Were off again this quarter (report released 2/20/2014); That's two consecutive quarters with domestic same store sales declines ("Only" 0.4%); They blamed the disappointing Holiday season on (Federal) benefit cuts and bad weather.
What is most disappointing is the lack of discussion in the local media; As far as I can tell, there was none, a couple of articles on the net, but that is about it. The entire editorial page of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Friday (2/28/14) was trying to say that raising the minimum wage is a bad idea. Not my belief obviously.
Meanwhile the state legislature has been busy trying to repeal the "Private Option" Medicaid expansion, while discussing building more prisons.
I see this (poor sales at Walmart) as a "Canary in the Coal Mine" phenomena, just how grim things are for the bottom 40% of the American population. Walmart is so dominant in that retail space (3Q there was some mention of a "Group" of really poorly performing stores), it is indicative of how badly our economy is serving that segment of our population.
The charitable activities distributing food to school children have received more attention in the local media. I ask you, what kind of society do we have that parents are unable to earn enough money at a "regular" job in what is supposedly one of the best performing economic areas of the country, that somewhere around 40% of our school children are eligible for Free/Reduced price meals?
