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Wal-Mart

World's largest discount retailer.

Headquarters:
Bentonville, AR 72716
Employees: 2,000,000+
CEO: Lee Scott
Stock Symbol: WMT

When you think of Wal-Mart, think big! It's the world's biggest retailer and also the biggest employer with over 2 million full- and part-time workers worldwide -- 1.4 million in the U.S. It operates Wal-Mart stores along with Sam's Club membership warehouses in the U.S. and 12 foreign countries.

Known for its low pricing and wide selection of goods, Wal-Mart has become the undisputed king of retailing. It is also a feared giant for its sheer size and pricing power.

As of May 2008, Wal-Mart had the following store count:

Retail Units Worldwide 7,343
US Retail Units 4,195
Wal-Mart Stores 937
Supercenters 2,527
Sam's Clubs 593
Neighborhood Market 138
International Retail Units 3,148

Wal-Mart Discount Stores average 107,000 square feet, employ an average of 225 associates and offer 120,000 items.

Wal-Mart Supercenters average 185,000 square feet, employ 350 or more associates on average and offer 142,000 different items.

Each Sam's Club employs an average of 160 to 175 associates and offers approximately 5,500 different products. A membership fee ($35 annually for businesses/$40 annually for individuals) is required to shop at Sam's Club. There are 584 Sam's Club locations.

The company also operates Neighborhood Markets. Generally, they are located in markets with Wal-Mart Supercenters, supplementing a strong food distribution network and providing added convenience while maintaining Wal-Mart's Every Day Low Prices. First opened in 1998, the now more than 120 Neighborhood Markets, averaging 42,000 square feet, feature a wide variety of products, including fresh produce, deli foods, fresh meat and dairy items, health and beauty aids, one-hour photo and traditional photo developing services, drive-through pharmacies, stationery and paper goods, pet supplies, and household chemicals. Neighborhood Markets employ 95 associates on average and offer about 29,000 items.

Wal-Mart reported record revenues for 2007 of $378.7 billion. Wal-Mart stores in the U.S. generated $239.5 billion in sales while Sam's Club reported $44.3 billion in revenues. International stores brought in $90.6 billion. Membership fees and other income added $4.27 billion. Net income for the entire company was $12.7 billion in 2007.

The company has recently begun to offer new health plans for employees with lower fees and higher deductibles. Wal-Mart says 92.7% of all employees now have health coverage with the company or through their spouse.

The company said the average hourly wage for a regular full-time hourly associate in the U.S. is $10.86 an hour.

History

The first Wal-Mart store opened in tiny Rogers, AR in 1962 by brothers Sam and Bud Walton. By 1964, Wal-Mart had 24 stores with $12 million in sales and in 1969 Wal-Mart moved outside the state of Arkansas with stores in Sikeston, MO, and Claremore, OK.

The company was guided by founder Sam Walton's passion for customer satisfaction and "Every Day Low Prices."

In 1970, the company opened its first distribution center and corporate headquarters in Bentonville, AR, where it is located today. Wal-Mart also went public the same year.

In 1983, the first Sam's Club warehouse store opened. In 1988, the first Wal-Mart Supercenter opened which featured a Wal-Mart store with a full-scale supermarket inside.

Benefits

Medical Coverage
Every associate who works in the United States can become eligible for individual health coverage costing as little as $5 per month in some areas and as little as $8 per month nationwide. As soon as an associate becomes eligible for benefits, their children become eligible too.
Today, more than 92 percent of associates have health insurance-either through Wal-Mart or through other coverage. For our associates who choose coverage with Wal-Mart, we also offer more than 2,400 generic prescription drugs for $4. This includes prescription drugs to treat everything from diabetes to heart disease.
Wal-Mart associates will find more than 50 ways to customize their health coverage. They can select from a menu of deductibles, health care coverage options, and health credits and premiums.
We want associates and their families to have the peace of mind that their healthcare needs will be met, especially when they need it most. To ensure that peace of mind, Wal-Mart's health coverage includes no lifetime maximums on most health care expenses.

Exclusive, Everyday Savings
We save Americans thousands of dollars a year. And our associates get even more. Every Wal-Mart associate receives:
- 10 percent off regularly priced general merchandise in Wal-Mart stores or on www.walmart.com with the associate discount card
- 10 percent off of fresh fruits and vegetables
- An additional 10 percent off eyewear at Wal-Mart Vision Centers
- Over 100 discounts on walmartbenefits.com - our associate-only website-for everything from new cars to movie tickets.

Grow Your Future
We believe in our associates' futures. Last year, we put $870 million into associates' Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plan accounts. We do this whether or not an associate chooses to contribute.
We also make it easy for associates to have an ownership in the company. The Associate Stock Purchase Program allows associates to purchase stock without most brokerage fees. Plus, we match a portion of their purchases.

Wal-Mart Success = Your Success
Every associate is eligible to receive performance bonuses based on the performance of their store. We also offer a long-term service award, which rewards hourly associates and assistant managers who have been with the company for 20 years or more with an extra week of pay.

During the fiscal year ending January 31, 2008, Wal-Mart said it contributed:
- $724.4 million to 838,955 hourly associates in profit-sharing and 401(k) contributions.
- $50.1 million to 764,098 hourly associates toward the company's associate stock purchase plan.
- $420.2 million in discounted merchandise to hourly associates and their family members through the merchandise discount program.

Updated May 22, 2008