WMT » Topics » Sams Club Segment

These excerpts taken from the WMT 10-K filed Mar 31, 2008.

SAM’S CLUB SEGMENT

ALIGN="center">CLUB COUNT AND SQUARE FOOTAGE

SIZE="2">FISCAL YEARS ENDED JANUARY 31, 2004 THROUGH 2008(1)

STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"> 




















































































Fiscal Year

  Opened  Closed  Total  Square Footage

Balance Forward

      525  65,747

2004

  13  —    538  68,144

2005

  13  —    551  70,677

2006

  17  1  567  73,391

2007

  15  3  579  76,270

2008

  12  —    591  78,236

 





(1)“Total” and “Square Footage” columns are as of January 31, of the years shown. Square footage is reported in thousands.
STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px">The number of discount stores, supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Clubs located in each state in the United States at January 31, 2008 is disclosed
in our Annual Report to Shareholders under the caption “Fiscal 2008 End-of-Year Store Count” and is incorporated herein by reference. Portions of such Annual Report to Shareholders are included as an exhibit to this Annual Report on Form
10-K.

Sam’s Club Segment

The Sam’s Club segment had net sales of $44.4 billion, $41.6 billion and $39.8 billion for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. During the most recent fiscal year, no single club location accounted for as much as 1% of total Company net sales.

General. As a membership club warehouse, we operate Sam’s Clubs in 48 states. Facility sizes for Sam’s Clubs generally range between 71,000 and 190,000 square feet, with the average Sam’s Club facility being approximately 132,000 square feet. Sam’s Club also provides its members with a broad assortment of merchandise and services online at www.samsclub.com.

Merchandise. Sam’s Club offers bulk displays of brand name merchandise, including hardgoods, some softgoods, institutional-size grocery items, and selected private-label items under the “MEMBER’S MARK,” “BAKERS & CHEFS” and “SAM’S CLUB” brands. Generally, each Sam’s Club also carries software, electronics, jewelry, exercise equipment, outdoor goods, tires, office supplies and books. Most clubs have fresh departments, which include bakery, meat, produce, floral and Sam’s Cafe. Additionally, a significant number of our clubs offer photo processing, pharmaceuticals, optical departments and gasoline stations.

Sales for the Sam’s Club segment by general merchandise category were as follows during the fiscal year ended:

 

CATEGORY

   JANUARY 31,
2008
    JANUARY 31,
2007
 

Sundries

   37 %   36 %

Food

   28 %   29 %

Hardgoods

   18 %   19 %

Service Businesses, including fuel

   12 %   11 %

Softgoods

   5 %   5 %
            

Total

   100 %   100 %
            

Operations. Operating hours for Sam’s Clubs are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Additionally, all club locations offer a Gold Key program that permits business members to shop before the regular operating hours Monday through Saturday, starting at 7:00 a.m.

Sam’s Clubs are membership-only operations. A variety of payment methods are accepted at our clubs, including debit cards, some types of credit cards, and a private label and co-branded Discover credit cards through a third-party provider. In addition, our pharmacy departments accept payments for prescription drugs through our customers’ health benefit plans.

Members include both small business owners and individual consumers. Individuals who are not business owners can become Advantage members. The annual membership fee for an individual Advantage member is $40 for the primary membership card, with a spouse/household card available at no additional cost. The annual membership fee for business members is $35 for the primary membership card, with a spouse/household card available at no additional cost. In addition, business members can add up to eight business associates (add-ons) to their business account for $35 each. Businesses can also purchase Advantage memberships for their employees under a Group Membership Program. Group rates are $30 per group Advantage membership when purchasing 50 - 999 memberships and $25 per group Advantage membership when purchasing 1,000 or more memberships. Sam’s Club PLUS is a premium membership program that offers additional benefits and services. The annual fee for a Primary PLUS member (Business or Advantage) is $100. In addition, Business Plus primary members can add up to 16 business associates (add-ons) to their business membership for $35 each.

Seasonal Aspects of Operations. The Sam’s Club segment’s business is seasonal to a certain extent. Generally, its highest volume of sales occurs in the fourth fiscal quarter, which includes the holiday season, and the lowest volume occurs during the first fiscal quarter.

