Wal - Mart April Same - Store Sales Rise 3.2 Percent

New York Times ^ | 8 May 2008 | staff

[shrinkermd]

Wal-Mart Stores Inc on Thursday reported a stronger-than-expected 3.2 percent rise in sales at U.S. stores open at least a year in April.

Analysts, on average, were expecting the company's same-store sales to rise 2.1 percent, according to Reuters Estimates, while Wal-Mart forecast a gain of 1 percent to 3 percent.

The world's biggest retailer said net sales in the month, ended May 2, rose to $29.18 billion from $26.57 billion.

[shrinkermd]

More, better and cheaper goods and services works every time.

[mtbopfuyn]

If only I didn’t have to drive so far to the nearest one.

[Slapshot68]

Wonder when the Wal-Mart bashers will arrive.

[1rudeboy]

Maybe they’re shopping at Wal-Mart early to beat the crowds?

[peggybac]

I haven’t shopped at a regular WalMart in awhile but I frequent the WalMart grocery store almost weekly. With the exception of sale items at higher cost stores, you can’t beat the food prices there. I’m especially hooked on their flavored sparkling water at 58 cents per liter.

[Southerngl]

What Walmart gained, higher end department stores lost. It’s not a gain, it’s a trade off.

[Slapshot68]

Maybe they’re shopping at K-Mart or Target in protest against Walmart’s selling of Chinese made products.

;)

[Slapshot68]

“I haven’t shopped at a regular WalMart in awhile but I frequent the WalMart grocery store almost weekly. “

Same here. We used to shop at the local SuperFresh but I can save $25 a week shopping at Walmart...and I don’t have to carry around a super saver card.

[Graybeard58]

I haven’t shopped at a regular WalMart in awhile but I frequent the WalMart grocery store almost weekly.

I went to W-M yesterday looking for an item, they didn't have it but while there, I picked up a 28 oz. can of Del Monte diced tomatoes @ $1.28. I went to another grocery store looking for my item and while there I priced the same can - $1.69. I went to yet another store looking for my item and priced the same can of Del Monte @ $2.09.

[Post-Neolithic]

The reason that Sams club, Walmart and Cosco sales are up has everything to do with price and not the economy. If fuel prices don't start dropping soon we are going to be in a world of hurt.

We have a frequent client who works in the recieving dept. of a major wholesale distributor, quite a few Independent truckers are going out of business. Both of the afore mentioned items point to a downward turn in the economy, no matter what the "big wigs" say.

If oil prices were to drop back to the $70-$80's we would pull out of this fairly fast.

[lexusppd]

"If oil prices were to drop back to the $70-$80's we would pull out of this fairly fast."

The price of oil (gasoline) will at some point will work to affect the economy inversely. It hasn't happened to a great extent as yet but given the current trend it will. At that point the market mechanisms take over as the supply demand rule kicks in and the price will drop to a level which will again encourage folks to increase purchases.

Left alone the markets will work every time.

[Will88]

“More, better and cheaper goods and services works every time.”

I think their sales increases so far this year will be due to price increases. They still have the lowest prices on most items I can compare with other stores, but have definitely raised prices on most items I buy throughout the year.

The upward price pressures are showing up most everywhere now.

[JasonC]

Of course that is a gain, to everyone but a high mark-up leech. The customers are the ones that matter, you see.

[Gondring]

As the article points out, there is a more pronounced “paycheck cycle,” indicating rougher times. People are going to Wal-Mart more precisely because of the harder times. :-(

[Gondring]

At that point the market mechanisms take over as the supply demand rule kicks in and the price will drop to a level which will again encourage folks to increase purchases.

Huh? 'splain that again, please?

[am452]

The price of oil (gasoline) will at some point will work to affect the economy inversely. It hasn't happened to a great extent as yet but given the current trend it will. At that point the market mechanisms take over as the supply demand rule kicks in and the price will drop to a level which will again encourage folks to increase purchases.

China is adding a million cars to the road every year. India is increasing car usage at huge levels as well.

So our economy slows down and we use less gas. India and China will need more so it's a trade off.

I don't think gas is going to go down a measureable amount even if our economy slows down. I think for the most part people are watching their fuel usage.

[lexusppd]

As oil increases in price so does the price of gasoline. At some point the price gets so high that people quit driving except when absolutely necessary. When this happens gasoline sales slow and the supply level increases which will cause the refineries to produce less gasoline in order to control inventories. Because they will produce less gasoline they will need less crude. When the oil companies reduce their purchases of crude due to this slacking of demand for the refined product, the producers (OPEC et al)will need to do something to maintain sales of their product, sales they MUST have to exist. Since the producers must sell a certain amount of crude to exist they will cut their production in the face of slackening demand but only to a certain level. When that level is reached and demand remains low the glut of oil begins as it did in the year 1998 which caused crude to drop to about $11.00bbl..

Since we are by far the worlds largest consumers of crude our loss of appetite for the stuff will cause a stomach ache among the crude suppliers. It's another way of saying when America catches a cold the rest of the world sneezes.

[lexusppd]

"China is adding a million cars to the road every year. India is increasing car usage at huge levels as well."

"So our economy slows down and we use less gas. India and China will need more so it's a trade off.

Perhaps at some point but as you can see the countries you mentioned are not even close to us when it comes to consumption. It is consumption of crude or the lack thereof which will determine it's selling price. Also since we are the worlds largest consumers by far, any lessening of our consumption will result in reductions in imports from the countries you mentioned. When that happens their need for crude will fall off. As of now America is the engine that pulls the worlds economic train. If the engine is disabled the train stops.

Showing latest available data. Oil consumption by Nation.

#1 United States: 20,730,000 bbl/day

#2 China: 6,534,000 bbl/day

#3 Japan: 5,578,000 bbl/day

#4 Germany: 2,650,000 bbl/day

#5 Russia: 2,500,000 bbl/day

#6 India: 2,450,000 bbl/day

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_con-energy-oil-consumption

[am452]

Also since we are the worlds largest consumers by far, any lessening of our consumption will result in reductions in imports from the countries you mentioned.

I don't think the average American is out wasting gas. Most people I talk to say they are watching their usage/combining trips etc. I don't think it will make any measureable difference but I could be wrong.

Of course if there is major slowdown people will be laid off and won't need their car. I don't forsee people carpooling on a mass scale unless gas get's obscene

Personally what I would do is close all but essential business on Sunday. It won't slow down the economy. If you need milk or a shirt you will just buy it on one of the other 6 days.

A side benefit is it will allow families a day for reconnection. Our country is missing that.