Walmart
On the 2nd of July 1962, Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City store at 719 W. Walnut Street in Rogers, Arkansas. This single location marked the beginning of a retail empire that would eventually dominate global commerce. Walton had purchased a Ben Franklin franchise branch from Butler Brothers in 1945, where he learned to source products at lower costs than competitors. His strategy focused on high-volume sales with thin profit margins, a concept that initially struggled due to high lease prices and purchase costs. Within five years, his original Bentonville store generated $250,000 in annual revenue, proving the model could work despite early financial setbacks. The company expanded rapidly across Arkansas, reaching 18 stores by its fifth anniversary with total sales hitting $9 million. By 1968, Wal-Mart broke out of state lines, opening locations in Sikeston, Missouri, and Claremore, Oklahoma. These early moves established a pattern of contiguous expansion that would become central to their logistical success.
Walton incorporated the business as Wal-Mart, Inc. under Delaware law on the 31st of October 1969, changing the name to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. one year later. The company went public on the 1st of October 1970, listing shares on the New York Stock Exchange before executing its first stock split in May 1971 for $47 per share. By 1987, the retailer operated 1,198 stores generating $15.9 billion in sales with 200,000 employees. International expansion began in 1991 when Walmart entered Mexico, followed by Canada in 1994 through acquisition of Woolco stores. The company reached South America in 1995 with operations in Argentina and Brazil, then Europe in July 1999 by purchasing Asda in the United Kingdom for £2.4 billion. By 2002, Walmart appeared on Fortune's list as America's largest corporation with revenues of $219.8 billion. The retailer maintained this top position for most years until 2006, 2009, and 2012. In fiscal 2019, international divisions accounted for 23.7 percent of total sales across 5,266 stores in 23 countries outside the U.S.
Walton completed a satellite network in 1987 costing $24 million to link all stores with two-way voice and data transmissions plus one-way video communications to Bentonville headquarters. This system made Wal-Mart the largest private satellite network at the time, enabling instant inventory tracking and store communication. By 1984, the company sourced between 6% and 40% of products from China, establishing early global supply chains. In October 2016, Walmart launched a Food Safety Collaboration Center in Beijing using blockchain technology to track pork supply chains. The initiative aimed to enhance transparency while collaborating with local Chinese government officials. Environmental initiatives began in November 2005 when Walton announced spending $500 million annually to increase fuel efficiency by 25% over three years. The company created Texas Retail Energy to supply cheap wholesale power to stores, expecting annual savings of $15 million. By 2015, Walmart became America's biggest commercial solar producer with 142 MW capacity spread across rooftops and parking lot canopies covering 20,000 square meters.
Kenneth Stone, an economics professor at Iowa State University, found that some small towns lost nearly half their retail trade within ten years after a Wal-Mart store opened. His research compared these changes to historical shifts like railroad development and Sears Roebuck catalog arrivals. Another study conducted with Mississippi State University showed both positive and negative impacts on existing stores near new supercenters. During Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, Walmart donated $20 million plus 1,500 truckloads of merchandise providing food for 100,000 meals. An independent study by Steven Horwitz from St. Lawrence University noted that Walmart used local knowledge about infrastructure and decision-makers to reopen stores before FEMA began its response. Critics praised the rapid disaster relief while pointing out ongoing labor relations issues. In fiscal year 2009, the company reported solid financial figures despite economic recession with net sales reaching $401.2 billion, up 7.2% from the prior year.
In June 2014, employees went on strike in major U.S. cities demanding higher wages. The following month, actor Tracy Morgan filed a lawsuit over a multi-car pile-up caused by a driver who had not slept for 24 hours. The incident killed comedian James McNair and injured two others. Walmart settled with the McNair family for $10 million without admitting liability. A 2012 investigation revealed CJ's Seafood mistreated 40 H-2B visa workers from Mexico through harsh living conditions and physical threats. Workers held protests outside a board member's apartment building before Walmart ended its partnership with the seafood processor. The Department of Labor fined CJ's approximately $460,000 for wage violations and safety breaches. An April 2012 New York Times report alleged Mexican officials received bribes totaling millions to secure construction permits for nineteen stores. Internal investigations expanded beyond Mexico to implicate operations in China, Brazil, and India regarding potential Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations.
On the 8th of August 2016, Walmart acquired e-commerce website Jet.com for US$3.3 billion, keeping founder Marc Lore as CEO of the new operation. The deal included $3 billion cash plus $300 million in stock vesting over time as an incentive bonus plan. In May 2019, Walmart announced free one-day shipping on more than 220,000 items requiring minimum purchases of $35. The company launched Walmart+ membership program in February 2020 to compete directly with Amazon Prime at $49 per year compared to Amazon's $99 annual fee. By September 2025, Walmart added Peacock streaming service to Walmart+ subscriptions allowing customers to switch between services every 90 days. In November 2025, the retailer switched its stock exchange listing from NYSE to Nasdaq Global Select Market, marking the largest transfer on record. Trading began December 9, positioning the company for inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index effective the 20th of January 2026.
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Common questions
When did Sam Walton open the first Wal-Mart Discount City store?
Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City store on the 2nd of July 1962 at 719 W. Walnut Street in Rogers, Arkansas.
What was Walmart's revenue and number of stores by 1987?
By 1987, Walmart operated 1,198 stores generating $15.9 billion in sales with 200,000 employees.
How much money did Walmart donate during Hurricane Katrina in September 2005?
During Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, Walmart donated $20 million plus 1,500 truckloads of merchandise providing food for 100,000 meals.
Why did Walmart acquire Jet.com in August 2016?
Walmart acquired e-commerce website Jet.com on the 8th of August 2016 for US$3.3 billion to expand its online retail capabilities while keeping founder Marc Lore as CEO.
Where does Walmart source products from China and when did this begin?
By 1984, the company sourced between 6% and 40% of products from China, establishing early global supply chains that included a Food Safety Collaboration Center launched in Beijing in October 2016.