10-Q: Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
Published on November 30, 2006
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
x Quarterly
Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
For
the quarterly period ended October 31, 2006.
or
¨ Transition
Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
For
the transition period from __________ to __________.
Commission
file number 1-6991
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WAL-MART
STORES, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
|
71-0415188
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of
incorporation
or organization)
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
|
702
S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville,
Arkansas
|
72716
|
(Address
of principal executive offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
(479)
273-4000
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Not
applicable
(Former
name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last
report)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the
preceding 12 months (or such shorter periods that the registrant was required
to
file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements
for the
past 90 days. Yesx
No¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer (See definition of “accelerated
filer and large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act). Check One:
Large
Accelerated Filer x Accelerated
Filer ¨ Non-Accelerated
Filer ¨
Indicate
by a check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in
Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes¨
Nox
Applicable
Only to Corporate Issuers
Indicate
the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common
stock, as of the latest practical date.
Common
Stock, $.10 Par Value - 4,168,025,494
shares
as of November 24, 2006.
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item
1. Financial Statements
WAL-MART
STORES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Unaudited)
(Amounts
in millions except per share data)
|
Three
Months Ended
October
31,
|
Nine
Months Ended
October
31,
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
|
|||||||||
Revenues:
|
|||||||||||||
Net
sales
|
$
|
83,543
|
$
|
74,596
|
$
|
246,902
|
$
|
220,527
|
|||||
Other
income, net
|
924
|
801
|
2,670
|
2,322
|
|||||||||
|
84,467
|
75,397
|
249,572
|
222,849
|
|||||||||
Costs
and expenses:
|
|||||||||||||
Cost
of sales
|
63,765
|
57,325
|
188,587
|
169,267
|
|||||||||
Operating,
selling, general and administrative expenses
|
16,237
|
13,974
|
46,920
|
40,762
|
|||||||||
Operating
income
|
4,465
|
4,098
|
14,065
|
12,820
|
|||||||||
Interest:
|
|||||||||||||
Debt
|
434
|
347
|
1,188
|
847
|
|||||||||
Capital
leases
|
55
|
60
|
192
|
173
|
|||||||||
Interest
income
|
(65
|
)
|
(57
|
)
|
(196
|
)
|
(165
|
)
|
|||||
Interest,
net
|
424
|
350
|
1,184
|
855
|
|||||||||
Income
from continuing operations before income taxes and minority
interest
|
4,041
|
3,748
|
12,881
|
11,965
|
|||||||||
Provision
for income taxes
|
1,363
|
1,253
|
4,388
|
3,969
|
|||||||||
Income
from continuing operations before minority interest
|
2,678
|
2,495
|
8,493
|
7,996
|
|||||||||
Minority
interest
|
(84
|
)
|
(73
|
)
|
(254
|
)
|
(209
|
)
|
|||||
Income
from continuing operations
|
2,594
|
2,422
|
8,239
|
7,787
|
|||||||||
Income
(loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax
|
53
|
(48
|
)
|
(894
|
)
|
(147
|
)
|
||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
2,647
|
$
|
2,374
|
$
|
7,345
|
$
|
7,640
|
|||||
Basic
net income per common share:
|
|||||||||||||
Income
per share from continuing operations
|
$
|
0.62
|
$
|
0.58
|
$
|
1.98
|
$
|
1.86
|
|||||
Income
(loss) per share from discontinued operations
|
0.01
|
(0.01
|
)
|
(0.22
|
)
|
(0.04
|
)
|
||||||
Basic
net income per common share
|
$
|
0.63
|
$
|
0.57
|
$
|
1.76
|
$
|
1.82
|
|||||
Diluted
net income per common share:
|
|||||||||||||
Income
per share from continuing operations
|
$
|
0.62
|
$
|
0.58
|
$
|
1.97
|
$
|
1.86
|
|||||
Income
(loss) per share from discontinued operations
|
0.01
|
(0.01
|
)
|
(0.21
|
)
|
(0.04
|
)
|
||||||
Diluted
net income per common share
|
$
|
0.63
|
$
|
0.57
|
$
|
1.76
|
$
|
1.82
|
|||||
Weighted-average
number of common shares:
|
|||||||||||||
Basic
|
4,169
|
4,165
|
4,168
|
4,189
|
|||||||||
Diluted
|
4,173
|
4,169
|
4,172
|
4,194
|
|||||||||
Dividends
declared per common share
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.67
|
$
|
0.60
|
See
accompanying notes.
2
WAL-MART
STORES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited)
(Amounts
in millions)
|
October
31,
2006
|
October
31,
2005
|
January
31,
2006
|
|||||||
ASSETS
|
||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
5,908
|
$
|
4,334
|
$
|
6,193
|
||||
Receivables
|
2,477
|
1,770
|
2,575
|
|||||||
Inventories
|
38,531
|
36,272
|
31,910
|
|||||||
Prepaid
expenses and other
|
2,707
|
1,842
|
2,468
|
|||||||
Current
assets of discontinued operations
|
—
|
706
|
679
|
|||||||
Total
current assets
|
49,623
|
44,924
|
43,825
|
|||||||
Property
and equipment, at cost
|
107,073
|
90,015
|
95,537
|
|||||||
Less
accumulated depreciation
|
(24,159
|
)
|
(20,391
|
)
|
(20,937
|
)
|
||||
Property
and equipment, net
|
82,914
|
69,624
|
74,600
|
|||||||
Property
under capital leases
|
5,421
|
5,009
|
5,392
|
|||||||
Less
accumulated amortization
|
(2,313
|
)
|
(2,075
|
)
|
(2,127
|
)
|
||||
Property
under capital leases, net
|
3,108
|
2,934
|
3,265
|
|||||||
Goodwill
|
13,257
|
10,379
|
12,097
|
|||||||
Other
assets and deferred charges
|
2,217
|
2,051
|
2,516
|
|||||||
Non-current
assets of discontinued operations
|
—
|
1,887
|
1,884
|
|||||||
Total
assets
|
$
|
151,119
|
$
|
131,799
|
$
|
138,187
|
||||
LIABILITIES
AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
||||||||||
Commercial
paper
|
$
|
7,968
|
$
|
6,774
|
$
|
3,754
|
||||
Accounts
payable
|
29,263
|
24,835
|
25,101
|
|||||||
Dividends
payable
|
607
|
644
|
—
|
|||||||
Accrued
liabilities
|
14,283
|
12,514
|
13,274
|
|||||||
Accrued
income taxes
|
252
|
650
|
1,340
|
|||||||
Long-term
debt due within one year
|
5,490
|
4,172
|
4,595
|
|||||||
Obligations
under capital leases due within one year
|
300
|
247
|
284
|
|||||||
Current
liabilities of discontinued operations
|
—
|
481
|
477
|
|||||||
Total
current liabilities
|
58,163
|
50,317
|
48,825
|
|||||||
Long-term
debt
|
24,154
|
23,249
|
26,429
|
|||||||
Long-term
obligations under capital leases
|
3,622
|
3,467
|
3,667
|
|||||||
Non-current
liabilities of discontinued operations
|
—
|
133
|
129
|
|||||||
Deferred
income taxes and other
|
4,785
|
3,336
|
4,501
|
|||||||
Minority
interest
|
1,632
|
1,379
|
1,465
|
|||||||
Commitments
and contingencies
|
||||||||||
Common
stock and capital in excess of par value
|
3,237
|
2,925
|
3,013
|
|||||||
Retained
earnings
|
53,738
|
45,495
|
49,105
|
|||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
|
1,788
|
1,498
|
1,053
|
|||||||
Total
shareholders’ equity
|
58,763
|
49,918
|
53,171
|
|||||||
Total
liabilities and shareholders’ equity
|
$
|
151,119
|
$
|
131,799
|
$
|
138,187
|
See
accompanying notes.
3
WAL-MART
STORES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
(Amounts
in millions)
Nine
Months Ended
October
31,
|
|||||||
2006
|
|
2005
|
|||||
Cash
flows from operating activities:
|
|||||||
Income
from continuing operations
|
$
|
8,239
|
$
|
7,787
|
|||
Adjustments
to reconcile income from continuing operations to net cash provided
by
operating activities:
|
|||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
4,013
|
3,459
|
|||||
Other
|
427
|
596
|
|||||
Changes
in certain assets and liabilities, net of effects of
acquisitions:
|
|||||||
Decrease
(increase) in accounts receivable
|
103
|
(96
|
)
|
||||
Increase
in inventories
|
(6,198
|
)
|
(6,682
|
)
|
|||
Increase
in accounts payable
|
3,501
|
3,206
|
|||||
Increase
(decrease) in accrued liabilities
|
25
|
(29
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash provided by operating activities of continuing
operations
|
10,110
|
8,241
|
|||||
Net
cash used in operating activities of discontinued
operations
|
(45
|
)
|
(127
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash provided by operations
|
10,065
|
8,114
|
|||||
Cash
flows from investing activities:
|
|||||||
Payments
for property and equipment
|
(11,417
|
)
|
(10,380
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from disposal of property and equipment
|
262
|
736
|
|||||
Proceeds
from disposal of certain international operations, net
|
610
|
—
|
|||||
Investment
in international operations, net of cash acquired
|
(68
|
)
|
(307
|
)
|
|||
Other
investing activities
|
(142
|
)
|
(122
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash used in investing activities of continuing operations
|
(10,755
|
)
|
(10,073
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash provided by (used in) investing activities of discontinued
operations
|
44
|
(22
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(10,711
|
)
|
(10,095
|
)
|
|||
Cash
flows from financing activities:
|
|||||||
Increase
in commercial paper
|
4,200
|
2,962
|
|||||
Proceeds
from issuance of long-term debt
|
3,282
|
6,940
|
|||||
Dividends
paid
|
(2,118
|
)
|
(1,887
|
)
|
|||
Payment
of long-term debt
|
(4,847
|
)
|
(2,722
|
)
|
|||
Purchase
of Company stock
|
—
|
(3,580
|
)
|
||||
Other
financing activities
|
(424
|
)
|
(615
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash provided by financing activities
|
93
|
1,098
|
|||||
Effect
of exchange rates on cash
|
47
|
(70
|
)
|
||||
Net
decrease in cash and cash equivalents
|
(506
|
)
|
(953
|
)
|
|||
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of year (1)
|
6,414
|
5,488
|
|||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of period (2)
|
$
|
5,908
|
$
|
4,535
|
|||
Supplemental
disclosure of cash flow information:
|
|||||||
Income
taxes paid
|
$
|
4,972
|
$
|
4,630
|
|||
Interest
paid
|
$
|
1,505
|
$
|
1,057
|
(1) |
Includes
cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations of $221 and
$383 at
January 31, 2006 and January 31, 2005, respectively.
|
(2) |
Includes
cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations of $201 at October
31, 2005.
|
See
accompanying notes.
