Will Wal-Mart (WMT) Learn as High-Income Customers Return?

As they did during the worst parts of the recession, consumers with higher incomes than the base Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMF) customer are returning to the stores, especially in the eastern portion of the United States.

In the past Wal-Mart has changed it operations in order to attempt to cater to that demographic, which backfired, as it lost a significant percentage of its core customers.

Wal-Mart needs to get that the reason these new customers are patronizing the stores is its low prices, not because it attempted to change things to attract the demographic.

The retail giant recently went back to emphasizing lower prices and returning certain products to the stores. That's the right thing to do and it'll grow same-store sales if they continue with that strategy and not attempt to grow beyond its core business.

Wal-Mart closed Tuesday at $53.52, gaining $0.70, or 1.33 percent.