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Walmart’s 2018 fiscal Q1 earnings rise as online sales grow 63%
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart showed its muscle in the first quarter, reporting a big jump in online sales, an increase in traffic at its U.S. stores, and earnings that beat the Street.
The chain’s U.S. same-store sales grew for the 11th consecutive quarter, rising 1.4% in the period ended April 30, just beating analysts’ estimates. Online sales surged 63%, compared to 29% growth in the last quarter. Total revenue increased 1.4%, to $117.54 billion, slightly short of the $117.74 billion forecast by analysts, mostly due to the impact of a stronger dollar overseas.
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Full speed ahead: Retailers find color cosmetics, skin care and bubble bath alluring
Mass market doors might not be the prime destination for all beauty products, but there are market wedges the channel dominates. An example is color cosmetics, where brows and lashes are leading the charge to attract shoppers. Bath sales are also bubbling again as drug stores wrest customers away from mall-based specialty stores, while also nabbing licensed hits that score big with parents. IRI tracked double-digit increases in the category over the past year.