Sam's Club

Walmart is scheduled to hold its annual shareholders’ meeting one week from today, and the event is a tale of two meetings. One the one hand, there is the pageantry and puffery of the actual shareholders meeting, which runs from 7 a.m. to about 11 a.m. central time. If the company holds true to form the event will be a high-energy, star-studded affair that is long on style and short on substance with a dollop of official business thrown in. The event is designed primarily for the thousands of employees who attend from throughout the U.S.

By Diarmuid Mallon, [email protected]

U.S. Preventive Medicine's new version of a health management solution for small businesses now is available at Sam's Club.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores reported Tuesday that net income for the first quarter ended April 30 rose 3% to $3.39 billion, beating Wall Street estimates. Overall results were powered by overseas stores and stringent cost controls, but business in the United States remains soft as U.S. Walmart stores posted an eighth straight quarter of same-store declines.

Wal-Mart's U.S. division recorded a 0.3% dip in same-store revenue, dragged down by a 1.1% drop at its namesake stores. Same-store sales increased 4.2% at Sam’s Club warehouse stores.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart reported first-quarter earnings that were above the company's guidance, reflecting stability and strength in global operations, according to president and CEO, Mike Duke.

Walmart's net income was $3.4 billion, or 98 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $3.3 billion, or 87 cents per diluted share. 

Given the performance of Costco and BJ’s during April, it’s a safe bet that same-store sales at Sam’s Club continued to accelerate during the first quarter and will meet or exceed guidance provided at the end of the fourth quarter that called for an increase in the 1% to 3% range.

Sam's Club this week is promoting itself as a small business leader and has announced several initiatives in honor of National Small Business Week May 16 to 20. The company said it would donate up to $200,000 to organizations supporting entrepreneurs. In addition the company is offering a limited-time, lower-cost membership deal for small business owners.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club is offering skin health screenings to customers on May 14 as part of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

 Sam's Club shoppers will offer skin assessments, which will be conducted by U.S. Wellness, to both members and non-members. U.S. Wellness will conduct DermaScan skin tests, which use Type A ultraviolet light to show sun damage that is invisible to the naked human eye. The retailer added that it will offer free DermaScan skin tests to the first 100 participants who sign up in each club.