Wal-Mart Weekly, a column dedicated to bringing you insight, wit, facts, results, opinions, and just a bit of everything else when it comes to a very hot topic these days: Wal-Mart.

This week, I'll be taking a look labor relations inside Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT). Specifically, reports that the world's largest retailer has recent given its general employees in its Chinese locations raises while not doing the same for its American employees.

Now, all of this is not out of the goodness of the retailer's heart, but more because of the negotiations with the union representation of Wal-Mart's China workers. Can we compare Wal-Mart's stance on living wage increases to another country's workers?

The Associated Press reports that a "Depression Era" mentality is taking hold among consumers. This matters to the overall economy since 70% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth depends on consumer spending. Maybe this is good news because it will make people care more about spiritual matters, and less about material ones.

AP bolsters its consumer mentality shift with excerpts from a Nielsen survey that interviewed 50,000 consumers by e-mail during the first week of June. The survey found that

• 63% of consumers are cutting spending due to rising gas prices, up 18 percentage points from a year ago;
• 78% of consumers are combining shopping trips;
• 52% are eating out less often;
• Consumers are cutting more coupons;
• They do more of their shopping at super centers; and
• They buy less expensive brands.
  

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) continued its string of excellent results in 2008 by announcing a 5.8% same-store sales increase in June sales this morning. Wal-Mart has turned in some impressive same-store sales figures in recent months on its core strength -- the marketing and selling "low prices" to its customers.

Save Money, Live Better is not just a marketing slogan for the retail giant, but a way of life it's trying to help provide to customers. After all, the more money you save on everyday items and groceries, the more you can afford that gas for the short vacation you've planned.

To achieve Wal-Mart's command over taking more customer money in a tough economy, the retailer announced that the U.S. federal tax stimulus checks were mostly responsible for the June sales upswing. In May, Wal-Mart also indicated that those checks were helping lift its sales -- so it's not the first time. Until those checks have all been distributed, it will most likely be a major beneficiary.

Following the strong sales, Wal-Mart increased its guidance for second-quarter results that ended June 30. Second-quarter earnings per share results are now expected be between $0.82 and $0.84.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) said yesterday that it would be changing the logo at its U.S. locations by this fall. The current logo, which is simply the company's name with red lines above and below it, has been in use since 1992.

Wal-Mart continues to integrate the slogan "Save Money. Live Better" into everything it does. That saying is the retailer's current tagline, and even the announcement of the logo change mentions this: "This logo update is simply a reflection of the refreshed image of our stores and our renewed sense of purpose of helping people save money so they can live better." If that isn't a pre-scripted message from the corporate underbelly, I don't know what is.

It appears that the hyphen will be going away in the company's name-based logo. The hyphen was replaced a long time ago by the star anyway, so it's a moot point. According to rumors reported by the WSJ, the new logo will show the retailer's name in white letters on an orange background, followed by a small starburst. I guess orange is less confrontational than blue? Anyway, the image makeover of the retailer's logo comes at a good time. Sometimes breaking the mold and starting over can implant a new image in the mind of the consumer, and if all that is required is a logo change (and the millions of changes on signage it will require), so be it.

Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT) is the world's largest retailer, offering a vast array of general merchandise through some 7,350 stores. That total includes nearly 1,000 discount stores, over 2,800 combination discount and grocery stores and about 600 warehouse outlets. More than half of Wal-Mart's facilities are in the United States, but the firm has a widespread and growing international presence. It is the biggest retailer in Canada and Mexico, has a 95% stake in Japan's Seiyu and has developing operations in Europe, South America and Asia. The company employs more than two million associates and serves more than 200 million customers per year. Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) and Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) are competitors.

The stock has been a steady Q2 gainer, advancing on word of solid Q1 results, better than expected same-store sales figures, an expanding discount drug program, international development, and favorable analyst commentary.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is having a good run right now. The world's largest retailer is seeing profit and revenue growth as consumers seek shelter from hue increases in energy and commodity costs and into the retailer's waiting arms. Make no mistake about it -- it's due to "low prices" more than any love for Wal-Mart in general.

But, should you be buying shares of Wal-Mart and dumping shares of financial institutions and banks that are behind the subprime mortgage mess that still plagues the U.S. today? Is the worst behind us in terms of the hundreds of billions of writedowns and losses due to the mortgage implosion? Some investors seem to think so, and they're buying finance stocks again and not going hog wild on stocks that are benefiting directly form consumers trying to save money. Remember, the consumer economy runs the U.S. economy, not the other way around.

For example, shares in Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) have perked up 10% in a little over a week after hitting their lowest level in five years. Is the rise an anomaly, or are bank stocks seeing the light? The market seems to think that March was the "bottom" and that bank stocks (particularly Goldman's) are "near the end instead of the beginning" in terms of working their way back to a solid valuation instead of hitting 52-week lows. This is not to say that Wal-Mart's share rally in 2008 is over by any means, but its shares are trading near four-year highs. Expectations are for WMT shares to peak above $62 soon. Are you shorting?

Welcome to the 64th installment of The Wal-Mart Weekly, a column dedicated to bringing you insight, wit, facts, results, opinions, and just a bit of everything else when it comes to a very hot topic these days: Wal-Mart.