Competition. Sam’s Club competes with other warehouse clubs, as well as with discount retailers, retail and wholesale grocers, general merchandise wholesalers and distributors, internet-based retailers and catalog businesses. We compete with other retailers and warehouse clubs for desirable new club sites. Our ability to offer low prices and quality merchandise to meet the needs of small business members largely determines our competitive position in the warehouse club industry.

 

8


Distribution. During fiscal 2008, approximately 65% of the Sam’s Club segment non-fuel purchases were shipped from the Sam’s Club segment’s dedicated distribution facilities and some of the Wal-Mart Stores segment’s distribution centers for certain items. Suppliers shipped the balance of the Sam’s Club purchases directly to Sam’s Club locations. Our Sam’s Club segment operations are supported by 24 distribution facilities as of January 31, 2008, located strategically throughout the continental United States. Of these 24 distribution facilities, we owned and operated 7. Third parties owned and operated the remaining 17 distribution facilities.

The principal focus of our Sam’s Club’s distribution operations is on crossdocking merchandise, while stored inventory is minimized. Crossdocking is a distribution process under which shipments are directly transferred from inbound to outbound trailers. Shipments typically spend less than 24 hours in a crossdock facility, sometimes less than an hour.

Sam’s Club uses a combination of our private truck fleet as well as common carriers to transport non-perishable merchandise from distribution centers to clubs. We contract with common carriers to transport perishable grocery merchandise from distribution centers to clubs.

Sam’s Club Segment

 

Fiscal Year

   Segment Net
Sales Increase
from Prior
Fiscal Year
    Segment
Operating
Income
(in millions)
   Segment
Operating
Income
Increase from
Prior Fiscal Year
    Operating
Income as a
Percentage of
Segment Net Sales
 

2008

   6.7 %   $ 1,618    9.3 %   3.6 %

2007

   4.5 %   $ 1,480    5.2 %   3.6 %

2006

   7.2 %   $ 1,407    10.2 %   3.5 %

Growth in net sales for the Sam’s Club segment in fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2007 resulted from comparable club sales increases of 4.9% in fiscal 2008 and 2.5% in fiscal 2007, along with our club expansion program. Comparable club sales in fiscal 2008 increased at a faster rate than in fiscal 2007 primarily due to higher growth in food, pharmacy, electronics and certain consumables categories as well as an increase in both member traffic and average transaction size per member. Fuel sales had a positive impact of 0.7 percentage points on comparable club sales in fiscal 2008, while contributing a negative impact of 0.4 percentage points to fiscal 2007 comparable club sales.

Sam’s Club segment expansion consisted of the opening of 12 new clubs in fiscal 2008 and 15 clubs in fiscal 2007. No clubs were closed in fiscal 2008, but three clubs were closed in fiscal 2007. Our total expansion program added 2.0 million of additional club square footage, or 2.6%, in fiscal 2008 and 2.9 million, or 3.9%, of additional club square footage in fiscal 2007.

Gross margin increased during fiscal 2008 due to strong sales in fresh food and other food-related categories, pharmacy and certain consumables categories, in addition to the $39 million excise tax refund on taxes previously paid on prior period prepaid phone card sales. In fiscal 2007, gross margin increased compared to the prior year due to strong sales in certain higher margin categories, including pharmacy and jewelry.

Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales decreased in fiscal 2008 when compared to fiscal 2007 primarily due to a decrease in advertising costs. In the first half of fiscal 2008, operating expenses include the net positive impact of the favorable change in estimated losses associated with our general liability and workers’ compensation claims, which reduced the accrued liabilities for such claims by $21 million pretax, partially offset by $15 million in pre-tax charges for certain litigation contingencies. Furthermore, operating expenses in fiscal 2007 included an $11 million charge related to closing two Sam’s Clubs, partially offset by the favorable impact of property

 

10


insurance-related gains of $6 million. In fiscal 2007, operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased compared to fiscal 2006 primarily due to a slight increase in employee-related costs.

Membership and other income, which includes a variety of income categories, increased in fiscal 2008 when compared to fiscal 2007.

These excerpts taken from the WMT 10-K filed Mar 27, 2007.

Sam’s Club Segment

The Sam’s Club segment had net sales of $41.6 billion, $39.8 billion and $37.1 billion for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. During the most recent fiscal year, no single club location accounted for as much as 1% of total Company net sales or net income.

