Latest news with #SureshKumar


New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Delhi courts crumble under mounting caseload
NEW DELHI: Suresh Kumar, a 59-year-old resident of Rohini, stands in the corridor of a Delhi district court, visibly weary. 'It has been over five years. I am running from post to pillar to seek justice for land illegally occupied by my brother. The court keeps giving me dates, but nothing substantial has happened. At this rate, my property case will be solved after my death.' His words echo the painful reality faced by lakhs of people trapped in the web of judicial delays. Despite having one of the strongest legal infrastructures in the country, Delhi's courts are buried under a backlog of cases. As of January 1, 2025, more than 14 lakh cases were pending in the capital's district courts. Years without progress One in every five of these cases has been awaiting resolution for over five years, and around two per cent have been pending for more than a decade. Each case number is a real person like Suresh—waiting, hoping, and slowly losing faith in the is not an overnight crisis. It has been building steadily. In 2017, each district judge in Delhi handled an average of 1,551 cases. By 2024, this number rose to 2,023 cases per judge. While still below the national average of 2,200, the burden remains overwhelming. Low clearance rate Delhi's Case Clearance Rate (CCR)—a measure of how many cases are disposed of against how many are filed—was 78 per cent in 2024, among the lowest in India. Only once in the past eight years, in 2023, did Delhi courts manage a 100 per cent CCR. The India Justice Report 2025, published by Tata Trusts and several legal advocacy groups, presented a grim scenario. Despite Delhi having one of the lowest judicial vacancy rates (11 per cent) and the highest representation of women judges (45 per cent), the courts are still struggling to clear the growing pile of unresolved matters. The consequences are more than inconvenient—they are a direct threat to liberty. 91 per cent of Delhi's prison population consists of undertrials—people who have not yet been convicted. Thousands remain in jail for months or even years because their cases have not moved forward. This is a serious violation of the right to a speedy trial, a basic tenet of justice.


Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Walmart Layoffs 2025: Should You Sell WMT Stock as Tariffs Drive the Retailer to Job Cuts?
Over the past year, retail giants have been navigating a perfect storm of rising costs, shifting consumer habits, and geopolitical headwinds, putting even the most resilient chains under pressure. While Walmart (WMT) has long been viewed as a bulwark against inflation thanks to its scale and low‐price positioning, escalating tariffs threaten to squeeze margins and force difficult decisions. In late May, Walmart announced plans to cut roughly 1,500 corporate jobs as part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at 'removing layers and complexity, speeding up decision‐making and helping associates innovate rapidly,' according to a memo from CTO Suresh Kumar and U.S. CEO John Furner. The layoffs, focused on its global tech teams, advertising arm, and e-commerce fulfillment operations, come alongside warnings that the retailer will have to raise prices if the highest‐impact tariffs remain in place. MarketWatch reports that the job cuts are 'another way to deal with tariffs.' For investors weighing whether to hold or sell WMT stock, these moves could signal both short‐term headwinds and long‐term efficiency gains. Here's what to consider before deciding. About WMT Stock Walmart is an American retail powerhouse operating supercenters, discount department stores, and extensive grocery outlets worldwide. Over the past few decades, the company has grown into the largest retailer by revenue, known for its everyday low-price strategy. Currently, it owns 10,771 stores and clubs across 24 countries. With a market capitalization of about $780 billion, Walmart's shares slid more than 22% from mid-February through early April as investors braced for tariff headwinds. Since hitting a low of $81 in early April, however, the stock has rallied by over 20% to around $97. Overall, the stock is up approximately 8% year-to-date, outperforming the broader market. In terms of valuation, Walmart is currently trading at premium levels. Its trailing price-earnings ratio of 38x is significantly higher than the sector median of 16.5x as well as its historical norms of 26x. This means investors expect above-average growth but have less room for error. Walmart Delivered Mixed Q1 Results On May 15, the retail giant reported its Q1 results for fiscal year 2026. Despite beating earnings estimates, it was the weakest quarter since 2022. Walmart posted adjusted EPS of $0.61 that topped the $0.58 consensus by 5%, while revenue of $165.6 billion fell just shy of the $165.84 billion forecast. Notably, inventory climbed nearly 4% year over year, marking the first time since early 2022 that stockpiles have outpaced revenue growth, a reversal of the retailer's typical business cadence. The e-commerce