Wal-Mart's New Problem: Its Customers

[OnlyMe]

Oops.

Hyperstagflation for the population if hyperinflation takes place to bail out the banksters?

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/wal-marts-new-problem-its-customers.aspx

xtra3/3/2010 12:08 PM ET

Wal-Mart's new problem: Its customers

The discount retailer, one of the recession's big winners, felt the pinch from belt-tightening consumers in its fourth quarter as sales at US stores fell for the first time.

[Related content: retail, Wal-Mart, economy, consumer goods, recession]

By BusinessWeek

Wal-Mart Stores (WMT, news, msgs) has a problem: Its typical shopper appears to be tapped out.

The world's largest retailer reported $112.8 billion in worldwide revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter, up 4.6% from a year earlier. But Wal-Mart also said U.S. same-store sales fell 1.6% in the period and noted that traffic in U.S. stores fell slightly. Same-store sales are considered an important measure of a retailer's health.

[SNACR]

It's very difficult to get to the bottom of any retailer's true like-for-likes. Even internal management accounting methodology (when a true figure is genuinely trying to be found for internal use) can generate anomalies.

[OnlyMe]

It's very difficult to get to the bottom of any retailer's true like-for-likes. Even internal management accounting methodology (when a true figure is genuinely trying to be found for internal use) can generate anomalies.

True, for years inflation has been painted as increasing sales. However footfall is a little more concrete.

[OnlyMe]

Also quite indicative are some of the ECRI growth figs.

ECRI Weekly Leading Indicator Ever Closer To The -10% Threshold, Drops To -7.7; Leads To Another Leg Lower In Stocks

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/ecri-weekly-leading-indicator-ever-closer-10-threshold-drops-77-leads-another-leg-lower-stoc

[interestrateripoff]

It's the footfallless recovery.

[SNACR]

Various companies count, through clipboards or sensors, High St footfall / Car Park occupancy, for example. Unfortunately, it cannot determine if they've gone down town to buy a new summer wardrobe or remortage/extend their overdraft at the bank.

Edited July 2, 2010 by Soon Not a Chain Retailer

[Meat Puppet]

Since they've done such a good job taking out the competition in most small towns in the states maybe they can just pay their employees with Wal-Mart vouchers.