This Changes Things hosts Baker Machado and Hope King give a recap of the day's biggest earnings reports. Walmart dips in the e-commerce division as it fights to compete with Amazon. Plus, Home Depot thanks the booming housing market for its uptick in sales this past quarter.
Walmart says sales rose steadily over the holiday season, but online sales growth actually slowed last quarter. Its e-commerce sales in the U.S. grew 23% in the quarter, which is down from 50% in the third quarter of 2017. Walmart cited operational snags as the reason for the dip in their e-commerce business.
Plus. the housing market helps Home Depot hit a home run. The number one U.S. home improvement chain said sales at stores that have been open more than a year rose 7.5% last quarter.
Much like all the upheaval shaking the world, the huge swings rocking Wall Street may feel far from normal. But, for investing at least, this is normal.
Joe Cecela, Dream Exchange CEO, explains how they are aiming to form the first minority-controlled company to operate an exchange in U.S. history. Watch!
A Michigan judge is putting sponges in the hands of shoplifters and ordering them to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot when spring weather arrives. Genesee County Judge Jeffrey Clothier hopes the unusual form of community service discourages people from stealing from Walmart. The judge also wants to reward shoppers with free car washes. Clothier says he began ordering “Walmart wash” sentences this week for shoplifting at the store in Grand Blanc Township. He believes 75 to 100 people eventually will be ordered to wash cars this spring. Clothier says he will be washing cars alongside them when the time comes.
The State Department had been in talks with Elon Musk’s Tesla company to buy armored electric vehicles, but the plans have been put on hold by the Trump administration after reports emerged about a potential $400 million purchase. A State Department spokesperson said the electric car company owned by Musk was the only one that expressed interest back in May 2024. The deal with Tesla was only in its planning phases but it was forecast to be the largest contract of the year. It shows how some of his wealth has come and was still expected to come from taxpayers.
