BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores here said sales at its discount store arm, which includes supercenters, rose in the third quarter and nine months ended Oct. 31.
rom $46.5 billion. Operating profit increased 10% in the 13-week quarter to $1.27 billion vs. $1.16 billion and went up 9% in the nine-month period to $3.66 billion from $3.37 billion last year.
Wal-Mart's total sales rose 12% in the quarter and 40 weeks, to $25.6 billion and $74 billion, respectively. Net income increased 12% to $684 million in the quarter and 9% to $1.96 billion in the 40 weeks. For the year-to-date period, Wal-Mart opened 96 supercenters (87 were discount-store conversions) and 40 discount stores.
