Internal Walmart Email: 'Sales Are a Total Disaster'

An internal email from Walmart Vice President Jerry Murray said February “sales are a total disaster” and mark the worst sales start of any month in seven years.

“In case you haven’t seen a sales report these days, February (month-to-date) sales are a total disaster,” wrote Murray in a February 12 email to executives. “The worst start to a month I have seen in my (about) 7 years with the company.”

The recent hike in payroll taxes is dragging down sales for discount retailers like Wal-Mart. With less disposable cash in their wallets, lower-income shoppers have less to spend.

The bad news comes on the heels of a lackluster January for the major retailer.

“Have you ever had one of those weeks where your best-prepared plans weren’t good enough to accomplish everything you set out to do?” wrote Walmart Vice President for U.S. Replenishment Cameron Geiger in a February 1 email to Walmart executives. “Well, we just had one of those weeks here at Walmart U.S. Where are all the customers? And where’s their money?”

Walmart is America’s largest employer.