Sam’s Club Losing to Costco in Battle for 30-Pack Toilet Paper
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Sam’s Club, the warehouse division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., posted its worst first-quarter sales in years, a sign it’s falling further behind Costco Wholesale Corp. in winning the hearts of America’s bulk shoppers.
After dropping 3 percent last quarter, Sam’s Club revenue is now at its lowest level in three years. While same-store sales inched up 0.4 percent when fuel is excluded, that missed analysts’ estimates for a 1.6 percent increase. Costco, meanwhile, saw growth of 8 percent on that basis in its most recent results.