Wal-Mart

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Type: Discount department store/Public (NYSE: WMT)
Founded: Rogers, Arkansas (1962)
Headquarters: Bentonville, Arkansas, USA
Key people: Sam Walton (1918–1992), Founder
H. Lee Scott, CEO
S. Robson Walton, Chairman
Thomas Schoewe, CFO
Industry: Retail
Products: Discount stores, grocery stores, and hypermarkets
Revenue: Template:Profit$315.654 billion USD (2006)
Net income: Template:Profit$11.231 billion USD (2006)
Employees: 1.6 Million (2006)
Website: www.walmartstores.com

Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is a company created by Sam Walton in 1962. It is one of the world's largest companies, behind Exxon Mobil. Even so, there are many groups that dislike Wal-Mart because of their influence on local companies, the way they treat their workers, how they deal with welfare, selling mostly foreign-made products, and the things they do to the environment. Several debates occur across the United States about Wal-Mart and things it does or does not do to surrounding communities.

Sam Walton placed his stores in small-town communities across the United States. These stores provided lower prices for everyday items. Their popularity grew and stores are continually being built. Wal-Mart is a success because many Americans shop there.