By Brad Dorfman

(Reuters) – The National Labor Relations Board said it is unlikely to make any decision before Thursday’s Thanksgiving Holiday on Wal-Mart Stores Inc’s (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) push to stop protests and rallies outside its stores, the U.S. labor board said on Tuesday.

At the same time, OUR Walmart, the organization that has been staging the protests filed its own charge with the NLRB, saying Wal-Mart was illegally attempting to deter workers from participating in strikes against the world’s largest retailer on Friday.

By Brad Dorfman

(Reuters) – Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported quarterly sales below analysts’ expectations on Thursday, while sales at established U.S. discount stores trailed Wall Street estimates and traffic fell in China.

The company also saw sales in Japan sag as the economy weakened.

“Across all of our markets, we are seeing the same price consciousness as we do in the United States,” Chief Executive Mike Duke said in a statement.

Oct 10 (Reuters) – Costco Wholesale Corp posted a
higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday after the
U.S. warehouse retailer raised membership fees.

Costco, which has millions of members who pay annual fees to
shop at its giant stores, earned $609 million, or $1.39 per
share in the fiscal fourth quarter ended Sept. 2, compared with
$478 million, or $1.08 per share, a year earlier.

Oct 10 (Reuters) – Costco Wholesale Corp posted a
higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday after the
U.S. warehouse retailer raised membership fees.

Costco, which has millions of members who pay annual fees to
shop at its giant stores, earned $609 million, or $1.39 per
share in the fiscal fourth quarter ended Sept. 2, compared with
$478 million, or $1.08 per share, a year earlier.