4
WAL-MART
STORES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE
1. Basis of Presentation
The
condensed
consolidated balance sheets of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and its subsidiaries
(the
“Company”) as of October 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related consolidated
statements of income and condensed consolidated statements of cash flows
for the
three and nine-month periods ended October 31, 2006 and 2005, are unaudited.
The
condensed consolidated balance sheet as of January 31, 2006, is derived from
the
audited financial statements at that date.
In
the
opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation
of the
condensed consolidated financial statements have been included. Such adjustments
are of a normal recurring nature. Additionally, certain reclassifications
have
been made to prior periods to conform to the current period presentation.
Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full
year.
The
condensed
consolidated financial statements and notes are presented in accordance with
the
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and do not
contain certain information included in the Company’s Annual Report to
Shareholders for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2006. Therefore, the interim
condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction
with
that Annual Report to Shareholders.
NOTE
2. Net Income Per Share
Basic
net
income per share is based on the number of weighted-average outstanding common
shares. Diluted net income per share is based on the number of weighted-average
outstanding common shares including the dilutive effect of stock options
and
restricted stock grants, which amounted to 4 million shares for the quarters
ended October 31, 2006 and 2005 and 4 million and 5 million shares for the
nine
months ended October 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Approximately 62 million
and 61 million stock options that were outstanding at October 31, 2006 and
2005,
respectively, were not included in the diluted net income per common share
calculation because their effect would be antidilutive.
NOTE
3. Inventories
The
Company
values inventories at the lower of cost or market as determined by the retail
method of accounting, using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method for
substantially all of the Wal-Mart Stores segment’s store merchandise
inventories. Sam’s Club merchandise and merchandise in our domestic distribution
centers are valued based on the weighted average cost using the LIFO method.
Inventories of foreign operations are primarily valued by the retail method
of
accounting, using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method. At October 31, 2006
and 2005 and at January 31, 2006, the Company’s inventories valued at LIFO
approximate those inventories if they were valued at FIFO.
NOTE
4. Discontinued Operations
During
the
second quarter of fiscal 2007, the Company entered into definitive agreements
to
dispose of our operations in South Korea and Germany, which were included
in our
International segment. Consequently, the net losses related to these operations,
our gain on the disposition of our South Korea operations, and the loss on
the
disposition of our German operations are presented as discontinued operations
in
our consolidated statements of income and our condensed consolidated statements
of cash flows for all periods presented. Additionally, the asset groups disposed
of are reported as assets and liabilities of discontinued operations in our
condensed consolidated balance sheets as of October 31, 2005 and January
31,
2006.
In
May 2006,
the Company announced the sale of its retail business in South Korea, which
operated 16 stores, to Shinsegae Co., Ltd., for Won 825 billion, subject
to
certain closing adjustments. This transaction was approved by the Korea Fair
Trade Commission in September 2006 and closed during the third quarter of
fiscal
2007. The Company recorded a pretax gain on the sale of $103 million and
tax
expense of $63 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2007. In determining
the gain on the disposition of our South Korean operations, the Company
allocated $206 million of goodwill from the reporting unit. The transaction
continues to be subject to certain indemnification obligations. In the event
there are any additional charges associated with this divestiture, we will
record and report such amounts through discontinued operations in future
periods.
In
July 2006,
the Company agreed to dispose of its German operations, which operated 85
stores, to Metro AG, and recorded a loss of $863 million during the second
quarter of fiscal 2007. The transaction was approved by the European competition
authorities and closed during the third quarter of fiscal 2007. An additional
loss of $55 million on the disposal was recorded in third quarter of fiscal
2007
as a result of various closing adjustments. In addition, the Company recognized
a tax benefit of $126 million related to this transaction in the third quarter
of fiscal 2007. The transaction continues to be subject to a post-closing
adjustment and other indemnification obligations. In the event there are
any
additional charges associated with this divestiture, we will record and report
such amounts through discontinued operations in future periods.
5
The
ultimate
tax benefit to be realized in relation to the disposition of our German
operations is contingent upon the characterization of the loss as a capital
loss
or an ordinary loss under U.S. tax law and highly factual determinations.
The
ultimate resolution with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service of the character
of
the loss as ordinary for tax purposes could result in the recognition of
further
tax benefits up to an amount that could be material to the Company’s financial
results. Any additional tax benefit realized will be recorded and reported
in
discontinued operations in future periods.
In
addition
to the gain and loss on the dispositions noted above, discontinued operations
as
presented in the Company's consolidated statements of income also include
net
sales and net operating losses from our South Korean and German operations
as
follows:
|
Three
Months Ended
October
31,
|
Nine
Months Ended
October
31,
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
|
2005
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
||||||||
Net
sales
|
$
|
868
|
$
|
840
|
$
|
2,489
|
$
|
2,627
|
|||||
Net
losses
|
(58
|
)
|
(48
|
)
|
(142
|
)
|
(147
|
)
|
NOTE
5. Acquisitions
During
December 2005, the Company purchased an additional interest in The Seiyu,
Ltd.
(“Seiyu”), for approximately $570 million, bringing the Company’s total
investment in Seiyu, including adjustments arising from the equity method
of
accounting, to $1.2 billion. Seiyu is a retailer in Japan, which currently
operates 391 stores selling apparel, general merchandise, food and certain
services. Following this additional purchase, the Company owned approximately
53.3% of Seiyu common shares. Beginning on the date of the controlling interest
purchase, the Company began consolidating Seiyu as a majority-owned subsidiary
using a December 31 fiscal year-end. Seiyu’s results of operations were not
material to the Company. As a result of the initial consolidation of Seiyu,
total assets and liabilities of $6.7 billion and $5.6 billion, respectively,
were recorded in our condensed consolidated financial statements. Goodwill
recorded in the consolidation amounted to approximately $1.5 billion. The
amount
of assets and liabilities recorded in the consolidation of Seiyu are preliminary
estimates made by management and will be finalized upon completion of the
valuation of tangible and intangible assets and liabilities.
The
minority
interest in Seiyu is represented, in part, by shares of Seiyu’s preferred stock
that are convertible into shares of Seiyu common stock. If the minority holder
of Seiyu’s preferred stock proposes to sell or convert its shares of preferred
stock, the Company has the right to purchase those shares at a predetermined
price. In June 2006, the Company purchased certain of the minority holder’s
Seiyu preferred shares for approximately $45 million. None of the Seiyu
preferred shares owned by the Company, including the preferred shares purchased
in June, have been converted into Seiyu common shares. If converted, the
Company
would own approximately 55.3% of Seiyu’s common shares.
Through
a
warrant exercisable through December 2007, the Company can contribute
approximately ¥154.6 billion for approximately 539 million additional common
shares of Seiyu stock. If the warrant is exercised, the Company would own
approximately 71% of the common shares of Seiyu. These calculations assume
no
conversion of Seiyu’s preferred stock into common shares and no other issuances
of Seiyu common shares.
In
December
2005, the Company completed the purchase of Sonae Distribuição Brasil S.A.
(“Sonae”), a retail operation in Southern Brazil, which currently operates 138
hypermarkets, supermarkets and warehouse units. The purchase price was
approximately $720 million including transaction costs. Assets recorded in
the
acquisition of Sonae were $1.3 billion and liabilities assumed were $566
million. As a result of the Sonae acquisition, we recorded goodwill of $305
million and other identifiable intangible assets of $89 million. Sonae’s results
of operations, which were not material to the Company, are included in our
condensed consolidated financial statements following the date of acquisition
using a December 31 fiscal year-end.
In
September
2005, the Company acquired a 33.3% interest in Central American Retail Holding
Company (“CARHCO”), a retailer which currently operates 394 supermarkets and
other stores in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
The
purchase price was approximately $318 million, including transaction costs.
In
fiscal 2006, the Company accounted for its investment in CARHCO under the
equity
method. Concurrent with the purchase of the investment in CARHCO, the Company
entered into an agreement to purchase an additional 17.7% of CARHCO in the
first
quarter of fiscal 2007 and an option agreement that will allow the Company
to
purchase up to an additional 24% beginning in September 2010 from the
shareholders of CARHCO. To the extent that the Company does not exercise
its
option to purchase the additional 24% of CARHCO, the minority shareholders
will
have certain put rights that could require the Company to purchase the
additional 24% of CARHCO after September 2012.
6
In
February
2006, the Company purchased the additional 17.7% of CARHCO for a purchase
price
of approximately $212 million. Following this purchase, the Company began
consolidating CARHCO as a majority-owned subsidiary using a December 31 fiscal
year-end. CARHCO’s results of operations were not material to the Company. As a
result of the consolidation of CARHCO, total assets and liabilities of $1.3
billion and $576 million, respectively, were recorded in our condensed
consolidated financial statements. Goodwill and identifiable intangible assets
recorded in the consolidation amounted to approximately $412 million and
$97
million, respectively.
NOTE
6. Long-term Debt
On
August 10,
2006, the Company sold $1.0 billion of its money market puttable reset
securities due 2026 in a Rule 144A offering. In return for a call option
on the
notes, the Company received a premium causing the initial effective interest
rate on the notes to be 4.11% for the first year term. The initial stated
interest rate on these notes is 5.502% per annum. The interest rate on these
notes will be reset on July 15 of each year through 2025 and these notes
are
structured to be remarketed in connection with the annual reset of the interest
rate. If, for any reason, the remarketing of the notes does not occur at
the
time of any interest rate reset, the holders of the notes must sell, and
the
Company must repurchase, the notes at par. Due to the remarketing feature
of
these notes, the notes are classified as long-term debt due within one year.
During
the
first nine months of fiscal 2007, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., repaid $4.8 billion
of
debt. Additionally, during March 2006, the Company borrowed ¥50.0 billion under
a short-term bridge loan. The bridge loan matured in June 2006. In May 2006,
we
refinanced the bridge loan through the sale in an underwritten public offering
of ¥50.0 billion of our 1.78% notes that are due in 2011. Those notes are
designated as a hedge of our net investment in Seiyu.
Prior
to
entering into the ¥50.0 billion bridge loan, the Company paid $25 million to
settle a receive fixed-rate, pay fixed-rate cross-currency interest rate
swap
with a notional amount of approximately ¥52.1 billion. This cross-currency
interest rate swap was designated as a net investment hedge of our investment
in
Seiyu.
During
the
first nine months of fiscal 2007, Seiyu repaid ¥148.5
billion, or approximately $1.3 billion, of debt and issued ¥151.2 billion, or
approximately $1.3 billion, of its notes. The notes issued carry varying
interest rates ranging from 0.75% to 2.88% and varying maturity dates up
to
March 2009. The Company has not guaranteed repayment of any such Seiyu notes.
NOTE
7. Segments
The
Company
and its subsidiaries are principally engaged in the continuing operations
of
retail stores located in all 50 states of the United States, Argentina, Brazil,
Canada, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom, through joint ventures in China,
and
through majority-owned subsidiaries in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras and Nicaragua, Japan and Mexico. The Company identifies segments
based
on management responsibility within the United States and in total for
international units.
