Strategic Analysis of Wal-Mart
CURRENT SITUAION OF WALMART
Founded in 1962 by Sam Walton, Wal-Mart followed an amazing pattern of success and growth, eclipsing all other U.S. department store retailers by the early 1990’s. In early spring 2001, Wal-Mart enjoyed a huge market capitalization of over $230B, which was down from highs of nearly $300B in early 2000. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the world 's largest retailer and the largest company in the world based on revenues, ignoring profits (income), assets, and market capitalization. In the fiscal year ending January 31, 2002, Wal-Mart had $219 billion in sales and $6.6 billion in net income. It employs over 1 million people in the United States at 3,400 stores and 1.4 million people worldwide at 4,500 retail units in 10 countries: the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, China, Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom (where it owns the ASDA chain of supermarkets).
Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962. The company is publicly traded at the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT and has its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Wal-Mart operates large discount retail stores selling a broad range of products such as clothing, consumer electronics, drugs, outdoor equipment, guns, toys, hardware, CDs and books. Its typical products are basic, mass-market equipment, rather than premium products stocked at specialist stores. Wal-Mart also operates "Supercenters" which include grocery supermarkets. SAM 'S CLUB stores are also owned by Wal-Mart; these are "warehouse clubs," which require a paid membership to access. (Compare Costco)
Wal-Mart 's chief competitors as discount retailers include the Kmart Corporation and the Target Corporation.
With respect to traditional operations, Wal-Mart continues to enjoy success. Despite the emergence of other bricks-and-mortar competitors such as Target, Wal-Mart’s cost position and relationships with suppliers
Founded in 1962 by Sam Walton, Wal-Mart followed an amazing pattern of success and growth, eclipsing all other U.S. department store retailers by the early 1990’s. In early spring 2001, Wal-Mart enjoyed a huge market capitalization of over $230B, which was down from highs of nearly $300B in early 2000. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the world 's largest retailer and the largest company in the world based on revenues, ignoring profits (income), assets, and market capitalization. In the fiscal year ending January 31, 2002, Wal-Mart had $219 billion in sales and $6.6 billion in net income. It employs over 1 million people in the United States at 3,400 stores and 1.4 million people worldwide at 4,500 retail units in 10 countries: the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, China, Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom (where it owns the ASDA chain of supermarkets).
Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962. The company is publicly traded at the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT and has its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Wal-Mart operates large discount retail stores selling a broad range of products such as clothing, consumer electronics, drugs, outdoor equipment, guns, toys, hardware, CDs and books. Its typical products are basic, mass-market equipment, rather than premium products stocked at specialist stores. Wal-Mart also operates "Supercenters" which include grocery supermarkets. SAM 'S CLUB stores are also owned by Wal-Mart; these are "warehouse clubs," which require a paid membership to access. (Compare Costco)
Wal-Mart 's chief competitors as discount retailers include the Kmart Corporation and the Target Corporation.
With respect to traditional operations, Wal-Mart continues to enjoy success. Despite the emergence of other bricks-and-mortar competitors such as Target, Wal-Mart’s cost position and relationships with suppliers