business reported revenue growth of 20% and turned profitable this quarter, thanks to higher delivery density, with U.S. and Sam's Club online operations in the black and international channels slightly unprofitable. Meanwhile, Walmart Connect, the company's advertising business, jumped 31% in the U.S. and 50% globally, highlighting its margin-rich contribution amid pressure on core retail margins. Looking ahead, management reaffirmed full-year fiscal 2026 guidance for 3%–4% sales growth and expects Q2 sales to rise 3.5%–4.5%. What Do Analysts Think About WMT Stock? Wall Street analysts remain highly optimistic about Walmart's growth prospects, as reflected in a consensus 'Strong Buy' rating. Of 38 covering the stock, 32 rate it a 'Strong Buy,' five a 'Moderate Buy,' and one a 'Hold,' with no 'Sell' recommendations. The average 12-month price target is $108.79, implying roughly 11% upside potential from here. The Bottom Line Walmart's 2025 corporate cuts and tariff-driven price hikes aim to shore up margins and boost efficiency, but risk straining staff and testing consumer loyalty. Strong e-commerce results, solid guidance, and widespread analyst support suggest WMT remains a buy-and-hold pick for those weathering near-term volatility.


News18
4 days ago
- Business
- News18
Walmart Layoffs 2025: US Giant Cuts 1,500 Jobs After Granting 3,800 H-1B Visas, Faces Public Outcry
Last Updated: Walmart Layoffs 2025: The downsizing primarily affects Walmart's global technology team and certain advertising roles, impacting fewer than 1,500 employees overall. Walmart Layoffs 2025: Walmart Inc., the world's largest retailer and one of the biggest private employers in the United States, has initiated significant layoffs targeting its corporate staff. These job cuts are part of Walmart's ongoing strategy to streamline operations and reduce costs in a volatile economic environment. With over 1.6 million employees in the U.S., Walmart is now focusing on reshaping its corporate and technological divisions to enhance efficiency and adaptability. A debate has been erupted since the Walmart layoff reports, with netizens accusing the largest retailer for replacing Americans with foreign workers. Coincidentally, the layoffs came after Walmart reportedly granted 3,800 H1-B visas, which is an employer-sponsored nonimmigrant vias that allows persons who are not citizens or permanent residents of the US to work in a specialty occupation for up to six years with very limited exceptions. The downsizing primarily affects Walmart's global technology team and certain advertising roles, impacting fewer than 1,500 employees overall. According to insider sources cited by Bloomberg, the layoffs have begun at Walmart's Bentonville, Arkansas headquarters and other offices. This broader initiative aims to improve operational efficiency and cut costs during ongoing economic uncertainty. Leadership's Rationale For Layoffs Oh, guess what? The large layoffs today at Walmart… are from its _technology team_. You know, the kind of US worker who's _replaced_ by H1B. — barbaragrantmedia (@bgrantmedia) May 22, 2025 Additionally, a photo of Walmart's Global CTO, Suresh Kumar, was shared by another user who questioned whether it was coincidental that more than 40% of the company's IT workforce reportedly comprised H-1B hires from India. Another comment highlighted, 'Walmart has nearly 3,500 H-1B openings. This isn't 'high skilled.' They're intentionally replacing American workers with foreigners." First Published:
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Walmart to Cut Around 1,500 Corporate Jobs in Restructuring Drive
On May 21, Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) announced plans to cut ~1,500 corporate jobs as part of a restructuring effort aimed at increasing efficiency, speeding up decision-making, and simplifying its organizational structure. The layoffs will primarily affect only corporate employees and not store associates across its Global Tech team, advertising business (Walmart Connect), and e-commerce fulfillment operations. A manager standing in a hypermarket, pointing out items available for wholesale. In a memo to employees, Walmart's global chief technology officer & chief development officer, Suresh Kumar, and president and CEO of Walmart US, John Furner, stated that the changes are necessary to adapt to the evolving technology landscape and accelerate delivery and innovation. While some roles are being eliminated, Walmart also indicated that it is creating new positions aligned with its current business priorities. This restructuring follows earlier efforts by Walmart to consolidate its corporate workforce, such as closing its Charlotte, North Carolina office in February and asking employees in smaller offices to relocate to its Bentonville, Arkansas headquarters or Sunnyvale, California hub. Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) is the world's largest retailer and has ~1.6 million employees and 4,600 locations in the US. While we acknowledge the potential of WMT to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than WMT and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.


