Content about Walmart

NEW YORK — Walmart's efforts to open in New York City were helped last week when a new poll, released Friday, found that New Yorkers would shop at Walmart if one opened in the city.

According to the Quinnipiac University poll, 68% of New Yorkers said that if it were convenient for them, they would shop at Walmart. That is compared with 29% who said they would not.

Nearly identical numbers of people said the chain's lower prices would eat into small business sales.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced it has eliminated more than 80% of the waste that would go to landfills from its operations in California by implementing a comprehensive waste-reduction program. The results far exceed the national average, where the Environmental Protection Agency estimated only 45% of waste is diverted from landfills. The California rate was 65%.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that it is committing $5 million in cash and in-kind donations for emergency relief efforts in response to Japan's recent earthquake and resulting tsunami.

Additionally, Walmart operations around the world are planning to implement or already have implemented fundraising drives among associates and customers to provide additional relief funds for the victims.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Walmart is expanding the number of locations that carry Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal, the manufacturer has announced.

Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal products have been available in select Walmart stores for nearly two decades, but beginning this month, the all-natural, fragrance-free roll-on will be available in all 3,747 Walmart locations.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — This weekend, Sam's Club is offering free allergy health screenings in select locations across the country.

Sam's Club said that its allergy tests, which are valued at $500, will screen participants for allergies to house and dust mites, cats, timothy grass, Bermuda grass, mountain cedar, short ragweed, alternaria (mold), milk, egg whites and wheat.

The drug store channel isn’t maximizing its potential in the consumer electronics category. According to research by TWICE and the Stevenson Co., CE sales at Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS amounted to $111 billion last year, less than 1% of the chains’ combined revenue. At Walmart, electronics comprise about 7% of sales. TWICE’s research also revealed that CE sales at all three drug chains were down last year.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart said Thursday that it is increasing its annual dividend 21% on the back of strong earnings.

The retailer last month reported a 27% increase in fourth-quarter net income as it benefited from cost-cutting and strong international sales. Walmart said it will pay an annual dividend this year of $1.46, up from $1.21. It will pay quarterly dividends of 36.5 cents in April, June, September and January in fiscal 2012, which ends Jan. 31.

The next dividend will be paid on April 4 to shareholders of record on March 11.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart said it will present more than $1.5 million to nonprofits in six U.S. communities, thanks to Facebook users' help with the retailer's commitment to fight hunger through 2015.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Despite gains in its international sector, Walmart experienced its seventh straight quarterly sales decline in its U.S. stores division for the period ended Jan. 31.

Walmart said although sales at its international stores rose 27%, its U.S. store sales fell short of its own projections for the holiday period. Sales at U.S. Walmart stores fell 0.5% to $71.1 billion, and were down 1.8% on a comparable-store basis, the company said.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Customer satisfaction as measured by the American Customer Satisfaction Index has not improved since the middle of 2009, and on Tuesday it registered its biggest drop in two years; for fourth quarter 2010, the index fell 0.5% to 75.3.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has named Cindy Davis EVP of its global consumer insights business unit created two weeks ago as part of a larger corporate restructuring.

Davis, who joined Walmart in 2007 and previously served as EVP membership and marketing for Sam’s Club, will continue to report to Sam’s Club president and CEO Brian Cornell, although she will be responsible for understanding broad consumer trends worldwide and for creating advanced analytical tools to support the business.

Just when you thought the low end of the generic drug price spectrum couldn’t get any more commoditized, the $2 price point debuted with a big splash in September 2010.