BENTONVILLE, Ark., April 6, 2006 -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) reported net sales for the five-week and nine-week periods ending March 31, 2006, and April 1, 2005, respectively as follows (dollars in billions):
5 Weeks Ended 9 Weeks Ended
Percent Percent
3-31-2006 4-01-2005 Change 3-31-2006 4-01-2005 Change
Wal-Mart Stores $19.952 $18.683 6.8% $36.604 $ 33.817 8.2%
SAM'S CLUB 3.783 3.563 6.2% 6.821 6.386 6.8%
International 6.884 5.730 20.1% 12.228 10.141 20.6%
Total Company $ 30.619 $27.976 9.4% $55.653 $ 50.344 10.5%
Comparable sales for the periods ending March 31, 2006, and April 1, 2005, were as follows:
5 Weeks Ended 9 Weeks Ended
3-31-2006 4-01-2005 3-31-2006 4-01-2005
Wal-Mart Stores 0.8% 4.8% 1.7% 4.3%
SAM'S CLUB 4.5% 0.9% 4.5% 1.8%
Total U.S. 1.4% 4.2% 2.2% 3.9%
The 20.1% increase for the five-weeks and the 20.6% increase for the nine- weeks in International includes sales from the consolidation of Seiyu and Wal- Mart Central America and our acquisition in Southern Brazil.
Comparable sales that are presented in this release exclude the impact of fuel sales in our SAM'S CLUB segment. Fuel sales impacted the SAM'S CLUB and total U.S. comparable sales figures for the five-week period ending March 31, 2006, by 0.3 and 0.0 percentage points, respectively, and impacted the nine-week period by 0.5 and 0.1 percentage points, respectively. Including the impact of fuel sales, the SAM'S CLUB and total U.S. comparable sales figures for the five-week period ending March 31, 2006, would have been 4.8% and 1.4%, respectively, and for the nine-week period would have been 5.0% and 2.3%, respectively.
During the five-week and nine-week period, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. added more than $2.6 billion and $5.3 billion in sales, respectively.
"With Easter being three weeks later this year than 2005, we expected weaker sales in March," said Tom Schoewe, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. executive vice president and chief financial officer. "We anticipate the April four-week period to be stronger, with comp sales of 4 to 6 percent."
Schoewe said he was pleased with the customer response to the Company's new offerings in the home area, which focuses on "solutions" that help a customer address rooms and lifestyles.
"Wal-Mart has improved the quality and design of many of its products, including bedding, bath, furniture and items for entertaining," explained Schoewe.
Response to the Metro 7 line of women's apparel continues to exceed the Company's expectations, according to Schoewe. Metro 7 apparel is expected to expand to 1,500 stores by September 1.
"The female shoppers in Wal-Mart also like the Metro 7 lines of accessories, shoes and jewelry and we will continue to add these items to our stores as well," he said.
With two months completed in the fiscal quarter, Schoewe said the Company estimates earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2007 will come within the previously stated guidance of $0.58 to $0.62 per share.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM'S CLUB locations in the United States. The company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, 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 comparable sales for the April four-week period, earnings per share for the first quarter of fiscal 2007 and management's expectation for the expansion of the Metro 7 apparel line to additional stores appear in the fourth, ninth, and seventh paragraphs, respectively, following the comparable sales table in this release. They are identified by use of the words "anticipate," "estimate," and "expected." 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 these forward-looking statements. As a result of these matters, including changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, our actual comparable sales for the April four-week period, earnings per share for the first quarter of fiscal 2007 and the expansion of the Metro 7 apparel line to additional stores may differ materially from forecasts or expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. The 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.
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all of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
