MarketWatch on Wal-Mart’s Quarterly Earnings

This piece is loaded with ‘keeper’ quotes, but this one takes the cake:

</i>It’s Wal-Mart’s worst nightmare and it’s a dream come true for both Costco and for Target.</i>

(I wish his name wasn’t Flickinger!:o)

I Love a Good Train Wreck!

You’re right Ken...lot’s of “keeper quotes.” I’m kind of partial to…

“This is a train wreck and it’s a train wreck that’s not going to be cleaned up for a long time.”

This was a most significant item for the trading day of 8 14 2007-

WMT average trade volume: 18,399,900

Trade volume for 8/14/2007: 63,322,100

COSTCO average volume Volume:  4,343,510
Trade volume for 8/14/2007:  4,332,696

One stock is meeting its price target and the other stock is getting dumped.

While Wal-Mart makes twice as much profit as Costco, Sinegal believes its better business to make a nice profit, but not a killing, and to invest more in Costco’s 92,000 workers. “I don’t see what’s wrong with an employee earning enough to be able to buy a house or having a health plan for the family,” he says.

COSTCO- A socially responsible business model that continues to work, very very well for investors.

SDV

I believe that Wal-Mart earned $11.6 billion last year while Costco earned much less than $2 billion and Wal-Mart had higher margins.

Where do you get this “twice the profit” stuff?

No Offense, SDV...

You should have known better than to try and go up against “Nick the Number Muncher,” with numerical statistics.  Somewhere along the line Nick got it into his head that THIS is what impresses most people.

You should have just stuck with, “COSTCO- A socially responsible business model...”

Against this, Nick has no argument because his radical fanatical extremist worship of the dollar doesn’t permit him to have a social conscience.  The COSTCO business model is “too emotional” for people like Nick.  He’s a capitalistic android.

Screwed,

Nick, like WalMart has never been straight and true about company finances. Inflated stock values and manipulations, liability issues and externalizing cost and shifting and cheating on tax responsibilities and huge (billions) subsidies etc etc are all part of the crumbling foundation that make up the WalMart business model. To have confidence in WalMart or accept their ruthless and irresponsible business model is a formula for theft and ultimate demands from investors and others about management philosophy and general business attitude. Basically Costco does not have these problems (oh a few subsidies, but nothing like WalMart largess at the trough) as reflected in the difference in reputation and even the public viewing WalMart as a store of last resort.

Nick cannot make a good argument with or without numbers.

Nick is using FACTS.  His Numbers=FACTS.

SDV and Screwed cant handle FACTS.  Its all emotions for them.

SDV

These are for you.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_10_22/ai_63795168

“The city of Lancaster has agreed to pony up $3.9 million in subsidies and use its power of eminent domain to evict a 99 Cents Only store so the city’s only Costco outlet can expand.”

http://www.coalitionforredevelopmentreform.org/news/ocreg_032306.php

“Last year La Habra’s redevelopment agency pledged a $1.2 million subsidy to Costco as an incentive to
open a store at Beach and La Habra Blvd. The store would be built on the site of a largely vacant
chopping center.

Now, Costco says it doesn’t want the money, and will be building the store anyway—at its own expense!

This is good new to La Habrans, who can now use that $1.2 million for needed park or other
infrastructure improvements. It is good news to those (including me) who have long criticized public
giveaways to giant corporate retailers. It is good new to those who support free enterprise and a level
playing field for all businesses, large and small.
In initially taking the money, Costco found it is subject to a new state law requiring “prevailing wage”
(union scale) for all redevelopment-subsidized projects. The strings attached to the funds made the grant
far less attractive. Without the agency grant, Costco’s building costs will now be much lower.
The real lesson is this: Public subsidies should not influence business decisions. Costco is locating in La
Habra because it wants local shoppers, not because it is getting a local tax subsidy. Public money should
be spent for public projects, not private developments.
Some residents may continue opposition based on excessive traffic caused by Costco. The land, however,
has long been commercially zoned. Now that Costco is willing to pay its own construction costs, the
project will likely move forward. Costco has received over $30 million in public subsidies in Orange
County since 1980. This La Habra store is one of the first that will pay for its own upfront costs. That’s
how it should be.”

Costco subsidies. The list goes on and on.

Big T, you are a mess. Clowns like you that side with Nick and RDS and then wonder why no one takes you seriously.

Don’t go away, Big T, you’re fun to have around.

Big T,

“Nick is using FACTS.  His Numbers=FACTS.

SDV and Screwed cant handle FACTS.  Its all emotions for them.”

Is this what you mean?

“If they were to unionize tomorrow and shut this site down I would simply find another anti Wal-Mart forum. I don’t want Wal-Mart better. I want them gone!

Ken V in Texas
Wednesday, August 15 at 09:40 PM”

Does that sound like FACTS or EMOTION?  And, to boot, Ken won’t even say WHY he feels that way!!

Is this what you mean?

That’s a fact.

“Big T, you are a mess. Clowns like you that side with Nick and RDS and then wonder why no one takes you seriously.”

Another in a long line of Ken V’s “insult ‘em, and they may disappear” tatics...gotta love it…

Bill

Ken V.  I cried all night over your insulting post.  You thinking that I am a mess and a clown really hurts. 

Who do I need to side with so people will start taking me seriously?

Who do I need to side with so people will start taking me seriously?

Big T in Rogers
Thursday, August 16 at 10:35 AM

The do not eat lead paint coalition.

Who do I need to side with so people will start taking me seriously?

You seem like a reasonably bright guy, Big T, but you fell into the same trap as Mary. You can be pro Wal-Mart but not pro Nick.

Living in Arkansas and having dealt with Wal-Mart on several levels, you bring a unique perspective to the wider issues discussed here.  Fine! Voice your opinion and let the debate begin!

But don’t clutter up the blog with crap like:

Nick is using FACTS.  His Numbers=FACTS.

Nick’s numbers are walmartfacts. There’s a difference.

I cried all night....

Perhaps some aroma therapy would help you sleep?

I Doubt it, Big T

“...start taking me seriously?

If you want to be taken seriously Big T, don’t say something stupid like “I cried all night.” It makes you sound like a wimp.  If you did, then I’d hate to see what Wal-Mart buyers can do to you when they get you in the HO!

I agree with Ken.  Give us your “unique perspective” as a supplier to Wal-Mart, Big T.  Don’t crap out on us and say, “I cried all night.”