General. We operate Sam’s Clubs in 48 states. Facility sizes for Sam’s Clubs generally range between 72,000 and 190,000 square feet, with the average Sam’s Club facility being approximately 132,000 square feet. Sam’s Club also provides its members with a broad assortment of merchandise and services online at www.samsclub.com.

Merchandise. Sam’s Club offers bulk displays of brand name merchandise, including hardgoods, some softgoods, institutional-size grocery items, and selected private-label items under the “MEMBER’S MARK,” “BAKERS & CHEFS” and “SAM’S CLUB” brands. Generally, each Sam’s Club also carries software, electronics, jewelry, exercise equipment, outdoor goods, tires, office supplies and books. Most clubs have fresh departments, which include bakery, meat, produce, floral and Sam’s Cafe. Additionally, a significant number of our clubs offer photo processing, pharmaceuticals, optical departments and gasoline stations.

Sales in the Sam’s Club segment, which are subject to seasonal variance, by product category were as follows during the fiscal year ended:

 

CATEGORY

   JANUARY 31,
2007
    JANUARY 31,
2006
 

Sundries

   32 %   31 %

Food

   29 %   30 %

Hardgoods

   23 %   23 %

Service Businesses

   11 %   11 %

Softgoods

   5 %   5 %
            
   100 %   100 %
            

Operations. Operating hours for Sam’s Clubs are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Additionally, all club locations offer a Gold Key program that permits business members to shop before the regular operating hours Monday through Saturday, starting at 7:00 a.m.

Sam’s Clubs are membership-only operations. A variety of payment methods are accepted at our clubs, including MasterCard beginning in fiscal 2007. Additionally, Sam’s Club markets private label and Discover accounts that are without recourse to the Company. Members include both small business owners and individual consumers. Individuals who are not business owners can become Advantage members. The annual membership fee for an individual Advantage member is $40 for the primary membership card, with a spouse card available at no additional cost. The annual membership fee for business members is $35 for the primary membership card, with a spouse/household card available at no additional cost. In addition, business members can add up to eight business associates (add-ons) to their business account for $35 each. Businesses can also purchase Advantage memberships for their employees under a Group Membership Program. Group rates are $30 per group Advantage membership when purchasing 50 - 999 memberships and $25 per group Advantage membership when purchasing 1,000 or more memberships. Sam's Club PLUS is a premium membership program that offers additional benefits

 

9


and services. The annual fee for a Primary PLUS member (Business or Advantage) is $100. In addition, Business Plus primary members can add up to 16 business associates (add-ons) to their business membership for $35 each.

Seasonal Aspects of Operations. The Sam’s Club segment’s business is seasonal to a certain extent. Generally, its highest volume of sales occurs in the fourth fiscal quarter, which includes the holiday season, and the lowest volume occurs during the first fiscal quarter.

Competition. Sam’s Club competes with other warehouse clubs, as well as with discount retailers, retail and wholesale grocers, general merchandise wholesalers and distributors, internet-based retailers and catalog businesses. We compete with other retailers for desirable new club sites. Our ability to offer low prices and quality merchandise to meet the needs of small business members largely determines our competitive position in the warehouse club industry.

Distribution. During fiscal 2007, approximately 65% of the Sam’s Club non-fuel purchases were shipped from the Sam’s Club segment’s dedicated distribution facilities and some of the Wal-Mart Stores segment’s distribution centers for perishable items, jewelry, tires and product returns. Suppliers shipped the balance of the Sam’s Club purchases directly to Sam’s Club locations. The principal focus of our Sam’s Club’s distribution operations is on crossdocking product, while stored inventory is minimized. Crossdocking is a distribution process under which shipments are directly transferred from inbound to outbound trailers without extra storage. Shipments typically spend less than 24 hours in a crossdock facility, sometimes less than an hour. A combination of seven Company-owned and operated distribution facilities, 13 third-party owned and operated facilities, and two third-party owned and operated import distribution centers constitute the overall distribution structure for the Sam’s Club segment. To support the samsclub.com business, Sam’s Club uses one third-party owned and operated distribution center in Texas. Two of the Company-owned and operated facilities are located in Texas with single facilities located in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana and Minnesota. Of the third-party owned and operated facilities, two are in California and one is in each of Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. The third-party operated import facilities are located in California and South Carolina. Sam’s Club uses a combination of our private truck fleet as well as common carriers to transport non-perishable merchandise from distribution centers to clubs. We contract with common carriers to transport perishable grocery merchandise from distribution centers to clubs.

