Costco Wholesale Corp.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart's Sam's Club division said it hopes to broaden its business with a new emphasis on mothers, an executive told analysts at a Citigroup Inc. retail conference in Orlando, Fla. this week.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- Affluent consumers can afford to be more selective about shopping, but their habits reveal that the lure of a good deal can consistently influence their selectivity can still some interesting patterns, according to a study just released by the Nielsen Company here.