The company still expects per-share profit to decline as much as 18% this year and reiterated that it was in talks that could lower the price or possibly derail the sale of its HD Supply wholesale business.

Earnings fell to US$1.59 billion, or $0.81 a share, in the second quarter ended on July 29, from $1.86 billion, or $0.90 a share, a year earlier..

Sales fell 1.8% to $22.18 billion. Sales at stores open at least a year fell 5.2%.