The
Wal-Mart
Stores segment includes the Company’s supercenters, discount stores and
Neighborhood Markets in the United States as well as Walmart.com. The Sam’s Club
segment includes the warehouse membership Clubs in the United States as well
as
samsclub.com. The International segment consists of the Company’s operations
outside of the United States. The amounts under the caption “Other” in the
second table below are unallocated corporate overhead, including our real
estate
operations in the United States. For the periods prior to the Company’s majority
ownership of Seiyu and CARHCO, the Company’s portion of the results of our
unconsolidated minority interest in those entities was also included under
the
caption “Other.”
The
Company
measures the profit of its segments as “segment operating income,” which is
defined as income from continuing operations before net interest expense,
income
taxes and minority interest and excludes unallocated corporate overhead and
results of discontinued operations. Information on segments and the
reconciliation to income from continuing operations before income taxes,
minority interest and discontinued operations appears in the following
tables.
7
Net
sales by
operating segment were as follows (in millions):
Three
Months Ended
October
31,
|
Nine
Months Ended
October
31,
|
||||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|||||||||
Wal-Mart
Stores
|
$
|
54,179
|
$
|
50,243
|
$
|
162,067
|
$
|
149,693
|
|||||
Sam’s
Club
|
10,206
|
10,019
|
30,453
|
29,143
|
|||||||||
International
|
19,158
|
14,334
|
54,382
|
41,691
|
|||||||||
Total
net sales
|
$
|
83,543
|
$
|
74,596
|
$
|
246,902
|
$
|
220,527
|
Segment operating income and the reconciliation to income from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest and discontinued operations are as follows (in millions):
Three
Months Ended
October
31,
|
Nine
Months Ended
October
31,
|
||||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|||||||||
Wal-Mart
Stores
|
$
|
3,639
|
$
|
3,312
|
$
|
11,780
|
$
|
10,610
|
|||||
Sam’s
Club
|
356
|
342
|
1,076
|
1,008
|
|||||||||
International
|
997
|
844
|
2,747
|
2,360
|
|||||||||
Other
|
(527
|
)
|
(400
|
)
|
(1,538
|
)
|
(1,158
|
)
|
|||||
Operating
income
|
4,465
|
4,098
|
14,065
|
12,820
|
|||||||||
Interest
expense, net
|
(424
|
)
|
(350
|
)
|
(1,184
|
)
|
(855
|
)
|
|||||
Income
from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest
and
discontinued operations
|
$
|
4,041
|
$
|
3,748
|
$
|
12,881
|
$
|
11,965
|
Goodwill
is
recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheet in the operating segments
as follows (in millions):
October
31,
2006
|
October
31,
2005
|
January
31,
2006
|
||||||||
International
|
$
|
12,952
|
$
|
10,074
|
$
|
11,792
|
||||
Sam’s
Club
|
305
|
305
|
305
|
|||||||
Total
goodwill
|
$
|
13,257
|
$
|
10,379
|
$
|
12,097
|
The
change in
the International segment’s goodwill since the third quarter of fiscal 2006 is
primarily the result of the acquisitions and consolidations of Seiyu, Sonae
and
CARHCO along with foreign exchange rate fluctuations.
NOTE
8. Comprehensive Income
Comprehensive
income is net income plus certain other items that are recorded directly
to
shareholders’ equity, which generally consist of currency translation and hedge
accounting adjustments. Comprehensive income was $2.3 billion and $2.1 billion
for the three months ended October 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, and $8.1
billion and $6.4 billion for the nine months ended October 31, 2006 and 2005,
respectively.
NOTE
9. Common Stock Dividends
During
the
first quarter of fiscal 2007, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an
increase in the Company’s annual dividend to $0.67 per share. The annual
dividend is paid in four equal quarterly installments. Dividend payment dates
for fiscal 2007 are April 3, June 5, and September 5, 2006, and January 2,
2007
to holders of record on March 17, May 19, August 18 and December 15, 2006,
respectively. A $0.60 per share annual dividend was declared in the first
quarter of fiscal 2006 and paid in four equal quarterly
installments.
8
NOTE
10. Income Taxes
The
Company's
effective tax rate was 34.1% for the nine months ended October 31, 2006.
The
Company expects the fiscal 2007 annual effective tax rate to be approximately
34%. Significant factors that could impact the annual effective tax rate
include
management's assessment of certain tax matters, Work Opportunity Tax Credit
renewal legislation and the composition of taxable income between domestic
and
international operations.
In
determining the quarterly provision for income taxes, the Company uses an
estimated annual effective tax rate based on forecasted annual income and
permanent items, statutory tax rates and tax planning opportunities in the
various jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The impact of significant
discrete items is separately recognized in the quarter in which they
occur.
NOTE
11. Contingencies
The
Company
is involved in a number of legal proceedings. In accordance with Statement
of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 5, “Accounting for Contingencies,” the
Company has made accruals with respect to these matters, where appropriate,
which are reflected in the Company's condensed consolidated financial
statements. The Company may enter into discussions regarding settlement of
these
matters, and may enter into settlement agreements, if it believes settlement
is
in the best interests of the Company's shareholders. The matters, or groups
of
related matters, discussed below, if decided adversely to or settled by the
Company, individually or in the aggregate, may result in liability material
to
the Company's financial condition or results of operations.
The
Company
is a defendant in numerous cases containing class-action allegations in which
the plaintiffs are current and former hourly associates who allege that the
Company forced them to work “off the clock” or failed to provide work breaks, or
otherwise that they were not paid for work performed. The complaints generally
seek unspecified monetary damages, injunctive relief, or both. Class or
collective-action certification has yet to be addressed by the court in a
majority of these cases. Where it has been addressed, certification has been
denied in twelve of these cases; has been granted in whole or in part in
seven
of these cases; and has been conditionally granted for notice purposes only
in
two of these cases. In another five such cases, certification was denied
and the
case was then dismissed, and in one additional such case, certification was
granted and the case was then dismissed. The Company cannot reasonably
estimate the possible loss or range of loss which may arise from these
lawsuits.
One
of the
class-action lawsuits described above is
Savaglio v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.,
a
class-action lawsuit in which the plaintiffs allege that they were not provided
meal and rest breaks in accordance with California law, and seek monetary
damages and injunctive relief. A jury trial on the plaintiffs' claims for
monetary damages concluded on December 22, 2005. The jury returned a verdict
of
approximately $57 million in statutory penalties and $115 million in punitive
damages. Following a bench trial in June, the judge entered an order allowing
some, but not all, of the injunctive relief sought by the plaintiffs. The
Company believes it has substantial defenses to the claims at issue, and
intends to challenge the verdict in post-trial motions and, if necessary,
on
appeal.
In another of the class-action lawsuits described above, Braun/Hummel v. Wal-Mart Stores, a jury trial was commenced on September 5, 2006, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs allege that the Company failed to pay class members for all hours worked and prevented class members from taking their full meal and rest breaks. On October 13, 2006, the jury awarded back-pay damages to the plaintiffs of approximately $78 million on their claims for off-the-clock work and missed rest breaks. The jury found in favor of the Company on the plaintiffs’ meal-period claims. The plaintiffs are now seeking an additional award of approximately $62 million in statutory penalties, plus prejudgment interest and attorneys’ fees. The Company believes it has substantial defenses to the claims at issue, and intends to challenge the verdict in post-trial motions and, if necessary, on appeal.
Another of
the
class-action lawsuits described above,
Salvas v. Wal-Mart Stores,
had
been scheduled to go to trial on October 2, 2006, before a jury in Cambridge,
Massachusetts. The plaintiffs alleged that the Company failed to pay class
members for all hours worked and prevented class members from taking their
full
meal and rest breaks, and were seeking approximately $90 million in back
pay,
plus statutory treble damages, interest and attorneys' fees. Shortly before
the scheduled trial date, however, the judge took the case off the trial
docket
in order to consider Wal-Mart’s motion to decertify the class, and on November
7, 2006, the judge entered an order decertifying the class entirely. It is
anticipated that the judge will certify his ruling for an immediate appeal.
The
Company is not able to reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of
loss
which may result from this lawsuit.
A
putative
class action is pending in California challenging the methodology of payments
made under various associate incentive bonus plans. The court has made no
decision on class certification in this case. The Company cannot reasonably
estimate the possible loss or range of loss which may result from this
lawsuit.
The
Company
is currently a defendant in five putative class actions, which are pending
in
California, Michigan, New Mexico and Tennessee, brought on behalf of salaried
managers who challenge their exempt status under state and federal laws.
Conditional certification for notice purposes under the FLSA has been granted
in
one of these cases (Comer
v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.).
In
another, class certification has been denied (Sepulveda
v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.).
The
Company cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss which
may
arise from these lawsuits.
9
The
Company
is a defendant in
Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.,
a
class-action lawsuit commenced in June 2001 and pending in the United States
District Court for the Northern District of California. The case was brought
on
behalf of all past and present female employees in all of the Company's retail
stores and warehouse clubs in the United States. The complaint alleges that
the
Company has engaged in a pattern and practice of discriminating against women
in
promotions, pay, training and job assignments. The complaint seeks, among
other
things, injunctive relief, front pay, back pay, punitive damages, and attorneys'
fees. Following a hearing on class certification on September 24, 2003, on
June
21, 2004, the District Court issued an order granting in part and denying
in
part the plaintiffs' motion for class certification. The class, which was
certified by the District Court for purposes of liability, injunctive and
declaratory relief, punitive damages, and lost pay, subject to certain
exceptions, includes all women employed at any Wal-Mart domestic retail store
at
any time since December 26, 1998, who have been or may be subjected to the
pay
and management track promotions policies and practices challenged by the
plaintiffs. The class as certified currently includes approximately 1.6 million
present and former female associates.
The
Company
believes that the District Court's ruling is incorrect. The United States
Court
of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has granted the Company's petition for
discretionary review of the ruling. The Court of Appeals heard oral argument
from counsel in the case on August 8, 2005. There is no indication at this
time
as to when a decision will be rendered. If the Company is not successful
in its
appeal of class certification, or an appellate court issues a ruling that
allows
for the certification of a class or classes with a different size or scope,
and
if there is a subsequent adverse verdict on the merits from which there is
no
successful appeal, or in the event of a negotiated settlement of the litigation,
the resulting liability could be material to the Company. The plaintiffs
also
seek punitive damages which, if awarded, could result in the payment of
additional amounts material to the Company. However, because of the uncertainty
of the outcome of the appeal from the District Court's certification decision,
because of the uncertainty of the balance of the proceedings contemplated
by the
District Court, and because the Company's liability, if any, arising from
the
litigation, including the size of any damages award if plaintiffs are successful
in the litigation or any negotiated settlement, could vary widely, the Company
cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss which may arise
from the litigation.
