Wal-Mart Asks Judge to Deny Class Action

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, is asking a federal judge not to grant class-action status to a lawsuit that alleges that the company pays female employees less than their male counterparts.

Managers set salaries on a store-by-store basis, so the suits should be addressed individually, Wal-Mart said in a document filed last week in federal court in San Francisco. A study by an expert hired by Wal-Mart showed no significant difference in pay on a store-by-store basis, the filing said.

The original suit was filed by six female employees in 2001.

Wal-Mart shares fell 75 cents to $54.49 on the New York Stock Exchange.