The retailer lowered its fourth-quarter earnings forecast to a range of 19 cents to 21 cents a share, excluding any potential charge retailed to investment securities. That compares with its prior view of 30 cents to 36 cents a share. On average, analysts polled by FactSet Research were looking for 33 cents a share
Looking forward- I would say discount earnings of retailers about 20%
Wal-Mart also lowered its earnings forecast to 91 to 94 cents a share for its fiscal fourth quarter, from its prior guidance of $1.03 to $1.07 a share, issued in November.