• The Morning News [Northwest Arkansas] , Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:49 AM

Wal-Mart is planning aggressive price cuts through the holidays, as well as a marketing campaign designed to address the economic hardships of families, analysts gathered at the retailer's annual investor meeting were told Monday. One of the new holiday spots shows a mother heartened by seeing her children get everything they want on Christmas morning, accompanied by the tagline "Christmas costs less at Walmart." The campaign will be coupled with in-store "gift destinations" featuring $5 and $10 items.

? Wal-Mart also plans to scale back on U.S. store growth and focus on improving existing stores and merchandise, Kimberly Morrison reports. Eduardo Castro-Wright, CEO of Wal-Mart's U.S. division, says the company will build 191 stores this fiscal year, trimming even further in fiscal 2010 with 142 to 157 new stores.

Wal-Mart also plans to accelerate growth of smaller-format stores and drive efficiencies through inventory, logistics and merchandising. "There is no doubt in my mind that this is Wal-Mart time," says Lee Scott, Wal-Mart's CEO. "This is the time that Sam Walton built this company for."

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