Friday headline roundup
Walmart’s dirty secret (New York Post, 6/11/2014)
Walmart’s dirty secret (New York Post, 6/11/2014)
Institutional Shareholder Services Inc., which advises big shareholders like mutual funds how to vote on corporate ballots, is concerned the company hasn’t disclosed which, if any, of its executives might be found culpable in an investigation into alleged bribery overseas. ISS also said it is troubled by a string of adjustments to pay targets and plans that together have the effect of insulating executives’ pay somewhat from the consequences of Wal-Mart’s declining performance. The recommendations are unlikely to have much practical effect given the Walton family’s control over the company. But they do highlight the recent challenges Wal-Mart is facing. The retailer recently reported its fifth straight quarterly decline in U.S. sales and said there is more weakness to come. It is struggling in international markets as well.
Wal-Mart’s biggest problem: Its customers (CNBC, 5/19/2014)
Wal-Mart Pays—and Pays—in Response to the Bribery Probe (Bloomberg, 4/25/2014)
Wal-Mart Cuts Board to 14 Members as Former CEO Leaves (Bloomberg, 4/24/2014)
Under pressure, Wal-Mart upgrades its policy for helping pregnant workers (Washington Post, 4/5/14)
Wal-Mart Sees $3 Billion Opportunity Refilling Empty Shelves (Bloomberg, 3/28/2014)
Costco vs. Wal-Mart: Higher Wages Mean Superior Returns for Investors (The Motley Fool, 3/12/14)
At Walmart, higher wages lift all carts (Boston Globe, 3/1/14)
How Wal-Mart disappoints both investors and customers (CBS News, 2/20/14)