NEW YORK -- Wal-Mart's first-quarter net income fell 5 per cent as the world's largest retailer was hurt by bad winter weather and continues to see its low-income customers struggle in the U.S. and around the globe.
The company's performance missed Wall Street's expectations, and it gave a weak second-quarter earnings forecast.
Wal-Mart's stock fell nearly 3 per cent in premarket trading Thursday.
The results underscore the big challenges facing Wal-Mart's new CEO, Doug McMillon, who took over the top role on Feb. 1. The retailer is considered an economic bellwether, with the company accounting for nearly 10 per cent of nonautomotive retail spending in the U.S.
Wal-Mart's latest performance appears to show that many people are having a hard time stretching their money between paychecks.
For the period ended April 30, the Bentonville, Arkansas, company earned $3.59 billion, or $1.11 per share. That compares with $3.78 billion, or $1.14 per share, a year ago.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said that bad weather hurt earnings by about 3 cents per share. Its performance was also dinged by a higher-than-expected tax rate.
Income from continuing operations was $1.10 per share. Analysts, on average, expected earnings of $1.15 per share, according to a FactSet survey.
"Like other retailers in the United States, the unseasonably cold and disruptive weather negatively impacted U.S. sales and drove operating expenses higher than expected," President and CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement.
But Wal-Mart has been suffering from weak sales in the U.S. for some time. Sales at U.S. stores open at least a year dipped 0.2 per cent in the quarter, the fifth consecutive quarter of decline the metric, considered a key gauge of a retailer's financial performance. Analysts had been expecting the measure to be flat.
In the U.S., while jobs are easier to get and the housing market is gaining momentum, these improvements have not been enough to get Americans to spend. On top of that, the Nov. 1 expiration of a temporary boost in food stamps is hurting its shoppers' ability to spend.
Total revenue rose 1 per cent to $114.96 billion. Wall Street was calling for higher revenue of $116.43 billion.
McMillon said in a prerecorded call that U.S. sales rose during the second half of the quarter, but that Sam's Club had lower-than-expected sales. While membership income climbed, McMillon said it was mostly because of a fee increase started last year.
Total U.S. revenue rose 2 per cent to $67.85 billion. Wal-Mart International's sales rose 3.4 per cent in the quarter, on a constant currency basis.
Wal-Mart, which has 10,994 stores in 27 countries, is facing stiff completion from dollar chains and online king Amazon.com.
Wal-Mart has been sharpening its focus on everyday low prices at U.S. stores and further pushing that strategy abroad. Wal-Mart also said earlier in the year that it will speed up growth plans for its smaller Neighborhood Markets and Wal-Mart Express stores that cater to shoppers looking for more convenience with fresh produce and meat and household and beauty products.
In a call with the media, Wal-Mart executives said super centres are getting bigger purchases on each trip from people stocking up on bulk items, but traffic has been weaker, particularly in the bottom performing 10 per cent of its stores.
At Neighborhood Markets, on the other hand, traffic is up 4 per cent as people buy fill-in items at the smaller stores.
For the second quarter, Wal-Mart anticipates earnings from continuing operations in a range of $1.15 to $1.25 per share. Analysts predict earnings of $1.28 per share.
The company's shares fell $2.41, or 3.1 per cent, to $76.33 in premarket trading just before the market opened.
