NEWS IN BRIEF

Walmart exec to talk 3Q earnings in call

Walmart Inc. will report its third-quarter earnings today before the stock market opens. John Furner, the new president and chief executive of the retailer's U.S. division, will take part in a 7:30 a.m. conference call to discuss the quarter's results.

A quarterly earnings news release, management commentary and presentation will be available about 6 a.m. The materials can be accessed on the company's corporate website at stock.walmart.com/investors.

Furner, who formerly led Walmart's Sam's Club division, stepped into his current role Nov. 1. He replaced Greg Foran, who is leaving the company to head a New Zealand airline. Brett Biggs, Walmart's chief financial officer, and Marc Lore, head of Walmart e-Commerce U.S., will join Furner in the conference call.

Wall Street analysts on average expect the Bentonville-based retailer to earn $1.09 per share on revenue of $128.5 billion, according to a Thomson Reuters survey.

-- Serenah McKay

Walmart announces Black Friday plans

Walmart Inc.'s Black Friday sales will start online at 9 p.m. Nov. 27 and in stores at 6 p.m. on Nov. 28, the Bentonville-based retailer said Wednesday in a news release.

Some "buy now" deals will be offered starting Friday, said Steve Bratspies, chief merchandising officer for Walmart's U.S. division. He said in the release that more "pre-Black Friday" deals will be available Nov. 22.

In addition, the store map on Walmart's app will be updated just for the Black Friday event, Bratspies said. The Black Friday Store Map, specific to the store customers plan to shop, will show the in-store location of all items starting a few hours before the event begins.

Items also will be color-coded across Walmart's Black Friday ad, its store map and in stores to help shoppers find what they want faster. Customers who choose not to use the app can look for the same color coding on signs, balloons and employee vests to help them navigate the store aisles.

And Walmart's Check Out with Me employees will again be on hand throughout the store for shoppers wishing to bypass checkout lines at the register.

-- Serenah McKay

Arkansas Index down 2.32; ends at 456.27

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, closed Wednesday at 456.27, down 2.32.

"Equities opened lower following continued unrest in Hong Kong overnight, but shares rose through the day led by interest rate sensitive sectors, including utilities and real estate," said Leon Lants, managing director at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock.

The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.

Business on 11/14/2019

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