Wal-Mart lowers 4Q, full-year profit expectations

Wal-Mart said today that its fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year adjusted earnings from continuing operations may come in at or slightly below the low end of its prior forecasts.
The latest comments from the world's biggest retailer reflects accounting for some Brazil-related charges and other items.
Chief Financial Officer Charles Holley said in a statement that these additional items were not anticipated when Wal-Mart previously provided its forecasts.
Shares of the Bentonville, Arkansas, company fell 70 cents to USD 74.05 in premarket trading about 45 minutes ahead of the market opening.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc also revised its fourth-quarter guidance for a key sales metric.

It now expects sales, excluding fuel, at Walmart and Sam's Club locations in the US open at least a year to be slightly below its prior forecasts.

The chain previously expected the key sales figure would be relatively flat at its namesake locations in the US and that it would be between flat and 2 per cent at Sam's Club.
Sales at stores open at least a year is a closely-watched indicator of a retailer's health. It excludes results from stores recently opened or closed that can distort year-to-year comparisons.
Holley said that the sales were hurt by eight winter storms that resulted in some store closings. He added that Sam's Club was hurt by weather throughout the quarter.

The performance was also hindered by a bigger-than-expected impact from the federal government's reduction in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits that went into effect on November 1.