cheering the Sam's closings so you can dismiss the bonuses and wage increases. (because it's killing you that the obvious and easily predictable result of the tax bill isn't the "Armageddon" Nancy predicted) Ignoring all the other companies doing it at the same time. Sam's stores would've closed with or without a tax deal, and if anything the tax bill would've helped minimize that thanks to WMT being able to keep more cash to keep lower performing stores going. Separately the tax bill will give more cash to WMT for these bonuses, and the expected economic growth created by the tax bill can help them justify the raises.

My guess is WMT is saying they are moving their regular stores closer to the Sam's model (higher wage, lower labor, lower frills/service model), and when you combine that with many Sam's being next door to regular stores and their heavy investment in Walmart.com to go toe to toe with Amazon, there is simply no niche for Sam's to fill any longer going forward.

Continuing to repeat that Sam's is closing stores doesn't change any of those basic facts or logic.