Walmart's earnings per share were $1.34, down from $1.67 in the same quarter last year. For fiscal 2014, the company reported EPS of $4.85, a 2.0% increase over fiscal 2013's EPS of $5.01.
That missed Wall Street estimates for annual earnings per share of $5.11 and its quarterly estimate of EPS of $1.59.
The numbers were in line with estimates, however, when adjusted for one-time items, "so Q4 was fine," said Brian Yarbrough, a consumer research analyst at Edward Jones.
Walmart shares were down 48 cents, or 0.64%, to about $74.85 in pre-market trading.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillion emphasized that the company's global online sales, including acquisitions, topped $10 billion, a 30% increase over last year.
"We will continue to grow our global business by focusing on customers and serving them how they want to be served," said McMillion.
Improving store sales figures will be a priority, McMillion said, "and we'll focus on being even stronger item and category merchants, delivering value and improving our service levels. We'll remain focused on our expense structure, and innovate to improve productivity and aid our ability to deliver everyday low prices."
Walmart warned in late January that its fourth quarter would be hit hard by weather woes and reductions in food stamp benefits.
Walmart is losing market share to dollar stores and grocer Kroger, which tries to compete with Walmart on price, something not all chains have attempted, Yarbrough says. And these stores have other benefits, too, he says.
"Something tells me people are more into convenience right now," says Yarbrough. "You can get in and out of a dollar store in two to three minutes, about the time it takes to walk from your car into a Walmart."
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