The
Company
is a defendant in
Mauldin v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.,
a
class-action lawsuit that was filed on October 16, 2001, in the United States
District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division. The
class
was certified on August 23, 2002. On September 30, 2003, the court denied
the
Company's motion to reconsider that ruling. The class is composed of female
Wal-Mart associates who were participants in the Associates Health and Welfare
Plan at any time from March 8, 2001, to the present and who were using
prescription contraceptives. The class seeks amendment of the Plan to include
coverage for prescription contraceptives, back pay for all members in the
form
of reimbursement of the cost of prescription contraceptives, pre-judgment
interest and attorneys' fees. The complaint alleges that the Company's Health
Plan violates Title VII's prohibition against gender discrimination in that
the
Health Plan's Reproductive Systems provision does not provide coverage for
prescription contraceptives. The Company cannot reasonably estimate the possible
loss or range of loss which may arise from this litigation.
The
Company
is a defendant in a lawsuit that was filed on August 24, 2001, in the United
States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
EEOC
(Janice Smith) v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
is an
action brought by the EEOC on behalf of Janice Smith and all other females
who
made application or transfer requests at the London, Kentucky, distribution
center from 1995 to the present, and who were not hired or transferred into
the
warehouse positions for which they applied. The class seeks back pay for
those
females not selected for hire or transfer during the relevant time period.
The
class also seeks injunctive and prospective affirmative relief. The complaint
alleges that the Company based hiring decisions on gender in violation of
Title
VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act as amended. The EEOC can maintain this action
as a class without certification. The Company cannot reasonably estimate
the
possible loss or range of loss which may arise from this
litigation.
On
November
8, 2005, the Company received a grand jury subpoena from the United States
Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, seeking documents
and
information relating to the Company's receipt, transportation, handling,
identification, recycling, treatment, storage and disposal of certain
merchandise that constitutes hazardous materials or hazardous waste. The
Company
has been informed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District
of
California that it is a target of a criminal investigation into potential
violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), the Clean
Water Act, and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Statute. This U.S.
Attorney's Office contends, among other things, that the use of Company trucks
to transport certain returned merchandise from the Company's stores to its
return centers is prohibited by RCRA because those materials may be considered
hazardous waste. The government alleges that, to comply with RCRA, the Company
must ship from the store certain materials as “hazardous waste” directly to a
certified disposal facility using a certified hazardous waste carrier. The
Company contends that the practice of transporting returned merchandise to
its
return centers for subsequent disposition, including disposal by certified
facilities, is compliant with applicable laws and regulations. The Company
cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss which may arise
from this matter.
10
Additionally,
the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of California has initiated
its own investigation regarding the Company's handling of hazardous materials
and hazardous waste and the Company has received administrative document
requests from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control requesting
documents and information with respect to two of the Company's distribution
facilities. Further, the Company also received a subpoena from the Los Angeles
County District Attorney's Office for documents and administrative
interrogatories requesting information, among other things, regarding the
Company's handling of materials and hazardous waste. California state and
local
government authorities and the State of Nevada have also initiated
investigations into these matters. The Company is cooperating fully with
the
respective authorities. The Company cannot reasonably estimate the possible
loss
or range of loss which may arise from this matter.
NOTE
12. Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In
June 2006,
the Emerging Issues Task Force reached a consensus on Issue No. 06-3 (“EITF
06-3”), “Disclosure Requirements for Taxes Assessed by a Governmental Authority
on Revenue-Producing Transactions.” The consensus allows an entity to choose
between two acceptable alternatives based on their accounting policies for
transactions in which the entity collects taxes on behalf of a governmental
authority, such as sales taxes. Under the gross method, taxes collected are
accounted for as a component of sales revenue with an offsetting expense.
Conversely, the net method allows a reduction to sales revenue. Entities
should
disclose the method selected pursuant to APB No. 22, “Disclosure of Accounting
Policies.” If such taxes are reported gross and are significant, entities should
disclose the amount of those taxes. The guidance should be applied to financial
reports through retrospective application for all periods presented, if amounts
are significant, for interim and annual reporting beginning February 1, 2007.
Historically, the Company has presented sales net of tax collected and will
disclose this policy in its future annual financial statements.
In
July 2006,
the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Interpretation No. 48,
“Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes” (“FIN 48”). FIN 48 clarifies the
accounting for income taxes, by prescribing a minimum recognition threshold
a
tax position is required to meet before being recognized in the financial
statements. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition, measurement,
classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods,
disclosure and transition. The Company will adopt FIN 48 on February 1, 2007,
as
required and for which the cumulative effect will be recorded in retained
earnings. The Company is currently evaluating the Interpretation to determine
the impact, if any, the Interpretation will have on its financial condition,
results of operations or liquidity.
In
September
2006, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157,
“Fair
Value Measurements” (“SFAS 157”). This standard defines fair value, establishes
a framework for measuring fair value in generally accepted accounting principles
and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. The Company will adopt
SFAS 157 on February 1, 2008, as required. The adoption of SFAS 157 is not
expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results
of operations or liquidity.
In
September
2006, the FASB also issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No.
158
“Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement
Plans - an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R)” (“SFAS
158”). This standard requires recognition of the funded status of a benefit plan
in the statement of financial position. The Standard also requires recognition
in other comprehensive income certain gains and losses that arise during
the
period but are deferred under pension accounting rules, as well as modifies
the
timing of reporting and adds certain disclosures. The Company will adopt
the
funded status recognition and disclosure elements as of January 31, 2007,
and
measurement elements as of January 31, 2009, as required by SFAS 158. The
adoption of SFAS 158 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s
financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
In
September
2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 108 “Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when
Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements” (“SAB
108”),
in
which the Staff provides guidance on the consideration of the effects of
prior
year misstatements in quantifying current year misstatements for the purpose
of
assessing materiality.
The Company will adopt SAB 108 as of January 31, 2007, as required. The
cumulative effect, if any, of applying the provisions of SAB 108 will be
reported as an adjustment to retained earnings. The adoption of SAB 108 is
not
expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results
of operations or liquidity.
Item
2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
This
discussion relates to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries
(the “Company”) and should be read in conjunction with our condensed
consolidated financial statements included under Part I, Item 1, of this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as our financial statements as of
January
31, 2006, and for the year then ended, and the related Management’s Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations both of which
are
contained in our Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended January
31,
2006, which is included as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the
year ended January 31, 2006.
11
We
intend for
this discussion to provide the reader with information that will assist in
understanding our condensed consolidated financial statements, the changes
in
certain key items from period to period, and the primary factors that accounted
for those changes, as well as how certain accounting principles affect our
condensed consolidated financial statements. The discussion also provides
information about the financial results of the various segments of our business
to provide a better understanding of how those segments and their results
affect
the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as a
whole.
Throughout
this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations, we discuss segment operating income and comparative store sales.
Segment operating income refers to income from continuing operations before
net
interest expense, income taxes and minority interest. Segment operating income
does not include unallocated corporate overhead or the results of discontinued
operations. Comparative store sales or “comp sales” is a measure which indicates
the performance of our existing stores by measuring the growth in sales for
such
stores for a particular period over the corresponding period in the prior
year.
Sales for stores are included in comparative store sales in the thirteenth
month
following their grand opening, expansion or relocation. Comparative store
sales
are also referred to as “same-store” sales by others within the retail industry.
The method of calculating comparative store sales varies across the retail
industry. As a result, our calculation of comparative store sales is not
necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other
companies.
Key
Items in the Third Quarter
Significant
financial items related to the third quarter of fiscal 2007
include:
-
Net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 increased 12.0% to $83.543 billion from $74.596 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2006.
-
Comparative store sales in the United States increased 1.2% for the quarter ended October 31, 2006. Comparative store sales at our Wal-Mart Stores segment increased 1.5% for the third quarter of fiscal 2007, while Sam’s Club’s comparative store sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 were flat, including a negative 1.8 percentage point impact from fuel sales.
-
Net income for the current quarter increased 11.5% to $2.647 billion including a favorable after tax impact of $56 million for property insurance-related gains which were reported as reductions in operating expenses ($52 million in our Wal-Mart Stores segment and $4 million in our Sam’s Club segment). In addition, net income for the quarter ended October 31, 2005, included three items netting to an unfavorable after-tax impact of $80 million: approximately $40 million of costs incurred as a result of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma; and in our Wal-Mart Stores segment, $69 million of expense related to product warranty programs, partially offset by $29 million of other income resulting from the VISA/MasterCard antitrust litigation settlement.
-
Net sales at our International segment increased 33.7% when compared with the third quarter of fiscal 2006. Third quarter fiscal 2007 sales in the International segment include sales from the consolidation of The Seiyu, Ltd. (“Seiyu”) and Central American Retail Holding Company (“CARHCO”) and the acquisition of Sonae Distribuição Brasil S.A. (“Sonae”). These entities contributed 18.6 percentage points to the increase in the International segment net sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.
-
Total assets increased 14.7% to $151.1 billion at October 31, 2006 when compared to October 31, 2005. During the first nine months of fiscal 2007, we made $11.4 billion of capital expenditures.
-
During the third quarter of fiscal 2007, we closed on the dispositions of our South Korean and German operations. Each disposition has been accounted for as discontinued operations in our condensed consolidated financial statements for all periods presented. For further details of these transactions, see Note 4 to our condensed consolidated financial statements.
Acquisitions
and Discontinued Operations
As
discussed
in Notes 4 and 5 to our condensed consolidated financial statements, the
Company
has acquired or increased its ownership in several entities and disposed
of its
operations in South Korea and Germany since the third quarter of fiscal 2006.
As
a result, operations for Seiyu, Sonae and CARHCO are now consolidated as
majority-owned subsidiaries using December 31 fiscal year-ends. In addition,
the
operations in South Korea and Germany are now reported as discontinued
operations.
12
Results
of Operations
The
following
discussion of our Results of Operations is based on our continuing operations
and excludes any discussion of our discontinued operations of South Korea
and
Germany.
Quarter
ended October 31, 2006
The
Company
and each of its operating segments had net sales for the quarters ended October
31, 2006 and 2005 as follows (dollars in millions):
Quarter
ended
October
31, 2006
|
Quarter
ended
October
31, 2005
|
|||||||||||||||
Net
sales
|
Percent
of
total
|
Net
sales
|
Percent
of
total
|
Percent
increase
|
||||||||||||
Wal-Mart
Stores
|
$
|
54,179
|
64.9
|
%
|
$
|
50,243
|
67.4
|
%
|
7.8
|
%
|
||||||
Sam’s
Club
|
10,206
|
12.2
|
%
|
10,019
|
13.4
|
%
|
1.9
|
%
|
||||||||
International
|
19,158
|
22.9
|
%
|
14,334
|
19.2
|
%
|
33.7
|
%
|
||||||||
Total
net sales
|
$
|
83,543
|
100.0
|
%
|
$
|
74,596
|
100.0
|
%
|
12.0
|
%
|
The
increase
in our net sales for the quarter ended October 31, 2006 resulted primarily
from
our expansion programs, acquisition activity, and a comparative store sales
increase of 1.2% in the United States.