India Today
5 days ago
- Business
- India Today
H-1 B visa blamed as Walmart lays off 1,500, MAGA links it to Indian-origin CTO
Walmart's decision to lay off over 1,500 employees has made MAGA supporters claim that the company was replacing American employees with foreign workers on H-1B visas. Their reaction was largely fuelled by the fact that one of the affected departments is Walmart's global tech division. Without any evidence, they have also linked a top Indian-origin executive to Walmart's facts first. The lay-offs aren't taking place in the global tech division, but also in several other departments, like the US e-commerce segment and Walmart Connect, the company's advertising arm, neither of which are linked to H-1B visa hiring, which typically applies to skilled tech decision to cut nearly 1,500 jobs is aimed at streamlining operations and enhancing decision-making efficiency at Walmart, according to Bloomberg, which was privy to some internal discussions. However, the blame on the non-immigrant visa comes amid blanket statements that H-1B visas and immigrants "take away Americans' jobs".Indians make up the largest share of H-1B visa holders. In 2022, Indians made up 77% of the 320,000 approved H-1B visas. In fiscal year 2023, they still accounted for 72.3% of the 386,000 visas RAGE ON WALMART: INDIAN CONNECTION TO LAY-OFFSSome social media users also speculated that the lay-offs came after Walmart was granted 3,800 H-1B visas, although no proof was given."Oh, guess what? The large layoffs today at Walmart are from its technology team. You know, the kind of US worker who's replaced by H1B," one X user Wow, that's a bloodbath. How many H-1Bs are they bringing in next year?," stated another person even shared a photo of Walmart's Global CTO, Suresh Kumar, and questioned whether it was coincident that more than 40% of the company's IT workforce reportedly comprised H-1B hired from India."Walmart has nearly 3,500 H-1B openings with a median salary of $139,000. This isn't "high skilled". They're intentionally replacing American workers with foreigners," shared another person."Oh, guess what? The large layoffs today at Walmart... are from its _technology team_. You know, the kind of US worker who's _replaced_ by H1B," said one blamed the Trump administration."Less than a month after this announcement, Walmart would begin their biggest wave of layoffs in years, while adding thousands of foreign workers at the same time. They have kept up the trend the entire Biden Administration," one person said."How much you want to bet that #Walmart is replacing many of those laid off with #H1B. You are failing America each passing day Donald Trump," wrote a person on WALMART SAYS ABOUT THE LAY-OFFSIn a memo reviewed by Bloomberg, CTO Suresh Kumar and US CEO John Furner stated that the decision to cut nearly 1,500 jobs aims to streamline operations and enhance decision-making is the largest private employer in the United States, with around 1.6 million workers. Globally, it employs about 2.1 million people. It's also the biggest US importer, bringing in nearly 60% of its goods, like clothes, electronics and toys, from round of job cuts follows several other changes in recent months. In February, Walmart closed its office in North Carolina and shifted employees to other main offices in California and April, the retail giant announced it would raise prices, citing Trump's tariffs as excessively high — especially on goods manufactured in move to lay off 1,500 employees is cannot be linked to H-1B visas to the Bloomberg report, Walmart is cutting corporate staff in the company's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and other offices, people familiar with the matter said, as the world's biggest retailer looks to trim costs and contend with economic Reel