Retail

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.

LAKELAND, Fla. — Supermarket chain Publix has confirmed the termination of the lease arrangements with The Little Clinic within select store locations in Florida and Georgia.

The move marks the end of Publix’s five-year partnership with The Little Clinic, which is part of Solera Capital’s portfolio. Solera Capital had acquired The Little Clinic’s predecessor in 2005.

Atlanta -- Home Depot reported Tuesday that profit rose 12% in the first quarter, beating Wall Street estimates and causing the retailer to boost its outlook for the full year.

Home Depot earned $812 million in the quarter ended May 1, compared with $725 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue, however, slipped 0.2% to $16.82 billion on a weaker spring selling season, missing analysts’ expectations of $17.06 billion.

Same-store sales dipped 0.6%, with U.S. stores down 0.7%.

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW announced Tuesday that it has Todd S. Cordell as senior VP human resources, effectively immediately.

Cordell will be responsible for all HR activities in support of DSW Stores, DSW.com, and the DSW Leased Business Division. 

Cordell was previously VP human resources for Starbucks Coffee Co.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Winn-Dixie president, chairman and CEO Peter Lynch expressed confidence in the grocer as it heads into its fourth quarter, maintaining that the grocer's estimated adjusted EBITDA will come in at the lower end of the $100 million to $130 million range for fiscal 2011, a 52-week period ending June 29, in light of relatively flat third-quarter results.

Framingham, Mass. -- TJX Cos. reported Tuesday that net income for the first quarter plummeted 20% on the closing of its A.J. Wright stores, but strong sales buoyed the retailer’s full-year forecasts.

TJX earned $266 million in the quarter ended April 30, compared with $331.4 million in the year-ago period. Revenue increased 4% to $5.22 billion, surpassing Wall Street's estimate of $5.14 billion.

Same-store sales increased 2%.

TJX raised the low end of forecast for full-year adjusted earnings.
 

Philadelphia -- Urban Outfitters reported Monday that profit for the first quarter declined more than expected, posting net income of $39 million compared with $53 million a year earlier.

However, revenue topped Wall Street's estimates, as the operator of Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People and Terrain banners saw sales rise 9% to $524 million. Same-store sales fell 5%. But direct-to-consumer (catalogs and online) same-store sales increased 15%.

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.