Sam’s Club Segment

 

Fiscal Year

   Segment Net
Sales Increase
from Prior
Fiscal Year
    Segment
Operating
Income
(in millions)
   Segment
Operating
Income
Increase from
Prior Fiscal Year
    Operating
Income as a
Percentage of
Segment Net Sales
 

2007

   4.5 %   $ 1,512    9.2 %   3.6 %

2006

   7.2 %     1,385    8.2 %   3.5 %

2005

   7.5 %     1,280    13.7 %   3.4 %

Growth in net sales for the Sam’s Club segment in fiscal 2007 and fiscal 2006 resulted from comparable club sales increases of 2.5% in fiscal 2007 and 5.0% in fiscal 2006, along with our club expansion program. Comparable club sales in fiscal 2007 increased at a slower rate than in fiscal 2006 primarily due to lower growth rates in fuel and certain food-related categories and media categories. Fuel sales had a negative impact of 0.4 percentage points on comparable club sales in fiscal 2007, while contributing 1.3 percentage points to fiscal 2006 comparable club sales. Sam’s Club segment expansion consisted of the opening of 15 new clubs in fiscal 2007 and 17 clubs in fiscal 2006. Three clubs were closed in fiscal 2007 and one club was closed in fiscal 2006. Our total expansion program added 2.9 million of additional club square footage, or 3.9%, in fiscal 2007 and 2.7 million, or 3.8%, of additional club square footage in fiscal 2006.

Consistent with past periods, segment operating income as a percentage of segment net sales increased slightly in fiscal 2007 when compared to fiscal 2006. The increase was due to an improvement in gross margin and membership revenue as a percentage of segment net sales, partially offset by an increase in operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales. Gross margin as a percentage of segment net sales increased due to strong sales in certain higher margin categories, including pharmacy and jewelry, during fiscal 2007. Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased primarily due to a slight increase in employee-related costs in fiscal 2007 when compared to fiscal 2006. Fiscal 2007 also included an $11 million charge related to the closing of three clubs during the year.

Segment operating income as a percentage of segment net sales increased slightly in fiscal 2006 when compared to fiscal 2005. The increase was due to an improvement in operating expenses and other income as a percentage of segment net sales, partially offset by a slight decrease in gross margin as a percentage of segment net sales. Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales improved primarily due to lower wage and accident costs as a percentage of segment net sales in fiscal 2006 when compared to fiscal 2005, partially offset by increased utility costs. The increase in other income as a percentage of segment net sales was primarily the result of income recognized from higher membership sales in fiscal 2006. Gross margin as a percentage of segment net sales decreased due to strong segment net sales in certain lower margin categories, including fuel and tobacco, during fiscal 2006.

 

8


This excerpt taken from the WMT 10-K filed Mar 29, 2006.

SAM’S CLUB Segment

 

Fiscal Year

   Segment Net Sales Increase
from Prior Fiscal Year
  Segment Operating
Income (in millions)
   Segment Operating Income
Increase from Prior Fiscal Year
  Operating Income as a
Percentage of Segment Sales
2006    7.2%   $1,385    8.2%   3,5%
2005    7.5%   1,280    13.7%   3.4%
2004    8.9%   1,126    10.1%   3.3%

Growth in net sales for the SAM’S CLUB segment in fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2005 resulted from comparative club sales increases of 5.0% in fiscal 2006 and 5.8% in fiscal 2005, along with our expansion program. Comparative club sales in fiscal 2006 increased at a slower rate than in fiscal 2005 primarily due to lower growth rates in certain fresh and hardline categories. The impact of fuel sales contributed 130 basis points and 121 basis points to fiscal 2006 and 2005 comparative club sales, respectively. We believe that a greater focus on providing a quality in-club experience for our members will improve overall sales, including sales in these categories. Segment expansion consisted of the opening of 17 new clubs in fiscal 2006 and 13 clubs in fiscal 2005. One club closed in fiscal 2006. Our total expansion program added approximately 3 million of additional club square footage, or 3.8%, in fiscal 2006 and approximately 3 million, or 3.7%, of additional club square footage in fiscal 2005.

