Retail giant Wal-Mart will open its first outlet in Guangzhou in November 2009. Located in Guangzhou's Panyu district, the new outlet will be a Sam's Club, with a business area of 12,000 square meters and a total investment of USD30 million. The new store is expected to be completed and opened in November 2009. At present, employees [...]

Why Is Beijing Investing $200 Billion in One Company? The answer is simple. This rail company hauls 25% of the world’s freight – but it only has 6% of the world’s track. Right now, freight supply is 65% shy of demand. Sales for this company have grown on average 47% over the last five year. And now, with a $200 billion infusion, it’s about to jump even higher. Estimates show the potential gains at 356%. Click here for the full report.

By Bob Blandeburgo
Associate Editor
Money Morning

The much-anticipated earnings report from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and new data from the U.S. Department of Commerce yesterday (Thursday) showed that consumers are not only reeling in their discretionary spending, but may also be pulling the reins on the necessities.

Retail sales fell 0.1% in July from the previous month, and 8.3% from a …

• Walmart (NYSE:WMT) reported second-quarter earnings of 88 cents per share, three cents above Zacks estimates, and ahead of 86 cents a year ago.  Revenues of about $100 billion compared with Zacks estimates of $102.5 billion.  The company also said it expects third quarter earnings of 78 cents to 82 cents a share, with comparable sales through October 30 of flat to up 2% at Walmart stores and flat-to-up 1% at Sams Club stores. For the year the company expects to earn $3.50 to $3.60 a share

• Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) reported second quarter results of 75 cents a share, one cent higher than expected, on revenues of $3.8 billion, which was in line with Zacks estimates

• Nokia (NYSE:NOK) was removed from Goldman Sachs' (NYSE:GS) Conviction Buy list, with its rating lowered to "hold" from "buy," due to the analyst's belief its 55% market share at the mid-end of the smartphone range

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Live Nation Buys Ticketmaster; China Inflation Trudging Slowly; MillerCoors Profit Falls 40%; UBS Cuts Jobs, Announces Profitability; Traders Bid up Gold Options; Oil Falls Below $39;WalMart Cuts Jobs at Home Office; Cisco Raises $4 Billion

Live Nation Inc. (LYV), the world’s largest concert promoter, said it is buying Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. (TKTM), the world’s largest ticketing company, for $2.5 billion including debt, Reuters reported. The merger will create a music powerhouse, already unpopular with fans and likely to receive intense scrutiny from government antitrust investigators. China inflation continued slowing in January, rising 1%, the slowest pace in nearly seven years. “Inflation could have been ...

According to Fu Mengxi, vice president for Wal-Mart (China) Investment Co., Ltd., the company will open a new Sam's Club in Pudong, Shanghai in 2009. The new store is Wal-Mart's first Sam's Club in Shanghai and its fourth on the Chinese mainland. Having entered the Chinese mainland market in 1996 with its first store opened in Shenzhen, [...]

Last month, Hybrid Technologies announced that it was ecstatic to unveil their most exotic electric Super Car through an exclusive offer with Sam’s Club®, the members only warehouse division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT). The long anticipated Super Car was featured in the Sam’s Club 2008 Annual Gift Guide and online at samsclub.com.

Hybrid Technologies’ high performance vehicle was available for purchase at a cost of $100,000 starting on November 12, 2008 through the Sam’s Club website, but has since then been sold out. The Once-In-A-Lifetime Electric Super Car Package can be viewed on the Sam’s Club website here: www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=12666&pid=CO_10-17-08_OIAL

The head-turning super car, designed to provide maximum excitement and performance, is capable of exceeding 150 MPH and accelerating from 0 to 60 in less than 5 seconds. With a driving range of 200 miles on a single charge, the lithium powered vehicle is a top performer

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Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Sonic Solutions develops and markets computer software related to digital media for consumer and professional end users. Founded in 1986, and trading on the NASDAQ, their software and services enable the creation, design, management, and delivery of data, photographs, audio, interactive features, and video in digital formats. They enable this for a host of playback modes. This includes Internet, broadcast, mobile, and compact audio discs, digital video discs, and Blu-ray discs.

The company operates three divisions. Their Roxio division is their Consumer Products Group. They are the world’s leading digital media software provider. Their product lineup includes DVD Decoder, Easy Media Creator®, MyDVD®, RecordNow®, and Toast®. This consumer division sells their products through major retailers including Best Buy, Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, Wal-Mart, CompUSA, and Staples, as well as through Internet and direct marketers such as Amazon.com and CDW.

Sonic Solutions Professional Products Group creates solutions

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BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. (BJ) reported strong sales results for the second quarter with total sales growth of 17.9 percent and comparable-store sales growth of 15.5 percent. The company's efforts to improve its merchandise and increase store traffic continue to drive steady sales growth. The difficult macro economic conditions are also pushing customers into wholesale clubs, which offer a better value compared to supermarkets. We think this positive momentum can continue for the next few quarters.

Despite the company's recent improvements in store traffic and sales, there are still numerous concerns with BJ's Wholesale Club. The company remains a distant third to industry heavyweights Sam's Club (WMT) and Costco (COST). Other than the company's competitive position in the wholesale club market, we remain concerned with the lack of geographic diversity, and inability to substantially expand its profit margins from current levels. We maintain our Hold rating.

Shares of BJ's

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Half a year has gone by and Wal-Mart (WMT) released results yesterday.

26 week sales results at Wal-Mart stores are up 5.5%, Sam’s Clubs are up 7.1% and the International operations are up 16.2%. Total sales results are up 8% vs. 2006. Not bad at all.