Profits rose slightly to $4.07bn in the quarter ending July 31 from $4.02bn a year earlier. But sales at US stores open at least a year–a key retail measure–fell 0.3%,，their fifth consecutive decline.“The customer remains challenged,，”Walmart US president Bill Simon said.
在截至7月31日的一個(gè)季度中,，沃爾瑪利潤(rùn)從去年同期的40.2億美元小幅增至40.7億美元,。但美國(guó)市場(chǎng)上持續(xù)營(yíng)業(yè)一年以上店面的銷售額，這一關(guān)鍵的零售數(shù)據(jù),，下降0.3%,，為連續(xù)5個(gè)季度走低。“消費(fèi)者仍面臨挑戰(zhàn),�,！蔽譅柆斆绹�(guó)區(qū)總裁比爾·西蒙說(shuō)。(英國(guó)《衛(wèi)報(bào)》)
沃爾瑪?shù)膲南⑴c此前科爾士百貨,、梅西百貨如出一轍,。梅西百貨公司降低全年銷售預(yù)期數(shù)字，首席財(cái)務(wù)官凱倫·霍谷特抱怨說(shuō),，美國(guó)消費(fèi)者并沒(méi)有像宏觀數(shù)據(jù)反映的那樣“健康”,。
The world’s largest retailer cut its revenue and profit forecasts for its fiscal year，raising concerns about retail spending as the all-important holiday season nears. It cited weak results from the United States,，as well as Canada,，Mexico，Japan and other international markets that it is relying on for long-term growth.
與此同時(shí),，全球第一大零售商沃爾瑪調(diào)降了本財(cái)年的銷售和盈利預(yù)期,，這給日益臨近且萬(wàn)般重要的假日購(gòu)物季平添了幾許擔(dān)憂。沃爾瑪稱,，數(shù)據(jù)不振皆因美國(guó)本土市場(chǎng),，以及加拿大、墨西哥,、日本和其他長(zhǎng)期倚重的市場(chǎng)表現(xiàn)不佳。(路透社)
沃爾瑪將2013財(cái)年凈銷售增幅由此前預(yù)計(jì)的5%至6%,，降至2%到3%,。美國(guó)是沃爾瑪?shù)牡谝淮笫袌?chǎng)，但消費(fèi)者還未從經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇中獲得好處,，而新興市場(chǎng)國(guó)家目前經(jīng)濟(jì)處境不佳,，也打擊了沃爾瑪?shù)暮Ｍ鈽I(yè)績(jī)。不過(guò),，從總體上講,，沃爾瑪?shù)暮Ｍ怃N售額當(dāng)季增加2.9%，至320億美元,。
The retail gloom comes against a background of steady,，positive economic news. On Thursday the Labor Department said the number of US workers seeking first-time unemployment benefits had fallen to its lowest level since before the recession. The number of people making initial jobless claims fell by 15，000 to a seasonally adjusted 320,，000 in the week ended August 10. Initial claims peaked at 667,，000 at the end of March 2009.
黯淡的零售數(shù)據(jù)有悖于美國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)持續(xù)向好的大環(huán)境。周四,，美國(guó)勞工部稱,，失業(yè)救濟(jì)首次申請(qǐng)人數(shù)降至本次經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退前最低水平。在截至8月10日的一周中，經(jīng)季節(jié)調(diào)整后首次申請(qǐng)領(lǐng)取救濟(jì)金的失業(yè)人數(shù)下降1.5萬(wàn),，至32萬(wàn)人,。該指標(biāo)在2009年3月底達(dá)到峰值，為66.7萬(wàn)人,。(美聯(lián)社)
有分析指出,，從數(shù)據(jù)上看，美國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)的確在復(fù)蘇,，但尚未惠及普通消費(fèi)者,，特別是低收入群體，近年來(lái)美國(guó)股市創(chuàng)新高,、樓市逐漸回暖,，但這些因素帶來(lái)的財(cái)富效應(yīng)與他們無(wú)關(guān)。值得關(guān)注的是,，盡管美國(guó)就業(yè)市場(chǎng)有所改善,，但工資水平基本沒(méi)動(dòng)。
Wal-Mart expects little improvement going into the fall. It forecast flat U.S. same-store sales in the current quarter,，which includes the back-to-school season. Back-to-school is often seen as a barometer for the holiday period,，when retailers get about 30 percent of sales and 40 percent of profits.
沃爾瑪預(yù)計(jì)，進(jìn)入秋季后,，公司業(yè)績(jī)難有改觀,。沃爾瑪稱，在當(dāng)前這個(gè)包括返校季在內(nèi)的季度中,，同店可比銷售額增長(zhǎng)乏力,。返校季一般被視作年末假日購(gòu)物季的晴雨表。零售商在假日購(gòu)物季中可以完成全年銷售的30%和利潤(rùn)的40%,。(路透社)
沃爾瑪首席財(cái)務(wù)官查理斯·霍利認(rèn)為,，美國(guó)零售市場(chǎng)以及海外環(huán)境仍充滿挑戰(zhàn)，消費(fèi)者在購(gòu)物時(shí)都持能省則省的態(tài)度,。在美國(guó),，今年一月開(kāi)始增加的稅務(wù)開(kāi)支、逐漸走高的汽油價(jià)格,，都在侵蝕著美國(guó)居民的購(gòu)物熱情,。在與媒體進(jìn)行的電話交流中，霍利指出,，美國(guó)消費(fèi)者目前最關(guān)心的三件事是：工作,、食品開(kāi)支以及能源價(jià)格。