The market seems to have come to the conclusion that the 28 percent operating returns that (Wal-Mart) earned before the 2001 recession are a thing of the past.

Wal-Mart will have more than doubled earnings per share between 1999 and the current year but to no avail. It appears that the stock -- if and when it recovers from recent losses -- will have spent seven years in a trading range.

They take the locations that are desirable . . . that they can get.

It's about time they did something about the threat to a key business. They sell music already; why not bring it up to speed?

You might say that it does appear that they want to capitalize on the center of San Francisco downtown retail expanding and moving south. I guess they want to own the whole thing.

I'm sure shareholders are frustrated.

They accomplished the most important thing for a retailer in that they sold more stuff.