& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Walmart trims 2013 outlook amid tight spending

AFP, New York City
US retail behemoth Walmart Thursday reported a 1.3 percent increase in earnings amid sluggish sales, slashing its full-year outlook due to tight consumer spending i n the US and abroad.
The company described continued weakness in the US, where higher payroll taxes, higher gasoline prices and virtually non-existent inflation for groceries have crimped returns.
Earnings for the second quarter ended July 31 came in at $4.07 billion on revenues of $116.2 billion, up from the year-ago level of $4.02 billion on $113.5 billion in revenues. Analysts had expected revenues to reach $ 118.6 billion.
Earnings per share was $1.24, compared with expectations of $1.25; the company said the figure was hit by one cent due to an unspecified charge in Walmart International.
Walmart shares were down 2.8 percent to $74.21 in opening trade.
Comparable store sales in US Walmart stores, the company's biggest retail division, dipped 0.3 percent, below expectations and the second straight quarter the closely-watched metric has declined. Walmart expects "relatively flat" samestore sales in the upcoming quarter.
Comparable store sales for Sam's Club stores grew 1.7 percent, within the company's forecast.
Revenues in Walmart's international division rose 2.9 percent to $32.96 billion, but international profits edged 1.3 percent lower to $1.47 billion. Walmart International chief Doug McMillon said consumer spending is "under pressure" in both developed and emerging markets."The retail environment remains challenging in the US and our international markets, as customers are cautious in their spending," said Walmart chief financial officer Charles Holley.
Walmart trimmed its forecast for 2013 net sales growth to between 2 and 3 percent from a previous projection of 5 to 6 percent
The company also forecast that full-year earnings would be between $5.10 and $5.30 per share, versus the previous range of$5.20-$5.40.
"This revision reflects our view of current global business trends, and significant ongoing headwinds from anticipated currency exchange rate fluctuations,' Holley said.
Expenses related to anti-bribery compliance efforts continue to rise. The company undertook a probe into corruption allegations against it in several markets following reports the company paid $24 million in bribes to officials in Mexico.
Walmart has spent $155 million so far in 2013 on complained with the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Compliance programs for the remainder of 2013 will be $75-$80 million per quarter, "higher than originally expected,” Holley said.