Top News : Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT), QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM), Forrester Research Inc. (NASDAQ:FORR), Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLF), Lifepoint Hospitals Inc. (NASDAQ:LPNT)

Labor activists have long denounced retailers like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) for employing an army of low-wage, part-time workers to staff their stores. As retail sales flounder in an uncertain economy, those activists — and even a growing number of retailers — are linking those sluggish sales to the retailers’ own low wages. On Thursday, organizers of a group called Our Walmart took to the streets in New York, Washington and Phoenix to draw attention to their campaign to change labor practices in retailing and other low-wage industries like fast-food restaurants. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) belongs to Services sector. Its net profit margin is 3.30% and weekly performance is -5.19%. On last trading day company shares ended up $73.82. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) distance from 50-day simple moving average (SMA50) is -2.88%.

San Diego-based QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) has agreed to buy British chip maker CSR in a deal worth approximately $2.5 billion. Qualcomm said CSR’s technology in Bluetooth and audio processing would strengthen the company’s position in wearable devices, portable audio and automotive tech. San Diego-based Qualcomm has agreed to buy British chip maker CSR in a deal worth approximately $2.5 billion. Qualcomm said CSR’s technology in Bluetooth and audio processing would strengthen the company’s position in wearable devices, portable audio and automotive tech. QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) shares moved down -0.08% in last trading session and ended the day at $71.14. QCOM Gross Margin is 60.20% and its return on assets is 16.10%. QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) quarterly performance is -9.89%.

Forrester Research Inc. (NASDAQ:FORR) will broadcast its third-quarter conference call at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, October 29, 2014. On 16 October, Forrester Research Inc. (NASDAQ:FORR) shares increased 0.76% and was closed at $39.91. FORR EPS growth in last 5 year was -13.20%. Forrester Research Inc. (NASDAQ:FORR) year to date (YTD) performance is 5.67%.

On Oct. 9, Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLF) reported that sales for the month of September were $6.3 million, up 9% compared to September 2013 sales of $5.8 million. Year to date sales are up 4% to $59.1 million in the current year from $56.9 million last year. Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLF) ended the last trading day at $9.52. Company weekly volatility is calculated as 2.30% and price to cash ratio as 13.16. Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLF) showed a weekly performance of -1.86%.

On Oct 10, Lifepoint Hospitals Inc. (NASDAQ:LPNT) announced that it will provide an online Web simulcast of its third quarter 2014 conference call on Friday, October 24, 2014. Lifepoint Hospitals Inc. (NASDAQ:LPNT) shares increased 2.68% in last trading session and ended the day at $66.97. LPNT Gross Margin is 37.50% and its return on assets is 2.70%. Lifepoint Hospitals Inc. (NASDAQ:LPNT) quarterly performance is 4.48%.