date:Feb 21, 2014
nce Program, the largest U.S. anti-hunger program, have been particularly painful for Wal-Mart. One in five Wal-Mart shoppers relies on food stamps, according to Cowen analyst Tal Lev. Wal-Mart also faces stiff competition from dollar stores for lower-income shoppers.
During the quarter, comparable grocery sales fell by a low-single-digit percentage. In contrast, higher-end supermarket operators Kroger Co and Safeway Inc reported increases for their most recent quarters.
Wal-Mart shares fell 2