The
increase
in the International segment’s net sales as a percentage of total net sales is
largely due to the acquisitions and consolidations of Seiyu, CARHCO and
Sonae.
Additionally, the decrease in the Sam’s Club segment’s net sales as a percentage
of total net sales resulted from the more rapid development of new stores
in the
Wal-Mart Stores and International segments than the Sam’s Club segment. The
decrease in Wal-Mart Stores segment’s net sales as a percentage of total net
sales is due to lower positive comparative store sales for the third quarter
of
fiscal 2007 as compared to the prior year period and to the significant increase
in the International segment’s net sales.
Our
total
gross profit as a percentage of sales (our “gross margin”) increased from 23.2%
in the third quarter of fiscal 2006 to 23.7% during the third quarter of
fiscal
2007. The increase is primarily due to positive gross margin growth in the
International and Wal-Mart Stores segments.
Operating,
selling, general and administrative expenses (“operating expenses”) as a
percentage of net sales were 19.4% for the third quarter of fiscal 2007,
up from
18.7% in the corresponding period in fiscal 2006. The increase of operating
expenses as a percentage of net sales was primarily due to: the impact of
the
acquisitions and consolidations of Seiyu, CARHCO and Sonae;
higher
utility
costs across all segments; and higher maintenance and repair expenses of
the
Wal-Mart Stores segment.
Other
income,
net, in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 increased $123 million from the
third
quarter of fiscal 2006. The increase was due to other income from the newly
consolidated operations of the Seiyu and Sonae acquisitions, the continued
growth in our financial services area, which includes money transfer, money
order and payroll check cashing services, and increases in our Sam’s Club
membership fee revenues.
Interest,
net, as a percentage of net sales, was flat in the third quarter of fiscal
2007
when compared with the third quarter of fiscal 2006 largely due to higher
borrowing levels in fiscal 2007 and the impact of rising interest rates on
our
floating rate debt and commercial paper. Our higher borrowing levels were
mainly
attributed to the acquisitions and consolidations of Seiyu, CARHCO and
Sonae.
Our
effective
income tax rate from continuing operations for the third quarter of fiscal
2007
was 33.7% which compares with 33.4% in the third quarter of fiscal 2006.
The
current period effective tax rate was higher than the corresponding prior
year
period as the Work Opportunities Tax Credit was in effect for calendar year
2005
but thus far has not been enacted for calendar year 2006. Accordingly, our
current fiscal year effective tax rate does not take into consideration the
Work
Opportunities Tax Credit for fiscal 2007.
13
Nine
months ended October 31, 2006
The
Company and each of its operating segments had net sales for the nine months
ended October 31, 2006 and 2005 as follows (in millions):
Nine
months ended
October
31, 2006
|
Nine
months ended
October
31, 2005
|
|||||||||||||||
Net
sales
|
Percent
of
total
|
Net
sales
|
Percent
of
total
|
Percent
increase
|
||||||||||||
Wal-Mart
Stores
|
$
|
162,067
|
65.7
|
%
|
$
|
149,693
|
67.9
|
%
|
8.3
|
%
|
||||||
Sam’s
Club
|
30,453
|
12.3
|
%
|
29,143
|
13.2
|
%
|
4.5
|
%
|
||||||||
International
|
54,382
|
22.0
|
%
|
41,691
|
18.9
|
%
|
30.4
|
%
|
||||||||
Total
net sales
|
$
|
246,902
|
100.0
|
%
|
$
|
220,527
|
100.0
|
%
|
12.0
|
%
|
The
increase in our net sales for the nine months ended October 31, 2006 resulted
from our domestic and international expansion programs and a comparative
store
sales increase of 2.3% in the United States.
The
increase
in the International segment’s net sales as a percentage of total net sales was
largely due to the acquisitions and consolidations of Seiyu, CARHCO and
Sonae.
Additionally, the decrease in the Sam’s Club segment’s net sales as a percentage
of total net sales resulted from the more rapid development of new stores
in the
Wal-Mart Stores and International segments than the Sam’s Club segment. The
decrease in the Wal-Mart Stores segment’s net sales as a percentage of total net
sales was due to lower positive comparative store sales in the first nine
months
of fiscal 2007 when compared to the nine months ended October 31, 2005 and
the
increase in the International segment’s net sales.
Gross
margin
increased from 23.2% in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 to 23.6% during
the
first nine months of fiscal 2007. The
increase is primarily due to positive gross margin growth of the International
and Wal-Mart Stores segments.
Operating
expenses as a percentage of net sales were 19.0% for the first nine months
of
fiscal 2007, up from 18.5% in the corresponding period in fiscal 2006.
The
increase of operating expenses as a percentage of net sales was primarily
due
to: the impact of the acquisitions and consolidations of Seiyu, CARHCO and
Sonae;
higher
utility
costs across all segments; and higher maintenance and repair expenses of
the
Wal-Mart Stores segment.
Other
income, net, in the first nine months of fiscal 2007 increased $348 million
from
the first nine months of fiscal 2006. The increase was due to other income
from
the newly consolidated operations of Seiyu and Sonae, the continued growth
in
our financial services area and increases in our Sam’s Club membership fee
revenues.
Interest,
net, as a percentage of net sales, increased 0.1 percentage points in the
first
nine months of fiscal 2007 when compared with the first nine months of fiscal
2006. Interest on debt increased from the first nine months of fiscal 2006
due
to a higher level of borrowings in fiscal 2007 and
the
impact of rising interest rates on our floating rate debt and commercial
paper.
Our higher borrowing levels were mainly attributed to the acquisitions and
consolidations of Seiyu, CARHCO and Sonae.
Our
effective income tax rate from continuing operations for the nine months
ended
October 31, 2006, was 34.1% which compares with 33.2% for the nine months
ended
October 31, 2005. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended October
31,
2006 was higher than the corresponding prior year period as the Work
Opportunities Tax Credit was in effect for calendar year 2005 but thus far
has
not been enacted for calendar year 2006. Accordingly, our current fiscal
year
effective tax rate does not take into consideration the Work Opportunities
Tax
Credit for fiscal 2007.
14
Wal-Mart
Stores Segment
Quarter
ended October 31, 2006
Quarter
ended
October
31,
|
Segment
net
sales
(in
millions)
|
Segment
net
sales
increase
from
prior
fiscal
year
third
quarter
|
Segment
operating
income
(in
millions)
|
Segment
operating income increase
from
prior fiscal
year
third
quarter
|
Segment
operating
income
as a percentage
of
segment
net
sales
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
$
|
54,179
|
7.8
|
%
|
$
|
3,639
|
9.9
|
%
|
6.7
|
%
|
||||||
2005
|
$
|
50,243
|
9.5
|
%
|
$
|
3,312
|
6.3
|
%
|
6.6
|
%
|
The
third
quarter fiscal 2007 net sales increase for the Wal-Mart Stores segment resulted
from our continued expansion activities within the segment, an increase in
the
average transaction size per customer and sales increases in comparable stores.
Expansion since October 31, 2005 has consisted of the opening of 15 discount
stores, 14 Neighborhood Markets and 117 supercenters. Additionally, 147
supercenters have been expanded, relocated or converted from existing discount
stores since October 31, 2005. The comparative store sales increase for the
segment was 1.5% for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 primarily due to an
increase in the average transaction size per customer. Customer traffic was
down
slightly in our comparative stores for the quarter. Comparative store sales
were
negatively affected by last year’s hurricane recovery sales. Comparative stores
that were not impacted by hurricanes in 2005 had a sales increase over 2%
for
the quarter.
Segment
operating income as a percentage of segment net sales increased by 0.1
percentage points primarily due to a 0.4 percentage point increase in gross
margin partially offset by a 0.3 percentage point increase in operating expenses
as a percentage of segment net sales. Segment operating income for the current
quarter was favorably impacted by property insurance-related gains of $79
million, while segment operating income for the corresponding prior year
period
was unfavorably affected by our adjustment for certain product warranty
liabilities of $105 million and favorably impacted by the $45 million benefit
related to the VISA/MasterCard antitrust litigation settlement. The combined
effect of these items contributed 4.3 percentage points to the increase in
segment operating income.
Gross
margin
increased due to improvement in our initial margin on general merchandise
and
our improved markdown activity as a result of our inventory reduction programs.
The increase in gross margin occurred despite sales in our lower margin food
division increasing at a faster rate than sales in our higher margin general
merchandise and professional services divisions. Our professional services
division includes portions of the business that require specific product
knowledge or individualized service, such as our pharmacies and vision centers.
Gross margin for the third quarter of fiscal 2006 was negatively impacted
by the
product warranty adjustment of $105 million.
Operating
expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased primarily as a result
of
costs of our store remodeling programs and an increase in utility costs when
compared to the prior year quarter, partially offset by the property
insurance-related gains described above. Operating expenses as a percentage
of
segment net sales were favorably impacted by improved labor productivity
in our
stores resulting in lower store associate payroll expense as a percentage
of net
segment sales compared to the prior year quarter.
Nine
months ended October 31, 2006
Nine
months ended
October
31,
|
Segment
net
sales
(in
millions)
|
Segment
net
sales
increase
from
prior
fiscal
year
period
|
Segment
operating
income
(in
millions)
|
Segment
operating income increase
from
prior fiscal
year
period
|
Segment
operating
income
as a percentage
of
segment
net
sales
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
$
|
162,067
|
8.3
|
%
|
$
|
11,780
|
11.0
|
%
|
7.3
|
%
|
||||||
2005
|
$
|
149,693
|
9.8
|
%
|
$
|
10,610
|
6.9
|
%
|
7.1
|
%
|
The
Wal-Mart
Stores segment sales increase for the nine months ended October 31, 2006,
resulted from our continued expansion activities within the segment, an increase
in the average transaction size per customer and a 2.2% comparative store
sales
increase. The comparative stores sales increase occurred primarily due to
an
increase in the average transaction size per customer. Customer traffic was
down
slightly in our comparative stores for the nine months ended October 31,
2006.
Segment
operating income as a percentage of segment net sales increased 0.2 percentage
points primarily due to a 0.3 percentage point increase in gross margin,
partially offset by a 0.1 percentage point increase in operating expenses
as a
percentage of segment net sales. Segment operating income for the nine months
ended October 31, 2006 was favorably impacted by property insurance-related
gains of $79 million, while the corresponding prior year period was unfavorably
affected by our adjustment for certain product warranty liabilities of $105
million and favorably affected by the $45 million benefit related to the
VISA/MasterCard antitrust litigation settlement. The combined effect of these
items contributed 1.3 percentage points to the increase in segment operating
income.
15
Gross
margin
for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 increased due to the improvement
in
initial general merchandise margin and a reduction in markdown activity from
our
inventory reduction programs. The gross margin increase is despite the impact
of
higher transportation costs and an increase in food division sales as a percent
of total segment net sales. Gross margin for the nine months of fiscal 2006
was
negatively impacted by the product warranty adjustment of $105 million.
