NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- For nearly a decade, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has been outperformed by Target Corp. when it mattered the most - at holiday shopping time.
Maybe not this year.
Although the final sales results aren't in yet, analysts are confident that Wal-Mart has finally trumped its closest competitor in the 2007 holiday sales race.
''There's no doubt that Wal-Mart is back,'' said Craig Johnson, president of retail consultancy Customer Growth Partners.
Johnson, who has tracked the rivalry between the two discounters since the late 1990s, said Target has consistently drubbed Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) on same-store sales growth in November and December - a period that can account for nearly half of a retailer's sales and profits - by enticing shoppers with glitzier ads, better-quality products and more name-brands.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/28/news/companies/walmart_target/index.htm?postversion=2007122811
Peace
Maybe not this year.
Although the final sales results aren't in yet, analysts are confident that Wal-Mart has finally trumped its closest competitor in the 2007 holiday sales race.
''There's no doubt that Wal-Mart is back,'' said Craig Johnson, president of retail consultancy Customer Growth Partners.
Johnson, who has tracked the rivalry between the two discounters since the late 1990s, said Target has consistently drubbed Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) on same-store sales growth in November and December - a period that can account for nearly half of a retailer's sales and profits - by enticing shoppers with glitzier ads, better-quality products and more name-brands.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/28/news/companies/walmart_target/index.htm?postversion=2007122811
Peace
