Wal-Mart shines; Nordstrom and Kohl's struggle

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. — with its re-emphasis on low prices — is among the few retailers performing well in what has become an increasingly bleak consumer spending climate.

The retail industry is expected to see earnings drop 14 percent overall for the third quarter, said Ken Perkins, president of research company RetailMetrics LLC. Excluding Wal-Mart, that figure is estimated to be much worse, down 22 percent.

Here's a snapshot of Thursday's earnings reports, including same-store sales, or sales at stores opened at least a year, which are a key barometer of a retailer's health.

_Discount retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc.:

PROFIT: Up 10 percent

SALES: Up 7.4 percent

SAME-STORE SALES: Up 3 percent

OUTLOOK: Trims profit outlook for fiscal year as it faces renewed strength of the dollar

— Department store operator Kohl's Inc.:

PROFIT: Down 17 percent

SALES: Down 1 percent

SAME-STORE SALES: Down 6.7 percent

OUTLOOK: Lowers fourth-quarter and full-year outlook; predicts same-store sales for fourth quarter will fall from 8 percent to 12 percent

— Upscale department store Nordstrom Inc.:

PROFIT: Down 57 percent

SALES: Down 8 percent

SAME-STORE SALES: Down 11.1 percent

OUTLOOK: Slashes full-year outlook, predicts full-year same store sales will fall between 9 and 10 percent.

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