Operating
expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased primarily as a result
of
higher utility, maintenance and repair costs, partially offset by property
insurance-related gains. Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net
sales
were positively impacted by associate payroll expense comparisons due to
improved labor productivity in our stores.
Sam’s
Club Segment
Quarter
ended October 31, 2006
Quarter
ended
October
31,
|
Segment
net
sales
(in
millions)
|
Segment
net
sales
increase
from
prior
fiscal
year
third
quarter
|
Segment
operating
income
(in
millions)
|
Segment
operating income increase
from
prior fiscal
year
third quarter
|
Segment
operating
income
as a percentage
of
segment
net
sales
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
$
|
10,206
|
1.9
|
%
|
$
|
356
|
4.1
|
%
|
3.5
|
%
|
||||||
2005
|
$
|
10,019
|
10.3
|
%
|
$
|
342
|
11.8
|
%
|
3.4
|
%
|
Sam’s
Club
segment net sales increased for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 resulting
from
continued expansion activities which included opening 20 new Clubs and
relocating or expanding 19 existing Clubs since October 31, 2005. Fiscal
2007
third quarter comparative Club sales were flat. Segment net fuel sales had
a
negative impact of 1.8 percentage points to the Sam’s Club comparative Club
sales increase. The lower segment net sales increase in the current quarter
compared to the prior year quarter is due to the positive impact on segment
net
sales of hurricane recovery-related sales in the prior year quarter, and
a
decline in segment net fuel sales during the current year third
quarter.
Segment
operating income as a percentage of segment net sales for the third quarter
of
fiscal 2007 increased slightly due to an improvement in gross margin and
increased membership fee revenue, partially offset by higher operating expenses.
The 0.3 percentage point increase in gross margin was primarily due to
beneficial sales mix. Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales
increased 0.4 percentage points, in part due to higher utility, repair and
maintenance costs.
Segment
operating income increased 4.1% for the quarter ended October 31, 2006. Current
quarter property insurance-related gains contributed 1.8 percentage points
to
the increase in segment operating income.
Nine
months ended October 31, 2006
Nine
months ended
October
31,
|
Segment
net
sales
(in
millions)
|
Segment
net
sales
increase
from
prior
fiscal
year
period
|
Segment
operating
income
(in
millions)
|
Segment
operating income increase
from
prior fiscal
year
period
|
Segment
operating
income
as a percentage
of
segment
net
sales
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
$
|
30,453
|
4.5
|
%
|
$
|
1,076
|
6.7
|
%
|
3.5
|
%
|
||||||
2005
|
$
|
29,143
|
7.4
|
%
|
$
|
1,008
|
9.0
|
%
|
3.5
|
%
|
The
Sam’s
Club segment net sales increase for the first nine months of fiscal 2007
resulted from the growth in comparative Club sales and continued expansion
activities since October 31, 2005. The comparative Club sales increase for
the
first nine months of fiscal 2007 was 2.8%.
The
Sam’s
Club segment continued its trend of growing segment operating income faster
than
the segment’s net sales for the first nine months of fiscal 2007. This resulted
primarily from a 0.3 percentage point improvement in gross margin due to
beneficial sales mix and increases in membership fee revenue, partially offset
by higher operating expenses. Operating expenses for the first nine months
of
fiscal 2007 included an $11 million charge related to closing two Sam’s Clubs on
May 1, 2006.
Segment
operating income increased 6.7% for the nine-months ended October 31, 2006.
Current period property insurance-related gains contributed 0.5 percentage
points to the increase in segment operating income.
16
International
Segment
Quarter
ended October 31, 2006
Quarter
ended
October
31,
|
Segment
net
sales
(in
millions)
|
Segment
net
sales
increase
from
prior
fiscal
year
third
quarter
|
Segment
operating
income
(in
millions)
|
Segment
operating income increase
from
prior fiscal
year
second
quarter
|
Segment
operating
income
as a percentage
of
segment
net
sales
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
$
|
19,158
|
33.7
|
%
|
$
|
997
|
18.1
|
%
|
5.2
|
%
|
||||||
2005
|
$
|
14,334
|
13.3
|
%
|
$
|
844
|
12.7
|
%
|
5.9
|
%
|
International
segment net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2007, when compared to
net
sales in the same period in fiscal 2006, increased as a result of increased
sales at existing units, continued expansion activities within the segment,
the
acquisition of controlling interests in Seiyu and CARHCO and the acquisition
of
Sonae. Collectively, the acquisitions of Seiyu, CARHCO and Sonae added 913
units
to the International segment and contributed 18.6 percentage points to the
third
quarter increase in the International segment’s net sales. Strong sales
increases in Mexico, Brazil, China and Argentina contributed to the remaining
increase in sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 when compared to the
prior year quarter. Exchange rate movements (primarily in the British pound,
Canadian dollar and Brazilian real, partially offset by the Mexican peso)
had a
favorable impact of $488 million on segment net sales during the quarter.
International
segment operating income decreased as a percentage of segment net sales from
the
third quarter of fiscal 2006 to the third quarter of fiscal 2007 as a result
of
increased operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales, partially
offset by an increase in gross margin and other income as a percentage of
segment net sales. Total International segment gross margin increased 0.5
percentage points because of the impact of Seiyu, CARHCO and Sonae and an
improved gross margin in Mexico and Canada resulting from improved merchandise
sales mix. Operating expenses as a percentage of the International segment
net
sales increased 1.7 percentage points, primarily due to the impact of the
recent
acquisitions and consolidations. Other income as a percentage of segment
net
sales increased 0.5 percentage points largely as a result of the recent
acquisitions and consolidations and the increases in other income in Canada
and
the United Kingdom. Changes in foreign currency rates contributed $25 million
to
the International segment operating income in the third quarter of fiscal
2007.
Nine
months ended October 31, 2006
Nine
months ended
October
31,
|
Segment
net
sales
(in
millions)
|
Segment
net
sales
increase
from
prior
fiscal
year
period
|
Segment
operating
income
(in
millions)
|
Segment
operating income increase
from
prior fiscal
year
period
|
Segment
operating
income
as a percentage
of
segment
net
sales
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
$
|
54,382
|
30.4
|
%
|
$
|
2,747
|
16.4
|
%
|
5.1
|
%
|
||||||
2005
|
$
|
41,691
|
13.3
|
%
|
$
|
2,360
|
8.3
|
%
|
5.7
|
%
|
International
segment net sales for the first nine months of fiscal 2007, when compared
to net
sales in the same period in fiscal 2006, increased as a result of increased
sales at existing units, continued expansion activities within the segment,
the
acquisition of controlling interests in Seiyu and CARHCO and
the
acquisition of Sonae.
Collectively, Seiyu, CARHCO and Sonae contributed 18.1 percentage points
to the
increase in the International segment’s net sales from the prior nine-month
period. Strong
sales increases in Mexico, Brazil, China and Argentina contributed to the
remaining increase in sales for the nine months ended October 31, 2006.
Exchange
rate movements (primarily in the Canadian dollar and Brazilian real, partially
offset by the British pound) had a favorable impact of $731 million on segment
net sales during the nine months ended October 31, 2006.
The
International segment operating income as a percentage of segment net sales
declined from the first nine months of fiscal 2006 to the first nine months
of
fiscal 2007 largely due to an increase in operating expenses as a percentage
of
segment net sales, partially offset by an increase in segment gross margin
and a
slight increase in other income as a percentage of segment net sales. Segment
gross margin was up 0.5 percentage points largely due to the impact of Seiyu,
CARHCO and Sonae and improvements in gross margin in Mexico and Canada resulting
from improved merchandise sales mix. The improvement of gross margin was
more
than offset by a 1.2 percentage point increase in operating expenses as a
percentage of segment net sales. The increase in operating expenses as a
percentage of the International segment’s net sales was due to the impact of the
recent acquisitions and consolidations. The net impact of changes in foreign
currency rates favorably affected the International segment operating income
by
$48 million in the nine months ended October 31, 2006.
17
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Overview
Cash
flows
from continuing operating activities provide us with a significant source
of
liquidity. Cash flows provided by continuing operating activities in the
nine
months ended October 31, 2006 were $10.1 billion, compared with $8.2 billion
for
the nine months ended October 31, 2005. The increase in operating cash flow
from
continuing operations was primarily attributable to our 9.7% increase in
operating income and our continued inventory management initiatives in fiscal
2007.
During
the
first nine months of fiscal 2007, we paid dividends of $2.1 billion, made
$11.4
billion in capital expenditures for continuing operations, issued $4.2 billion
of commercial paper (net of commercial paper repaid in that period) and repaid
$4.8 billion of long-term debt.
On
August 10,
2006, the Company sold $1.0 billion of its money market puttable reset
securities due 2026 in a Rule 144A offering. In return for a call option on the
notes, the Company received a premium causing the initial effective interest
rate on the notes to be 4.11% for the first year term. The initial stated
interest rate on these notes is 5.502% per annum. The interest rate on these
notes will be reset on July 15 of each year through 2025 and these notes
are
structured to be remarketed in connection with the annual reset of the interest
rate. If, for any reason, the remarketing of the notes does not occur at
the
time of any interest rate reset, the holders of the notes must sell, and
the
Company must repurchase, the notes at par. Due to the remarketing feature
of
these notes, the notes are classified as long-term debt due within one
year.
Additionally,
during March 2006, the Company borrowed ¥50.0 billion under a short-term bridge
loan. The bridge loan matured in June 2006. In May 2006, we refinanced the
bridge loan through the sale in an underwritten public offering of ¥50.0 billion
of our 1.78% notes that are due in 2011. Those notes are designated as a
hedge
of our net investment in Seiyu.
Prior
to
entering into the ¥50.0 billion bridge loan, the Company paid $25 million to
settle a receive fixed-rate, pay fixed-rate cross-currency interest rate
swap
with a notional amount of approximately ¥52.1 billion. This cross-currency
interest rate swap was designated as a net investment hedge of our investment
in
Seiyu.
During
the
first nine months of fiscal 2007, Seiyu repaid ¥148.5
billion, or approximately $1.3 billion, of debt and issued ¥151.2 billion, or
approximately $1.3 billion, of its notes. The notes issued carry varying
interest rates ranging from 0.75% to 2.88% and varying maturity dates up
to
March 2009. The Company has not guaranteed repayment of any such Seiyu notes.
Working Capital
Current
liabilities exceeded current assets at October 31, 2006 by $8.5 billion,
an
increase of $3.5 billion from January 31, 2006. The ratio of our current
assets
to our current liabilities was 0.9 to 1.0 at October 31, 2006, and 2005 and
at
January 31, 2006, respectively.
Company
Stock Repurchase Program and Common Stock Dividends
From
time
to time, we repurchase shares of our common stock under a $10.0 billion share
repurchase program authorized by our Board of Directors in September 2004.
