Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. received final approval on Monday of a settlement in which it will pay between $65 million and $85 million to resolve wage-and-hour violations alleged by millions of workers. Nevada District Court Judge Philip M. Pro in Las Vegas issued final approval of the settlement, which covered 39 class action lawsuits across multiple states against the world's largest retailer. Last December, the Bentonville, Ark.-based company said it would pay as much as $640 million to settle 63 lawsuits over wage-and-hour violations, ending years of dispute. The agreement ended the vast majority of such cases against Wal-Mart, but each settlement still had to ... Read Full Story

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is now catering to its shoppers' needs from cradle to grave. The world's largest retailer has introduced online sales of caskets, expanding a merchandise selection that spans engagement rings and baby gear to a new major milestone in its shoppers' lives. Shoppers can choose from the Lady de Guadalupe steel casket for $895 or a sienna bronze casket for $2,899.00. Walmart.com spokesman Ravi Jariwala said it is selling the products as a "limited beta test" that launched within the last few weeks. Wal-Mart has been revamping its merchandise selection in stores and online to expand into categories ... Read Full Story

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is trimming the online preorder prices of some upcoming DVDs following last month's price cut on books. The move led rivals Amazon.com Inc. and Target Corp. to reduce some DVD prices, which pushed Wal-Mart to take a few more cents off its offerings. More: continued here Read Full Story

Some analysts expect Wal-Mart Stores Inc. may announce plans Wednesday at its analysts' meeting that it will accelerate U.S. store growth next year. Wall Street is also looking to hear details of more price-cutting strategies as it heads into the holiday season. Any move to increase store growth would come as the world's largest retailer has come a long way in improving store performance by paring down inventory, offering spruced-up merchandise and remodeling stores. Wal-Mart's share price soared 13 percent in 2008. However, the stock has slipped almost 6 percent so far this year, as investors focus on beaten-down shares of companies that sell ... Read Full Story

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc <WMT.N> is offering a new support service to help shoppers set up consumer electronics in their homes, posing a new challenge to rival Best Buy Co In <BBY.N>. Wal-Mart said it began rolling out the service this month with privately held N.E.W. Customer Service Companies Inc and is making it available through all of its U.S. Wal-Mart stores in time for the holiday season. Shoppers can buy service plans on a prepaid card ranging from $99 to $339. The service spans help with basic television installation on the low end to setting up a home theater, wireless ... Read Full Story