WAL-MART'S MOST WANTED.

WAL-Mart Stores Inc.; AFFLUENT consumers; CONSUMERS; MARKETING strategy; BUSINESS planning; COMPETITIVE advantage in business; MARKETING planning; SALES promotion; MARKET penetration; TARGET Corp.; BRAND name products; LABOR unions; LABOR union members; CORPORATE growth

Examines retail giant Wal-Mart's strategy to attract affluent shoppers. Wal-Mart's low-cost middle-America image; Financial information; Intent of company executives to sell more profitable goods like stylish apparel, home fashion and electronics; Comparison of Wal-Mart with Target, which introduced a designer line; Plans by Wal-Mart for an aggressive merchandising campaign; Expansion of its so-called Supercenters; Why both the United Food and Commercial Workers union and the Service Employees International Union have mounted ant-Wal-Mart campaigns; How resistance to new stores could pose a problem; Outlook.