Multinational retail behemoth Wal-Mart has beaten sales expectations for the May to July period.
The world's biggest retailer reported second-quarter profits of $2.7bn (£1.47bn), up from $2.3bn a year ago.
"We consider this a solid performance in a difficult retail environment," said chief executive Lee Scott.
Scott remains optimistic about the rest of the year, despite high fuel prices hitting consumers and retailers alike.
"Although I am concerned about high gasoline prices, I continue to believe that growth in employment and real income will lessen the impact," he said.
He noted that Wal-Mart's profits grew faster than sales, thanks to cheaper sourcing overseas and a rise in sales of high profit-margin goods.
Wal-Mart's sales during the quarter were $69.7bn, up 11.3 per cent on the previous year.
