Walmart

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. here is quietly testing company-owned gas stations at a small number of its stores, according to a Reuters report. The experiment, if expanded, could stymie its petroleum partner Murphy Oil Corp.'s fast-growing gas station business.

NEW ORLEANS -- An extensive study of sales trends in Oklahoma and Illinois -- states in which meth legislation has been in effect long enough to measure an impact pre- and post-legislation -- do not bode well for the supermarket industry.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Food is an important ingredient in Wal-Mart's recipe for success moving forward, according to president and c.e.o. F. Lee Scott--but that future might be tasting decidedly more upscale.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. and MINNEAPOLIS -- Mass merchandisers Wal-Mart and Target each posted a fifth consecutive year of positive comparable store sales in May 2005 yesterday.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- More than 6,700 top-notch high school seniors and graduates this week will receive scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 from the Sam M. Walton Community Scholarship program, a nationwide program funded by the Wal-Mart & Sam's Club Foundation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Retail Forward's Future Spending Index improved to 99.1 for June from 96.6 last month, indicating consumers are in a better spending mood as the summer season approaches.

PHOENIX -- The latest chapter in the long-running clash between the world's largest retailer and the largest retail workers' labor union unfolded yesterday at a press conference here, centering on the retailer's health care plan and related public assistance issues.

LEEDS, United Kingdom -- In a telling sign that online grocery shopping is proving profitable in the United Kingdom, Wal-Mart-owned Asda here plans to double the size of its home shopping service this year. The move is also likely a competitive response to Asda's chief rival, Tesco, which continues to expand its successful online retailing operation. Asda is the U.K.'s number two grocer behind Tesco.