Wal-Mart Hiking Prices for Consumers: J.P. Morgan (WMT)

Wal-Mart Stores WMT has raised average prices at its stores by about 6% in a month, a recent J.P. Morgan study found. According to a Reuters report, "A check by J.P. Morgan Securities said average prices at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Virginia were upped by 5.8%, the most significant sequential increase since it started the study in January 2009." Competitors The Kroger Co. KR and Safeway SWY are gaining ground on the supermarket behemoth as a result. In July Wal-Mart had a 10.4% lead relative to a 16% lead in June, J.P. Morgan said. In the August 9 report, J.P. Morgan analysts note: "All told, it appears that Kroger has been able to successfully overcome Wal-Mart's heavy price blitz over the past 4 months...particularly as Wal-Mart continues to 'rollback' its rollback campaign." Shares of Walmart are down slightly this morning, to $51.90.