Dive Brief:

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Thursday reported flat same-store sales at its Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores and trimmed its earnings forecast for the year.

• The company cited higher health care costs and slow performance at its larger super center stores.

• The retailer is investing in smaller stores and its e-commerce operations, which, in addition to its international business, did better overall than its larger stores, the company said.

Dive Insight:

In the company’s Thursday earnings report, CEO Doug McMillon made the somewhat obvious comment that Wal-Mart would have been more profitable if its U.S. sales had been better. The retailer is struggling with what many retailers and economists say is a continuing problem: That many Americans aren’t doing well enough in the current economic recovery to beef up their spending in any significant way.