Dow Today: Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) Higher

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) is trading up 116 points (+0.8%) at 13,996 as of Tuesday, Feb 5, 2013, 1:35 p.m. ET. During this time, 332.9 million shares of the 30 Dow components have changed hands vs. an average daily trading volume of 632.6 million. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 2,164 issues advancing vs. 797 declining with 100 unchanged.

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The Dow component leading the way higher looks to be Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT), which is sporting a $1.07 gain (+1.5%) bringing the stock to $70.70. This single gain is lifting the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 8.1 points or roughly accounting for 7% of the Dow's overall gain. Volume for Wal-Mart Stores currently sits at 6.4 million shares traded vs. an average daily trading volume of 8.7 million shares.

Wal-Mart Stores has a market cap of $235.81 billion and is part of the services sector and retail industry. Shares are up 2.1% year to date as of Monday's close. The stock's dividend yield sits at 2.3%.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates retail stores in various formats worldwide. It operates retail stores, restaurants, discount stores, supermarkets, supercenters, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, apparel stores, Sam's Clubs, and neighborhood markets, as well as walmart.com; and samsclub.com. The company has a P/E ratio of 14.5, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.

TheStreet Ratings rates Wal-Mart Stores as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in stock price during the past year, growth in earnings per share, revenue growth, good cash flow from operations and increase in net income. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins.

• You can view the full Wal-Mart Stores Ratings Report.

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For more information on Wal-Mart Stores Inc click any of the following:

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Stock Price

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Analyst Ratings

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Key Stats & Profile

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Earnings

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Ratio Comparison

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Growth Rates

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Balance Sheet

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Cash Flow

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc Income Statement