Walmart

U.S. discount retailer based in Arkansas

Walmart is an American public discount department stores founded in 1962 by Sam Walton in Bentonville, Arkansas. In 2022, it had 10,586 stores and clubs in 18 countries, operating under 46 different names. It was the world's largest company by revenue in 2022, according to the Fortune Global 500 list in October 2022.[1] It had 2.2 million employees.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Company typeDiscount department store/Public (NYSEWMT)
IndustryRetail
FoundedJuly 2, 1962; 62 years ago (1962-07-02) (in Rogers, Arkansas)
Headquarters
Bentonville, Arkansas Elmira, New York (Walmart Radio)
,
Number of locations
10,000
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Sam Walton (1918–1992), Founder
H. Lee Scott, CEO
S. Robson Walton, Chairman
Thomas Schoewe, CFO
ProductsDiscount stores, grocery stores, and hypermarkets
Revenue$523.964 billion USD (FY 2020)
20,428,000,000 United States dollar (2022) Edit this on Wikidata
$14.881 billion USD (FY 2020)
Total assets252,496,000,000 United States dollar (2021) Edit this on Wikidata
Number of employees
2.0 Million (2022)
Websitehttp://www.walmart.com

It has almost 4,600 pharmacies and more than 3,000 vision centers. In 2024, it closed its 51 health centers and its Walmart Health Virtual Care services.[2]

Walmart's global presence

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A diagram of where Walmart can be found around the world. The countries in blue currently have Walmart; the countries in red formerly had Walmart; and the countries in grey never had Walmart.
 
A Walmart in Canada

Walmart can be found in a lot of places around the world. It is mostly found around the United States but can also be found in Canada, Mexico, some Asian countries, some African countries and some South American countries. Walmart has not yet reached Oceania.

Asda was part of Walmart from 1999 to 2021, when it was sold to the Issa brothers and TDR Capital. Walmart still has a stake in it. [3]

Criticism

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Walmart is criticized for having a poor record on labor rights, especially regarding anti union activity. It has also been criticized for once promoting products made in America. Now it largely imports the products it sells,from developing nations. Many of these jobs replaced manufacturing jobs in the US. Walmart retail jobs replaced many mom-and-pop stores in the US.[4] In 2005, movie director Robert Greenwald made a documentary movie called Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price that criticized Walmart. After this movie was announced, director Ron Galloway made a film that ended up being released at the same time called Why Walmart Works and Why That Drives Some People CRAZY. This movie had a positive view of Walmart.

References

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  1. "Fortune 500: Walmart". Fortune. October 10, 2022. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  2. Ashley, Madeline (2024-04-30). "Walmart Health to close all 51 health clinics, virtual care". www.beckershospitalreview.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  3. Hunt, Simon (2024-04-23). "Asda boss claims owners 'in it for long-run' amid billionaire Issas' rift". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  4. "The United Food And Commercial Workers International Union Official website of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union".