Wal-Mart's Problems -- WSJ -- February 19, 2017

Updates

February 21, 2017: Walmart profits drop almost 20% in 4Q16 despite strong holiday sales. Link here.  Sales rose 1.8% at stores open at least a year, but profits fell almost 20%. So, if  your sales increased, why did one's profits decrease. Let's look at costs:

• lights and electricity: year-over-year I doubt there has been much change
• big-box store employees: minimum wage increases; benefits have increased?
• new ventures: digital / on-line sales division -- yup, that's probably where it is -- Amazone seldom turns a profit in its retail division even after years (decades?) of doing this

Apparently the market not upset; WMT was up over 2% today on another huge day for the market.

Original Post

Link here.