Walmart Slides After Slowest US Sales Growth in Six Years

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Bloomberg Intelligence hosted by Paul Sweeney and Scarlet Fu

-Redd Brown, Bloomberg Consumer Reporter, discusses Walmart earnings. Walmart Inc.’s quarterly sales fell short of expectations, with sales at US stores open at least a year, excluding fuel, rising 2.6% in the second quarter. The company's pharmacy business was hindered by federal negotiations that led to lower drug prices, and shoppers spent less per trip during the quarter. Despite difficulties, Walmart raised its full-year guidance for sales and adjusted operating income, and the company's e-commerce sales rose, with executives saying they will continue to lower prices.

-Christopher Ciolino, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior US Machinery Analyst, recaps Deere earnings. Deere & Co. shares jumped after the company said it's seeing a boost in orders for its machinery, raising hopes that the agriculture sector is poised for recovery. The company raised the lower end of its annual profit forecast, citing improvement in early-order program trends, inventories for used equipment, and adoption of its advanced technologies.

-Mandeep Singh, Global Head of Tech Research for Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses the latest on Meta. Meta Platforms Inc. is spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to access artificial intelligence models through Microsoft’s Azure cloud service. Separately, Meta Platforms Inc. is being sued by a bipartisan coalition of states on allegations of deceiving the public and designing its social media platforms to encourage compulsive use among young users.

-Adam Minter, Bloomberg Opinion Columnist, discusses his Opinion column: “Walter Is and Owner Leagues Want. Here’s the Catch.” Mark Walter is selling the Los Angeles Lakers at a $12.5 billion valuation less than a year after taking control of the team. Walter's handling of the Lakers and the Los Angeles Dodgers captures the dilemma of owners who are investors, prioritizing returns over long-term stewardship of a franchise. The influx of institutional money into sports has made investors like Walter valuable, but it also creates risks, including leadership transitions and financial pressures that can impact a team's stability.

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