Will Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) Earnings Move the Dow?

Still, scandals hang over Wal-Mart. Combined with the Mexican bribery issue, in which investigations have spread to other countries as well, the European horsemeat scandal has hit Wal-Mart’s Asda unit with allegations of tainted pasta sauce. More controversy is the last thing Wal-Mart needs right now, yet it looks like the company will have to keep addressing these issues for the foreseeable future.

In Wal-Mart’s earnings report, investors will need to look closely for clues about what motivated its executives to send some worrying emails to each other, with one executive bemoaning the “worst start to a month I have seen in my seven years with the company.” If sales weakness is real, then it could be the start of a new trend of challenging conditions for Wal-Mart.

The article Will Wal-Mart Earnings Move the Dow? originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Dan Caplinger.

Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow him on Twitter @DanCaplinger. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com.

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