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To boost sales, Asda will do away with gimmicky temporary price discounts and reaffirm its promise of everyday low prices. Asda's same-store sales slipped 0.3% in the first quarter.

Best Buy Co.'s first-quarter profit inched up to $155 million from $153 million a year ago. Revenue increased 6.9% to $10.79 billion. The company is expected to reach its profit target of $3.45 to $3.60 per share this fiscal year and revenue of between $52 billion and $53 billion. Best Buy is looking for ways to increase the sales of consumer electronics to women.

Boosted by cost cuts and strong international sales, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s fourth-quarter profit rose 10% to $3.32 billion. Sales increased 5.9% to $99.1 billion.

Sears Holdings Corp. reports a second-quarter loss of $94 million compared with a net profit of $26 million in the previous quarter. Revenue fell 10% while sales at stores open at least a year fell 12.5%. Article also discusses Sears's cost cuts, share value, and share buy-back program.

To revamp its product offering, electronics retailer Best Buy Co. will begin selling electric-powered vehicles in 19 locations in California, Oregon, and Washington. Best Buy's market share rose two points for the three months to April, but its earnings dropped 15% in the its fiscal first quarter ended May 30.

Electronics retailer Best Buy Co. reports a 15% first-quarter net profit drop to $153 million from $179 million a year earlier. U.S. sales dropped 4.9%. Best Buy expects per-share earnings of between $2.50 and $2.90 in the present fiscal year.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. approved a $15-billion share buyback program. The discount store chain, which has outperformed rivals during the recession, has seen its share drop 9% in 2009, because some investors and analysts believe the retailer won't maintain its growth momentum once the economy recovers. Wal-Mart's stock rose 20 cents to close at $51.07 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has issued a cash tender offer to buy all outstanding common share of Chilean retail chain Distribucion y Servicio D&S S.A. for 41 cents per share in a deal worth about $2.8 billion. In 2007, D&S posted net income of $82.9 million, a 24% increase from 2006.

Sears Holdings Corp. reports third quarter net losses of $146 million, and a 7.8% drop in sales to $10.7 billion. Same-store sales dropped 9%. The company has liquidity of $1.2 billion and may resort to store closures to cut costs. Sears's shares rose 13% to $36.09 in Tuesday trading.

Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reports a 9.8% third-quarter net profit increase to $3.138 billion and a 7.5% increase in sales to $97.634 billion. The company revised down its per-share earnings forecast for its fourth-quarter. Article discusses how Wal-Mart's business model helped buoy the company's sales in spite of a lagging economy.

In conference with investment analysts, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. outlines plans for future growth. Wal-Mart will curb new-store openings in the U.S., remodel existing U.S. locations, and focus efforts on international expansion particularly in emerging economies. For the year ending January 2010, the company expects capital expenditures of between $4.8 billion and $5.3 billion. Wal-Mart's shares rose 11% to $55.17 on Tuesday on New York Stock Exchange composite trading.

NEW ORLEANS In the parking lot of a drive-thru daiquiri bar that sells frozen White Russians in plastic to-go cups, Fidel Sanchez is running an illegal enterprise that's too unwholesome [...]