Segment operating income as a percentage of segment net sales increased slightly in fiscal 2006 when compared to fiscal 2005. The increase was due to an improvement in operating expenses and other income as a percentage of segment net sales, partially offset by a slight decrease in gross margin as a percentage of segment net sales. Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales improved primarily due to lower wage and accident costs in fiscal 2006 when compared to fiscal 2005, partially offset by the impact of increased utility costs. The increase in other income as a percentage of segment net sales was primarily the result of income recognized from higher membership sales in fiscal 2006. Gross margin as a percentage of net sales decreased due to strong sales in certain lower margin categories, including fuel and tobacco, during fiscal 2006.

Segment operating income as a percentage of segment net sales increased slightly in fiscal 2005 when compared to fiscal 2004 due to an improvement in gross margin, partially offset by an increase in operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales and the impact of the adoption of EITF 02-16 in fiscal 2004. The improvement in gross margin was primarily a result of strong sales in higher margin categories. Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased due to higher wage costs resulting from our new job classification and pay structure, which was implemented in the second quarter of fiscal 2005. The adoption of EITF 02-16 resulted in a decrease to the segment’s operating income in fiscal 2004 of $44 million.

 

24


This excerpt taken from the WMT 10-K filed Mar 31, 2005.

SAM’S CLUB Segment

 

Fiscal Year


   Segment Net Sales Increase
from Prior Fiscal Year


  Segment Operating
Income (in millions)


   Segment Operating Income
Increase from Prior Fiscal Year


  Operating Income as a
Percentage of Segment Sales


2005

   7.5%   $1,280    13.7%   3.4%

2004

   8.9%   1,126    10.1%   3.3%

2003

   7.8%   1,023    0.0%   3.2%

 

Growth in net sales for the SAM’S CLUB segment in fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2004 resulted from comparative club sales increases of 5.8% in fiscal 2005 and 5.3% in fiscal 2004, along with our expansion program. Comparative club sales in 2005 increased at a higher rate than in 2004 primarily as the result of continued focus on small business members, along with improved sales in fresh and specialty categories, including fuel. Segment expansion consisted of the opening of 13 new clubs in both fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2004. Our total expansion program added approximately 3 million of additional club square footage, or 3.7%, in fiscal 2005 and approximately 2 million, or 3.6%, of additional club square footage in fiscal 2004.

 

Segment operating income as a percentage of segment net sales increased slightly in fiscal 2005 when compared to fiscal 2004. The increase is due to an improvement in gross margin, partially offset by an increase in operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales and the impact of the adoption of EITF 02-16 in fiscal 2004. The improvement in gross margin is primarily a result of strong sales in higher margin categories. Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased due primarily to higher wage costs resulting from our new job classification and pay structure, which was implemented in the second quarter of fiscal 2005. The adoption of EITF 02-16 resulted in a decrease to the segment’s operating income in fiscal 2004 of $44 million.

 

Segment operating income as a percentage of segment net sales increased slightly in fiscal 2004 when compared to fiscal 2003, due to a reduction in operating expenses resulting from working more closely with the Wal-Mart Stores segment.

 

Wikinvest © 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Use of this site is subject to express Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimer. By continuing past this page, you agree to abide by these terms. Any information provided by Wikinvest, including but not limited to company data, competitors, business analysis, market share, sales revenues and other operating metrics, earnings call analysis, conference call transcripts, industry information, or price targets should not be construed as research, trading tips or recommendations, or investment advice and is provided with no warrants as to its accuracy. Stock market data, including US and International equity symbols, stock quotes, share prices, earnings ratios, and other fundamental data is provided by data partners. Stock market quotes delayed at least 15 minutes for NASDAQ, 20 mins for NYSE and AMEX. Market data by Xignite. See data providers for more details. Company names, products, services and branding cited herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The use of trademarks or service marks of another is not a representation that the other is affiliated with, sponsors, is sponsored by, endorses, or is endorsed by Wikinvest.
Powered by MediaWiki