Student Investment Management Analyst Report Initiating Coverage Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Wal-Mart operates over 10‚000 discount department stores‚ supermarkets‚ hypermarkets and wholesale centers under 69 different banners. The company has a presence in 27 countries across the globe. Overview of Recommendation Investment Thesis Opportunities Track record of excellent management and continued cost cutting to improve margins. History of returning wealth to investors through aggressive
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The first Wal-Mart store was opened on July 2nd 1962 in Rogers‚ Arkansas by Sam Walton‚ who believed that the future of retailing lay in discounting. To avoid competing head on with companies like Sears and Woolworths which dominated big cities‚ Walton opened stores in less populated areas that was ignored by other retailers. The stores aimed to serve customers who‚ up until then‚ had to travel long distances to save money‚ and to purchase daily household goods. Now they could buy the same goods
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Wal-Mart’s exponential buying power is forcing smaller‚ local rivals out of business and is driving factories out of America. This results in job loss and the destruction of established business communities stunting the economic development of the retail sector. According to Smith’s “Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of the Nations” (1776)‚ free competition is the only regulator that allows the individual’s pursuit of self interest to be directed towards the total benefit of society
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critical success factors for operating in retail business (using the example of Wal-Mart’s success as a template) are: · Financial resources · Operational management · Retail network Walmart Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis Potential Competitors: Medium pressure · Wal-Mart has an technologically superior distribution systems‚ lowest possible costing‚ brand name‚ and management expertise to fend off competitors. · Wal-mart is perceived by the customers to offer lowest prices and we can say brand loyalty
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Target has a long standing tradition of providing superior products to consumers. Whether it is clothing or your groceries‚ Target is known for being a top competitor to the retail giant Wal-Mart. Target also has a long standing tradition of making economic decisions that benefit the consumer. In their most recent decision to move into Canada‚ Target is now moving into international business. Their brand name is not widely known throughout Canada‚ but given their reputation in America‚ Target
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Wal-Mart definitely is not in a monopolistic market as there are other firms that are competing for market share and profits. A monopolistic firms generally reaps both short term and long term profits from the market by charging high prices for the products that it offers. Wal-Mart does exactly the opposite where it ensures that it’s prices are the lowest in the market. This indicates an oligopolistic behavior of firms like Wal-Mart whose focus is to drive other competing firms out of the market
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“Outsourcing‚ China and Wal-Mart” Wal-Mart‚ an American corporation boasting “Everyday Low Prices” has expanded and outsourced to include the employment of foreign labor and suppliers to meet their corporation’s demands. In doing this‚ there are several benefits to utilizing cheap Chinese labor. By using Chinese factory labor‚ the Wal-Mart Corporation is able to provide goods at low prices‚ increasing their appeal to the consumer. Also‚ by using cheap labor in other countries‚ Wal-Mart expands their corporation
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Wal-Mart Strategy Analysis What are the key activities that Wal-Mart uses to create competitive advantage over its competitors? * Merchandising – Wal-Mart tailored merchandise offering to local markets through traiting to track product movements and focus on selling products that are higher in demand. Store managers were also given more latitude in setting prices to meet local market conditions. * Store Operations – Wal-Mart chose to build a store at a location where it could be expanded
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Wal-Mart went public in October of 1970. Their IPO was 3‚000 shares at a price of $16.50 per share. By having a smart business model and keeping cost low though a variety of tactics including low employees wages and benefits‚ Wal-Mart has been able to sustain an incredible rate of growth. Since their IPO Wal-Mart has undergone eleven full 2-1 stock splits. That means that just one share of their IPO has turned into 2‚048 current shares. The current market value of Wal-Mart stocks on the NYSE
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Executive Summary The following case will analyze the Wal-Mart China’s Sustainability efforts. Wal-Mart China is in the begging stages of becoming sustainable‚ in an ecological sense‚ and faces some key issues. First the case will provide background information on Wal-Mart Global and Wal-Mart China to ensure the reader is aware of the circumstances. Then the case will analyze Wal-Mart China based on the 4Rs‚ recycling‚ resource‚ regulations‚ and reputation‚ described in Operations Management by
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