No
shares of our common stock were repurchased under this program in the first
nine
months of fiscal 2007. During the first nine months of fiscal 2006, we
repurchased $3.6 billion of shares under this program. At October 31, 2006,
approximately $6.1 billion of additional shares may be repurchased under
our
program.
There
is
no expiration date for or other restriction limiting the period over which
we
can make our share repurchases under the program, which will expire only
when
and if we have repurchased $10.0 billion of our shares under the program.
Under
the program, repurchased shares are constructively retired and returned to
unissued status. We consider several factors in determining when to make
share
repurchases, including among other things, our current cash needs, our ratio
of
debt to total capitalization, our cost of borrowings and the market price
of our
common stock.
In
March
2006, we announced that we had increased the annual dividend on our common
stock
by 11.7% to $0.67 per share. The annual dividend is paid in four equal quarterly
installments. Dividend payment dates for fiscal 2007 are April 3, June 5,
and
September 5, 2006 and January 2, 2007 to holders of record on March 17, May
19,
August 18 and December 15, 2006, respectively. We have increased our dividend
every year since our first declared dividend in March 1974.
18
Capital
Resources
If
our
operating cash flows are not sufficient to pay increased dividends and to
fund
our capital expenditures, we anticipate funding any shortfall in these
expenditures with a combination of commercial paper and long-term debt. We
plan
to refinance existing long-term debt as it matures and may desire to obtain
additional long-term financing for other corporate purposes. We anticipate
no
difficulty in obtaining long-term financing in view of our credit rating
and
favorable experiences in the debt market in the recent past. At October 31,
2006, October 31, 2005 and January 31, 2006, the ratio of our debt to our
total
capitalization was approximately 41%, 43% and 42%, respectively. For the
purpose
of this calculation, debt is defined as the sum of commercial paper, total
long-term debt and total capital lease obligations. Total capitalization
is
defined as debt plus shareholders' equity.
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market
Risk
Market
Risk
Market
risks
relating to our operations result primarily from changes in interest rates
and
changes in currency exchange rates. Our market risks at October 31, 2006
are
similar to those disclosed in our Form 10-K for the year ended January 31,
2006.
The
information concerning market risk under the sub-caption “Market Risk” of the
caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and
Financial Condition” on page 27 of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the
year ended January 31, 2006 that is an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the year ended January 31, 2006, is hereby incorporated by reference
into
this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Item
4. Controls and Procedures
We
maintain a
system of disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to provide
reasonable assurance that information, which is required to be timely disclosed,
is accumulated and communicated to management in a timely fashion. In designing
and evaluating such controls and procedures, we recognize that any controls
and
procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only
reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. Our management
is necessarily required to use judgment in evaluating controls and procedures.
Also, we have had investments in certain unconsolidated entities. Because
we did
not control or manage those entities, our controls and procedures with respect
to those entities were substantially more limited than those we maintain
with
respect to our consolidated subsidiaries.
In
the
ordinary course of business, we review our system of internal control over
financial reporting and make changes to our systems and processes to improve
controls and increase efficiency, while ensuring that we maintain an effective
internal control environment. Changes may include such activities as
implementing new, more efficient systems and automating manual
processes.
An
evaluation
of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls
and
procedures was performed as of the end of the period covered by this report.
This evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation
of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls are effective to
provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by
the
Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 is accumulated and communicated to management, including our
Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely
decisions regarding required disclosure and are effective to provide reasonable
assurance that such information is recorded, processed, summarized and reported
within the time periods specified by the SEC’s rules and forms.
There
has
been no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred
during the quarter covered by this report that has materially affected, or
is
reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1. Legal Proceedings
I.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
We
discuss certain legal proceedings pending against us in Part I of this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q under the caption “Item 1. Financial Statements,” in Note 11
to the financial statements, which is captioned “Contingencies,” and refer you
to that discussion for important information concerning those legal proceedings,
including the basis for such actions and, where known, the relief sought.
We
provide the following additional information concerning those legal proceedings
which sets forth the name of the lawsuit, the court in which the lawsuit
is
pending and the date on which the petition commencing the lawsuit was filed.
In
each lawsuit's name, the letters “WM” refer to Wal-Mart Stores,
Inc.
19
Wage
and Hour
“Off the Clock” Class Actions:
Adcox v. WM,
US
Dist. Ct. (“USDC”), Southern Dist. of TX, 11/9/04;
Alix
(f/k/a Gamble) v. WM,
Supreme
Ct. of the State of NY, County of Albany, 12/7/01;
Armijo v. WM,
1st
Judicial Dist. Ct., Rio Arriba County, NM, 9/18/00;
Bailey v. WM,
Marion
County Superior Ct. IN, 8/17/00;
Ballard v. WM,
Superior
Ct. of CA, Los Angeles, County, 5/17/06;
Barnett v. WM,
Superior Ct. of WA, King County, 9/10/01;
Basco v. WM,
USDC,
Eastern Dist. of LA, 9/5/00;
Blackstock v. WM,
State
Ct. of Chatham County, GA, 4/27/06;
Braun v. WM,
1st
Judicial Dist. Ct. Dakota County MN, 9/12/01;
Braun/Hummel v. WM,
Ct. of
Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, PA, 3/20/02 / 8/30/04;
Brogan v. WM,
Superior Ct. of NH, Strafford County, 2/17/05;
Brown v. WM,
14th
Judicial Circuit Ct., Rock Island, IL, 6/20/01;
Campbell v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of NV, 9/20/06; Carter
v. WM,
Ct. of
Common Pleas, Colleton County, SC, 7/31/02;
Cole
v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of MT, Central Div., 1/13/06;
Curless v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of WY, 10/26/05;
Deas
v. WM,
USDC,
Eastern Dist. of VA, 4/3/06;
Gilles v. WM,
USDC,
Southern Dist. of IN, 3/31/06;
Grey
v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of KS, 7/14/06;
Gross v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Laurel County, KY, 9/29/04;
Hale
v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Jackson County, MO, 8/15/01;
Hall
v. WM,
8th
Judicial Dist. Ct., Clark County, NV, 8/12/05;
Hiebert v. WM,
Superior
Ct. of WA, Pierce County, 7/24/06;
Holcomb v. WM,
State
Ct. of Chatham County, GA, 3/28/00; Husidic
v. WM, USDC,
Southern Dist. of IA, 9/14/06;
Iliadis v. WM,
Superior Ct. of NJ, Middlesex County, 5/30/02;
Jackson v. WM,
Superior Ct. of DE, New Castle County, 4/4/05;
Jackson v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of ID, 2/3/06;
Kuhlmann v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Milwaukee County, WI, 8/30/01;
Lerma v. WM,
Dist.
Ct., Cleveland County, OK, 8/31/01;
Lopez v. WM,
23rd
Judicial Dist. Ct. of Brazoria County, TX, 6/23/00;
Luce
v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Brown County, SD, 5/11/05;
McFarlin v. WM,
Superior Ct. of AK at Anchorage, 4/7/05;
McGlothan v. WM,
USDC,
Middle Dist. of FL, 1/23/06;
Michell v. WM,
USDC,
Eastern Dist. of TX, Marshall Div., 9/13/02;
Montgomery v. WM,
USDC,
Southern Dist. of MS, 12/30/02;
Moore v. WM,
USDC,
Middle Dist. of FL, 1/18/06;
Moore v. WM,
Circuit
Ct. of OR, Multnomah County, 12/7/05;
Mussman v. WM,
IA
Dist. Ct., Clinton County, 6/5/01;
Nagy
v. WM,
Circuit
Ct. of Boyd County, KY, 8/29/01;
Newland v. WM,
Superior Ct. of CA, Alameda County, CA, 01/14/05;
Nolan v. WM, USDC,
Northern
Dist. of OH, Eastern Div., 4/4/06;
Olinger v. WM, USDC,
Eastern Dist. of MI, 9/14/06;
Osuna v. WM,
Superior Ct. of AZ, Pima County, 11/30/01;
Parrish v. WM,
Superior Ct., Chatham County, GA, 2/17/05;
Penn
v. WM, USDC,
Eastern Dist. of LA, 9/15/06;
Pickett v. WM,
Circuit
Court, Shelby County, TN, 10/22/03;
Pittman v. WM,
Circuit
Ct. for Prince George's County, MD, 7/31/02;
Poha
v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of HI, 11/1/05;
Pritchett v. WM,
Circuit
Ct. of Jefferson County, AL, 2/17/05;
Robinson v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Holmes County, MS, 12/30/02;
Romero v. WM,
Superior Ct. of CA, Monterey County, 03/25/04;
Sago
v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Holmes County, MS, 12/31/02;
Salvas v. WM,
Superior Ct., Middlesex County, MA, 8/21/01;
Sarda v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Washington County, FL, 9/21/01;
Savaglio v. WM,
Superior Ct. of CA, Alameda County, 2/6/01;
Scott v. WM,
Circuit
Ct. of Saginaw County, MI, 9/26/01;
Smith v. WM,
USDC,
Northern Dist. of CA, 3/20/06;
Smith v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Holmes County, MS, 12/31/02;
Stafford v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of NE, 12/8/05;
Thiebes v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of OR, 6/30/98;
Willey v. WM,
Dist.
Ct. of Wyandotte County, KS, 9/21/01;
Williams v. WM,
Superior Ct. of CA, Alameda County, 3/23/04;
Williams v. WM,
USDC,
Eastern Dist. of NY, 1/5/06;
Williams v. WM,
USDC,
Dist of UT, Central Div., 1/20/06;
Williams v. WM,
USDC,
Western Dist. of NC, 3/23/06;
Wilson v. WM,
Common
Pleas Ct. of Butler County, OH, 10/27/03; Winters
v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Holmes County, MS, 5/28/02;
Woods v. WM,
USDC,
Dist. of ME, 1/12/06
;
Works v. WM,
Circuit
Ct., Miller County, AR, 5/18/05.
California
Labor Code Case:
Cruz
v. WM,
Superior Ct. of CA, Los Angeles County, 10/24/03.
Exempt
Status
Cases:
Fox
v. WM,
USDC,
Middle Dist. of TN, 1/27/05;
Comer v. WM,
USDC,
Western Dist. of MI, Northern Div., 2/27/04;
Highland v. WM
, USDC,
Dist. of NM, 6/24/04;
Salvador v. SAM'S,
USDC,
Central Dist. of CA, Western Div., 12/22/05;
Sepulveda v. WM,
USDC,
Central Dist. of CA, Western Div., 1/14/04.
Dukes
v.
WM:
Dukes v. WM,
USDC,
Northern Dist. of CA, San Francisco Div., 6/19/01; 9th
Circuit
Ct. of Appeals, San Francisco, CA, 8/26/04.
Mauldin
v.
WM:
Mauldin v. WM,
USDC,
Northern Dist. of GA, Atlanta Div., 10/16/01.
EEOC
(Smith) v. WM:
EEOC
(Smith) v. WM,
USDC,
Eastern Dist. of KY, London Div., 8/31/01.
