Sam's Club

Top executives from Walmart will be sharing insights into the company’s strategies this fall by participating in a wide range of conferences and investor event.
First up is Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon who is scheduled as the featured luncheon speaker on September 11, at the Goldman Sachs Global Retailing Conference in New York. Simon also spoke at the event in 2010 and 2012 and this year he will be fresh off of headlining Walmart’s U.S. manufacturing summit in Orlando in late August.

Stored value gift cards have become a staple item in many retailers' holiday assortments. Last year the NRF estimated U.S. consumers would spend close to $29 billion on gift cards during the holiday shopping season, and there is no reason to think the trend is slowing down.

Walmart lowered its full year profit forecast early Thursday after reporting weaker that expected second quarter same store sales at its U.S. division and suggested global economic conditions remain challenging.

Total company net sales increased 2.8% to $116.7 billion on a constant currency basis and profits increased 1.3% to $4.1 billion while earnings per share grew 5.1% to $1.24. That was a penny below the consensus forecast of analysts, although earnings per share included a charge related to international operations that reduced earnings by a penny.

Flu shots and nine other immunizations will now be offered year round by Sam’s Club pharmacists at more than 560 U.S. locations as the retailer looks to enhance member value and attract new members.

Beginning this month, Sam’s will begin offering flu shots and immunizations for diseases such as pneumonia, shingles, whooping cough, chickenpox, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), meningitis, HPV (human papillomavirus) and hepatitis A and B.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores lowered its full year profit forecast early Thursday after reporting weaker that expected second quarter U.S. same-store sales at its U.S. division and suggested global economic conditions remain challenging.

Back-to-school shoppers get a free three day pass at Sam’s Club beginning August 2, as part of an initiative to increase membership at the warehouse club.

Sam’s is inviting shoppers to visit its more than 600 clubs beginning Friday, August 2, without paying any type of membership fee or non-member surcharge. The retailer has conducted similar open house events in the past as a means to expose shoppers to the Sam’s Club experience and hopefully convert a meaningful number to dues-paying members, at either the $45 base membership level or $100 Plus member level.

PITTSBURGH — GNC is no stranger to China, with more than 60 store-within-a-store locations in eight different major grocery, convenience and health and wellness chains in China. But two years after entering the market, the retailer is opening its first stand-alone location in Shanghai.

GNC plans on opening an additional 25 locations in China within the next 12 months.

Pittsburgh -- GNC Holdings Inc. on Monday opens its first freestanding store in China. The store, located in the Raffles City complex in Shanghai, is the first of about 25 standalone stores GNC plans to open in China during the next 12 months.