Dive Brief:

• Wal-Mart Stores reported lower-than-expected revenue. The world's largest retailer also cut its earnings forecast for the second time this year.
• Sales at stores opened at least 12 months fell 0.3 percent in the third quarter.
• Analysts blamed the disappointing performance on growing competition from smaller-format dollar stores and price pressures from grocery chains.

Dive Insight:

It's hard to muster sympathy for a company as big as Wal-Mart. And it must be noted that the company's "disappointing" earnings report included some $3.74 billion in net income. Besides, if Wal-Mart is facing increasing competition from dollar stores and grocery chains, it will find a new market in which to throw around its considerable weight—like convenience stores.