II.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS:
Item 103 of SEC Regulation S-K requires disclosure of certain environmental
matters. The following matters are disclosed in accordance with that
requirement:
The
District
Attorney for Solano County, California, has alleged that the Company's store
in
Vacaville, California, failed to comply with certain California statutes
regulating hazardous waste and hazardous materials handling practices.
Specifically, the County is alleging that the Company improperly disposed
of a
limited amount of damaged or returned product containing dry granular fertilizer
and pesticides on or about April 3, 2002. The parties are currently
negotiating toward a resolution of this matter.
The
District
Attorney for Orange County, California, has alleged that the Company's store
in
Foothill Ranch, California, failed to comply with certain California statutes
regulating hazardous waste and hazardous materials handling practices.
Specifically, the County is alleging that the Company improperly disposed
of a
limited amount of damaged product containing dry granular pesticide on or
about
January 24, 2005. The parties are currently negotiating toward a resolution
of this matter.
20
The
EPA has
alleged that the Company and one of its construction contractors have violated
the EPA's stormwater regulations at a site in Caguas, Puerto Rico. The
Administrative Complaint filed by the agency proposes an administrative penalty
in the amount of $157,500. The parties are currently negotiating toward a
resolution of this matter.
On
November 8, 2005, the Company received a grand jury subpoena from the
United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, seeking
documents and information relating to the Company's receipt, transportation,
handling, identification, recycling, treatment, storage and disposal of certain
merchandise that constitutes hazardous materials or hazardous waste. The
Company
has been informed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District
of
California that it is a target of a criminal investigation into potential
violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), the Clean
Water Act, and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Statute. This U.S.
Attorney's Office contends, among other things, that the use of Company trucks
to transport certain returned merchandise from the Company's stores to its
return centers is prohibited by RCRA because those materials may be considered
hazardous waste. The government alleges that, to comply with RCRA, the Company
must ship from the store certain materials as “hazardous waste” directly to a
certified disposal facility using a certified hazardous waste carrier. The
Company contends that the practice of transporting returned merchandise to
its
return centers for subsequent disposition, including disposal by certified
facilities, is compliant with applicable laws and regulations. The Company
cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss which may arise
from this matter.
Additionally,
the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of California has initiated
its own investigation regarding the Company's handling of hazardous materials
and hazardous waste and the Company has received administrative document
requests from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control requesting
documents and information with respect to two of the Company's distribution
facilities. Further, the Company also received a subpoena from the Los Angeles
County District Attorney's Office for documents and administrative
interrogatories requesting information, among other things, regarding the
Company's handling of materials and hazardous waste. California state and
local
government authorities and the State of Nevada have also initiated
investigations into these matters. The Company is cooperating fully with
the
respective authorities. The Company cannot reasonably estimate the possible
loss
or range of loss which may arise from this matter.
Item
1A. Risk Factors
The
risks
described in Item 1A, Risk Factors, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the
year ended January 31, 2006, could materially and adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations. The
risk
factors discussed in that Form 10-K and in this Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q do
not identify all risks
that we face because our business operations could also be affected by
additional factors that are not presently known to us or that we currently
consider to be immaterial to our operations.
The
risk
factor titled “Natural
disasters and geo-political events costs could adversely affect our financial
performance” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31,
2006, is amended in its entirety by the following text.
Natural
disasters and geo-political events costs could adversely affect our financial
performance.
The
occurrence of one or more natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes,
and geo-political events, such as civil unrest in a country in which we operate
or in which our suppliers are located and attacks disrupting transportation
and
utility systems, could adversely affect our operations and financial
performance. Such events could result in physical damage to one or more of
our
properties, the closure of one or more stores, clubs and distribution centers,
the lack of an adequate work force in a market, the temporary or long-term
disruption in the supply of products from some local and overseas suppliers,
the
disruption in the transport of goods from overseas, delay in the delivery
of
goods to our distribution centers or stores within a country in which we
are
operating and the reduction in the availability of products in our stores.
These
factors could otherwise disrupt and adversely affect our operations and
financial performance.
The
significant property damage experienced by the Company and others during
last
year’s hurricanes resulted in substantial increases in property insurance
premiums and limitations in coverage offered by the property insurance markets
to us and others. The insurance coverage offered to the Company for named
windstorms, such as hurricanes and tropical storms, was substantially more
limited and carried higher premiums. Accordingly, the Company did not purchase
such insurance for our coverage year beginning on April 1, 2006. As a result
the
Company is fully self-insured for losses that may result from named
windstorms.
Named
windstorm activity has been minimal so far in fiscal 2007, and the Company
has
not incurred any significant losses this hurricane season.
21
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of
Proceeds
From
time
to time, we repurchase shares of our common stock under a $10.0 billion share
repurchase program authorized by our Board of Directors in September 2004.
Shares purchased under our share repurchase program are constructively retired
and returned to unissued status. There is no expiration date for or other
restriction limiting the period over which we can make our share repurchases
under the program which will expire if and when we have repurchased an aggregate
of $10.0 billion of shares.
We
did
not purchase any shares of our common stock under our share repurchase program
during the quarter ended October 31, 2006. At October 31, 2006, approximately
$6.1 billion of shares may be repurchased under our program. A nominal amount
of
shares were repurchased from employees during the first nine months of fiscal
2007 to satisfy the exercise price and tax withholding of certain stock option
exercises.
Item
5. Other Information
This
Quarterly Report contains statements that Wal-Mart believes are “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, and intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for
forward-looking statements provided by that Act. These forward-looking
statements include a statement in Note 10 to our condensed consolidated
financial statements regarding the forecasted full year tax rate for our
fiscal
2007, under the subcaption “Capital Resources” under the caption “Liquidity and
Capital Resources” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations regarding our intent and ability to fund
certain cash flow shortfalls by the sale of commercial paper and long-term
debt
securities, our plans to refinance existing long-term debt as it matures
and our
ability to sell our long-term debt securities. These statements are identified
by the use of the words “anticipate,” “expects,” “plan,” or a variation of one
of those words in those statements or by the use of words or phrases of similar
import. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties
and
other factors, domestically
and internationally, including the cost of goods, competitive pressures,
inflation, consumer spending patterns and debt levels, currency exchange
fluctuations, trade restrictions, changes in tariff and freight rates,
fluctuations in the costs of gasoline, diesel fuel and other energy,
transportation, utilities, labor and health care, accident costs, casualty
and
other insurance costs, interest rate fluctuations, capital market conditions,
geopolitical conditions, weather conditions, storm-related damage to our
facilities, regulatory matters and other risks.
We
discuss certain of these matters more fully, as well as certain risk factors
that may affect our business operations, financial condition and results
of
operations, in Part II, Item 1A, of this Quarterly Report and in other of
our
filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended January 31, 2006. This Quarterly Report should be read in conjunction
with
that Annual Report on Form 10-K, and all our other filings, including Current
Reports on Form 8-K, made with the SEC through the date of this report. We
urge
you to consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully
in
evaluating the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report.
As
a result of these matters, including changes in facts or other factors, the
actual results relating to the subject matter of any forward-looking statement
in this Quarterly Report may differ materially from the anticipated results
expressed or implied in that forward-looking statement. The forward-looking
statements included in this Quarterly Report are made only as of the date
of
this report and we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking
statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Item
6. Exhibits
The
following documents are filed as an exhibit to this Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q:
Exhibit
3(i)
|
Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company is incorporated herein
by
reference to Exhibit 3(a) to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of
the Company
for the year ended January 31, 1989 (which document may be found
and
reviewed in the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Room
1580, Washington, D.C. 20549, in the files therein relating to
the
Company, whose SEC file number is No. 1-6991), the Certificate
of
Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation is incorporated
herein by reference to Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File
Number
33-43315) and the Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate
of
Incorporation is incorporated hereby by reference to the Current
Report on
Form 8-K of the Company, dated August 11, 1999 (which document may be
found and reviewed in the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE,
Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549, in the files therein relating
to the
Company, whose SEC file number is No. 1-6991).
|
Exhibit
3(ii)
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws of the Company are incorporated herein by reference
to
Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company dated
March
8, 2005.
|
Exhibit
12*
|
Ratio
of Earnings to Fixed Charges
|
Exhibit
31.1*
|
Chief
Executive Officer Section 302 Certification
|
Exhibit
31.2*
|
Chief
Financial Officer Section 302 Certification
|
Exhibit
32.1**
|
Chief
Executive Officer Section 906 Certification
|
Exhibit
32.2**
|
Chief
Financial Officer Section 906 Certification
|
Exhibit
99
|
The
information incorporated by reference in Part I, Item 3 of this
Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q is incorporated by reference to the material
set forth
under the sub-caption “Market Risk” in Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition, which
is
contained in Exhibit 13 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended January 31, 2006 as filed with the Securities and
Exchange
Commission.
|
* Filed
herewith as an Exhibit.
** Furnished
herewith as an Exhibit.
22
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly authorized.
WAL-MART
STORES, INC.
|
|||
Date:
November 30, 2006
|
By:
|
/s/
H. Lee Scott, Jr.
|
|
H.
Lee Scott, Jr.
President
and
Chief
Executive Officer
|
|||
Date:
November 30, 2006
|
By:
|
/s/
Thomas M. Schoewe
|
|
Thomas
M. Schoewe
Executive
Vice President and
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|||
Date:
November 30, 2006
|
By:
|
/s/
Charles M. Holley, Jr.
|
|
Charles
M. Holley, Jr.
Senior
Vice President, Finance
(Principal
Accounting Officer)
|
23
Index
to Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
of Document
|
3(i)
|
Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, is incorporated herein
by
reference to Exhibit 3(a) to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of
the Company
for the year ended January 31, 1989 (which document may be found
and
reviewed in the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Room
1580, Washington, D.C. 20549, in the files therein relating to
the
Company, whose SEC file number is No. 1-6991), the Certificate
of
Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation is incorporated
herein by reference to Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File
Number
33-43315) and the Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate
of
Incorporation is incorporated hereby by reference to the Current
Report on
Form 8-K of the Company, dated August 11, 1999 (which document may be
found and reviewed in the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE,
Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549, in the files therein relating
to the
Company, whose SEC file number is No. 1-6991).
|
3(ii)
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws of the Company are incorporated herein by reference
to
Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company dated
March
8, 2005.
|
12*
|
Ratio
of Earnings to Fixed Charges
|
31.1*
|
Chief
Executive Officer Section 302 Certification
|
31.2*
|
Chief
Financial Officer Section 302 Certification
|
32.1**
|
Chief
Executive Officer Section 906 Certification
|
32.2**
|
Chief
Financial Officer Section 906 Certification
|
99
|
The
information incorporated by reference in Part I, Item 3 of this
Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q is incorporated by reference to the material
set forth
under the sub-caption “Market Risk” in Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition, which
is
contained in Exhibit 13 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended January 31, 2006 as filed with the Securities and
Exchange
Commission.
|
* Filed
herewith as an Exhibit.
** Furnished
herewith as an Exhibit.