BENTONVILLE, Ark., April 7, 2005 -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) reported net sales for the five-week period ending April 1, 2005, and April 2, 2004 as follows (dollars in billions):
5 Weeks Ended 9 Weeks Ended
Percent Percent
4-1-2005 4-2-2004 Change 4-1-2005 4-2-2004 Change
Wal-Mart Stores $18.683 $16.722 11.7% $33.817 $30.350 11.4%
SAM'S CLUB 3.563 3.384 5.3% 6.386 6.062 5.3%
International 5.730 5.025 14.0% 10.141 8.881 14.2%
Total Company $27.976 $25.131 11.3% $50.344 $45.293 11.2%
Comparable sales for the periods ending April 1, 2005 and April 2, 2004,
were as follows:
5 Weeks Ended 9 Weeks Ended
4-1-2005 4-2-2004 4-1-2005 4-2-2004
Wal-Mart Stores 4.8% 5.7% 4.3% 5.8%
SAM'S CLUB 2.1% 8.3% 2.9% 8.1%
Total U.S. 4.3% 6.1% 4.0% 6.2%
With two months completed in the fiscal quarter, we now estimate earnings will come in around the low end of our previous estimate of $0.56 to $0.58 per share. Given the shift in Easter and the unseasonable weather, we now estimate comparable sales in the U.S. for the April period to be in the 0 to 2 percent range. For the retail quarter, we expect comparable sales to be at the low end of our previous guidance of 3 to 5 percent.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM'S CLUB locations in the United States. Internationally, the Company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The Company's securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartfacts.com. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com.
This release contains statements that Wal-Mart believes are "forward- looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by that Act. These forward- looking statements discuss our management's forecast of earnings for the first quarter, comparable sales for the April four-week period, and comparable sales for the retail quarter. These forward looking statements appear in the paragraph following the comparable sales table in this release and are identified by use of the words "estimate" and "expect". These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, domestically and internationally, including, consumer spending patterns and debt levels, weather conditions, competitive pressures, currency exchange fluctuations, trade restrictions, and other risks. We discuss certain of these matters more fully in our filings with the SEC, including our last Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. This release should be read in conjunction with that Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the SEC through the date of this report. We urge you to consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. As a result of these matters, including changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, our earnings estimate and comparable sales noted in the release may differ materially from forecast earnings and comparable sales discussed in the forward-looking statements. These forward- looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date of this report, and we undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
SOURCE Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
investor relations, Investor Relations, +1-479-273-8446, or Jay Fitzsimmons, +1-479-273-6445, or Pauline Tureman, +1-479-277-9558, or media relations, Gus Whitcomb, +1-479-273-4314, all of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
