How much is Walmart worth? (More than you can imagine…)
With more than 10,500 stores in 26 countries around the world, Walmart is one of the largest and best-known retail companies, with its iconic blue building and endless product lines.
Given the size of Walmart’s operation and more than 20,000 employees, you might be wondering — how much is Walmart worth? Here’s everything I’ve found about Walmart’s value, revenue, and overall business!
How much is Walmart worth?
Wal-Mart Inc. is worth $395 billion.On average, Walmart Generates a staggering average annual revenue of over $500 billion, operating costs of approximately $492 billion, and annual profits of between $1.5-23 billion.
If you want to learn more about the history of Walmart’s growth and expansion, who owns Walmart, and why it’s worth so much money, keep reading!
Why is Walmart worth so much?
Despite its current size, Walmart is only growing and introducing more opportunities to bring in new revenue streams.
One of the reasons it’s worth so much is the sheer number and variety of assets, divisions, and services Walmart has invested in.
For example, Walmart has a large number of stores in many countries such as Brazil, Canada, China, and Chile, while in other countries it has acquired local retail chains such as Massmart, Flipkart, and Seiyu Group.
It also has a diversified portfolio of services such as Walmart-2-Walmart, Walmart MoneyCard, and Walmart Financial Services to generate additional revenue.
Because of this, the business is growing at an average rate of 2-3% per annum and is responsible for many properties, stores, chains, etc. that have contributed to this impressive growth rate.
We’re likely to see those numbers rise even further as Walmart further invests in the latest ways to cut costs and implement new technologies.
How many stores and employees does Walmart have?
Wal-Mart has 11,443 stores worldwide and employs 2.3 million people worldwide, including more than 1.5 million in the continental United States, making it the world’s largest private employer.
The company spends about 7 percent of its annual operating budget, more than $35 million, on the hiring process alone.
Walmart’s workforce in the US alone is larger than the total population of Trinidad and Tobago, so you can get an idea of how many Walmart employees employ.
In recent years, Walmart has been investing in automation to simplify daily processes for employees and consumers.
This includes automated checkout registration and stronger online infrastructure. Due to their long-term growth, employees will also benefit from expected salary increases in the coming years.
What is Walmart’s presence around the world?
Walmart operates in more than 26 countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile and China. While many of these stores carry Walmart’s flagship brand, some operate under different names.
In addition, Walmart operates other retail stores stateside:
- Sams Club has over 599 stores in the U.S., Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with $57 billion in sales
- Britain’s ASDA, Walmart tried to merge with retail brand Sainsbury’s in a $7 billion deal in 2018, but were blocked by regulators
- Other international players include Jumbo Cash and Carry in Africa and Superama in Mexico
Walmart’s policy is that its stores must be large enough to accommodate its vast catalog and must be located in areas that attract large populations.
This might seem to make opening new stores a challenge, but Walmart has found ways to alleviate these obstacles through various methods, such as buying and retrofitting existing stores.
Beyond that, Walmart is known for opening smaller neighborhood locations to complement its supercenters.
To learn more, you can also check out our related post on the list of Walmart-owned businesses.
What are Walmart’s revenue and operating income?
Walmart is a family-owned public company with $22.55 billion in revenue and has continued to do so year after year.
It currently has a market cap of $395 billion and a total outstanding of 1,870,142 shares.
The leading retail chain derives most of its revenue from the assortment of merchandise it sells, which are often cheaper than rivals but also carry a wide range of luxury brands.
These items include everything from electronics, furniture, and household items to groceries, food, clothing, toys, and automotive equipment.
Walmart’s success can be attributed to the public image that whenever consumers need an item, they are likely to find it at a nearby Walmart store.
From the perspective of Wal-Mart’s scale, Wal-Mart’s annual sales can exceed the gross domestic product of some countries such as Ireland, and Wal-Mart’s entertainment sales exceed the box office revenue of the United States.
Another startling fact is that the 50 smallest countries in the world have as many people as Walmart employs around the world.
How did Walmart grow and what does it look like now?
The first Wal-Mart store was opened in 1962 by Sam Walton, whose family still owns a majority of Wal-Mart Corporation.
Since its inception, Walmart has grown exponentially and continues to dramatically increase its total value:
- In its first five years, Walmart had 18 stores in the Arkansas area, bringing in more than $9 million in revenue
- Wal-Mart went public in 1970 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange at $47 per share
- By 2000, it was ranked as the number one company in the United States, with revenues exceeding $219 billion
Today, Walmart beats those numbers by a wide margin, even after accounting for inflation and population growth.
Even though Walmart has faced stiff competition from stores like Amazon, Target, and Kmart over the past few years, it has been able to hang on and grow at an exponential rate.
Who Owns Walmart?
Currently, the Walton family owns 50.85% of the company, with a total net worth of $215 billion.
The family’s shares and ownership interests are managed by institutional investors Walton Enterprises LLC and Walton Family Holdings Trust.
S. Robert Walton holds the largest stake in the company, currently owning more than 2.6 billion shares. Since 2009, the company has been led by CEO Doug McMillon, the fifth CEO under the company’s tenure.
Individuals can buy Walmart stock because it is a public company.
With a daily volume of more than 9 million shares and an average price per share of around $100 in 2020, Walmart has continued to grow in value over time thanks to its solid brand image globally.
To learn more, you can check out our related post on the Walton family net worth.
If you want to know more about Wal-Mart, you can see our related posts about the meaning of the Wal-Mart logo, Wal-Mart statistics, and how much money Wal-Mart makes in a second, a minute, an hour, a day, and a month!
Where does Wal-Mart go in the future?
Currently, Walmart is exploring options that could lead to further growth in the future.
In the past few years, they have increased their investment in the online space, allowing shoppers to place orders online and receive goods without leaving their cars.
Walmart also expects to raise worker wages and invest more in supply chains and automation.
As it continues to expand its local and international presence, Walmart is likely to maintain its record of being the world’s largest employer and largest by revenue for the foreseeable future.
in conclusion
Wal-Mart’s annual revenue exceeds $500 billion, and its profit after deducting operating costs of $492 billion is between $1.5 billion and $23 billion. With more than 11,000 stores and 2.3 million employees in more than 26 countries, it is the world’s largest employer. It was founded by the Walton family and currently holds a majority stake of 50.85% of the total value of the company.