This week, I'll be examining how Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) has an effect on the American economy that's easily contrasted against the inability of the U.S. government these days to control inflation.

It seems odd that a single nongovernment entity could be responsible for single-handedly controlling prices in such a way that could be interpreted as controlling inflation, but that's just what a recent Forbes article claimed. Is it true? Let's find out.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is taking steps to eliminate the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPQA) from plastic products on its shelves due to safety concerns. Products containing the chemical are no longer available on store shelves. Previously, they were marked as such to give consumers the choice to purchase BPA-free products. Now, BPA products are gone for good.

The chemical, which is used to make plastic products shatter-proof, is used in baby bottles and water bottles, among other products. Although the FDA has not officially banned BPA from consumer products, several powerful consumer groups have disagreed

While some retailers speak of removing products that contain controversial chemicals or ingredients, it's refreshing to see the world's largest retailer leading the charge on this one. Also joining Wal-Mart in banning BPA products from shelves will be children's toy retailer Toys R Us.

Although this ban was officially announced by Wal-Mart in April, it's great to see the world's largest retailer act on it so quickly. If this is the kind of response to "consumer demand" that makes changes happen, it's impressive to see a compressed timeframe on a consumer safety issue like this one.

Welcome to the 63rd installment of The Wal-Mart Weekly, a column dedicated to bringing you insight, wit, facts, results, opinions, and just a bit of everything else when it comes to a very hot topic these days: Wal-Mart.

This week, I'll be examining the just-completed annual shareholder's meeting that took place for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) yesterday. After I covered last year's meeting live, this year's meeting seemed to be quite different from all aspects.

Mostly, the timing of the recession (yes, I said it) this year has helped bolster Wal-Mart's most recent sales figures and gave it reason to give itself much self-congratulatory praises. Wal-Mart, despite recent efforts to cater to anyone other than the bargain-seeking shopper, went back to its one core strength this year: offering the lowest prices on everything it can.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Vodafone Group Plc (NYSE: VOD) and Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE: VZ), is in talks to acquire Alltel Corp. in a deal valued at about $27B, the Wall Street Journal reported. If successful, the combined companies would create the largest cellphone company, and would be better positioned to compete against AT&T Inc (NYSE: T).
• Gregory B. Penner, the son-in-law of Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE: WMT) chairman S. Robson Walton, is expected to join the company's board of directors, a move seen as the beginning of a leadership change at the company, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• The Financial Times reported that Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek refused to provide funds to Bear Stearns shortly before Bear's sale to JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM). Temasek reportedly refused the request for practical and political reasons.
• Russia's Interior Ministry questioned the head of BP Plc's (NYSE: BP) Russian oil venture as part of a criminal investigation into possible large-scale tax evasion, the Financial Times reported.

Next week's annual shareholder's meeting in Fayetteville should once again be more spectacle that business.Last year, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) seemed to spend more money lining up speakers, having pieces of its global operations dance with flags and having a pep rally rather that digging into issues.This year, expect the same -- as the retailer has already opposed all the shareholder proposals anyway, so it should be a nice, big party full of entertainment. Nothing else.

But Wal-Mart is enhancing one of its corporate messages this year: the way shareholders vote on the proposals. The annual report this year will include less pages and will be printed on lighter, recycled paper with Wal-Mart's investor relations website printed on it to direct shareholders there for further reading. This is an area where Wal-Mart can afford to be not so green. If you're like me, you may prefer annual reports on printed paper. Call me old fashioned, but a highlight marker, a quiet desk and a good reading light comprise the best environment for reading an annual shareholder report.

Wal-Mart, of course, defended its action to sway more shareholders to its IR website for the full annual report by stating that "we're glad that an increasing number of our shareholders worldwide have joined us in that effort ... by filing their proxy ballots electronically." Seems there is little choice for the alternative to me. If you're interested, head over here and read the proxy statement. If you're a shareholder, you can go ahead and vote on the web as well. Put away the highlighter, though.

Welcome to the 62nd installment of The Wal-Mart Weekly, a column dedicated to bringing you insight, wit, facts, results, opinions, and just a bit of everything else when it comes to a very hot topic these days: Wal-Mart.

This week, I'll be examining the extended warranty practices practiced by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT). In the mood to see how consistent the retailer's extended warranties were, I visited no less than three Wal-Mart locations this week to determine what kind of policy existed in the one product category where extended warranties really count: consumer electronics.

Welcome to the 61st installment of The Wal-Mart Weekly, a column dedicated to bringing you insight, wit, facts, results, opinions, and just a bit of everything else when it comes to a very hot topic these days: Wal-Mart.

After examining two big sets of related shareholder resolutions for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.'s (NYSE: WMT) annual shareholder meeting coming up in June in the past few weeks, we'll depart this week from that path.

I'll be examining one of Wal-Mart's newest websites, what it means and what (on earth) it'll have in terms of an impact on Wal-Mart customers. And, I'll ask one large question: why doesn't the world's largest retailer use its stores as a freely available advertising venue to let its customers know what it has available online? Let's examine, shall we?