Wal-Mart says December sales up 3 percent in stores open at least a year

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Santa Claus was a bit more generous to Wal-Mart than originally expected in December. <br/><br/>The world's largest retailer says it expects its December sales to have risen

Monday, January 3rd 2005, 11:12 am

By: News On 6

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Santa Claus was a bit more generous to Wal-Mart than originally expected in December.

The world's largest retailer says it expects its December sales to have risen three percent at stores open at least a year -- at the top end of the company's earlier sales estimate.

In November, Wal-Mart showed comparable-store sales growth of just seven-tenths of a percent.

But after slower than expected post-Thanksgiving sales, the company cut prices on specific items and launched an ad blitz promoting the cuts.

The company had earlier forecast its December sales growth at stores open at least a year would be one to three percent.