50+ Walmart Statistics You Need to Know & A Comprehensive History

Founded on the promise of ‘Every Day Low Prices’, global retail chain Walmart has etched its position as a leader in the retail industry. Today, billions of customers across the world rely on Walmart’s accessible network of stores, convenient range of services, and ecommerce platforms for their needs, and knowing Walmart statistics can help you understand that success.

With a rich history spanning 60 years, uncovering all there is to know about the world’s largest retailer can be challenging. Not only is there a wealth of information but it is also spread across a multitude of sources. That’s why we’ve used our expertise at Business2Community to deliver the latest Walmart statistics, covering ownership, services, revenue, and more.

Who Owns Walmart?

Walmart is owned by The Walton Family – descendants of Sam Walton, who founded the company in 1962. According to USA Today, the Walton family holds over 50% of Walmart and the rest of the company’s shares are distributed across the marketplace, with no single entity holding more than the 5% held by Vanguard.

History and Timeline

According to Walmart’s corporate website, the following developments, expansions, and more occurred between 1962 and 2023:

1960s to 1980s

• Sam Walton Walmart opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, on July 2, 1962.
• Following notable sales growth, the Walton family opened 24 stores across the US, making $12 million in sales in 1967.
• In 1969, Walmart was officially incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
• In 1970, Walmart became a publicly traded company and its first stock was sold at $16.50 per share.
• On August 25, 1972, Walmart began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: WMT).
• Walmart opened the first Sam’s Club, a chain of retail warehouse clubs in 1983, and the first of its Walmart supercenters in 1988.

1990s to 2000s

• By the 1990s, Walmart was the nation’s No.1 retailer, opening its first optical location in 1991.
• Walmart went global with its first Sam’s Club in Mexico City in 1991, and WoolCo stores in Canada in 1994.
• The company opened its first Walmart stores in China in 1996 and in 1997, the company also celebrated its first $100 billion sales year.
• In 1998, Walmart entered the UK market with its acquisition of Asda, and also opened the first Walmart Neighborhood Market store.
• In 2000, Walmart founded its first ecommerce initiatives with Walmart.com and Samsclub.com. It expanded to Japan and also topped the Fortune 500 ranking of America’s largest companies.
• In 2007, Walmart.com launched its Site to Store service.
• By 2009, Walmart’s sales exceeded $400 billion in annual sales and the company entered Chile.

2010s to 2020s

• In 2010, Walmart opened its first store in India.
• Walmart expanded into South Africa and surpassed 10,000 international stores around the world in 2011.
• In 2017, the company acquired a 100% stake in Yihaodian, an ecommerce business in China.
• In 2018, Walmart changed its legal name from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to Walmart Inc. and acquired Eloquii, Bare Necessities, and Art.com.
• The first Walmart Health Center was launched in 2019, along with InHome Delivery and free NextDay delivery from Walmart.com.
• In 2020, Walmart launched the Walmart+ Membership Program and the Center for Racial Equity.
• In 2021, Walmart completed the sale of Asda and invested in drone delivery, fintech, and autonomous vehicles. It also launched its Walmart GoLocal last-mile delivery service and the Live Better U tuition initiative.
• In 2022, Walmart celebrated its 60th anniversary and expanded Walmart Health to Florida.
• In 2023, Walmart diverted 78% of its waste from landfills, and 46% of its energy is provided by renewables. It also reported being 75% closer to its Project Gigaton goal to reduce one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Walmart Share Statistics

According to Walmart Stock Info, Walmart offered 300,000 shares of its common stock to the public for $16.50 ($0.03 per share adjusted for all splits and dividends) on October 1, 1970. Additionally, between 1971 and 1999, the company had 11 two-for-one (2:1) stock splits.

We used data from Macrotrends to analyze significant share price bumps and drops in Walmart’s 51-year stock price history.

In 1980, Walmart’s stock price hit a high of $0.14 (adjusted for all splits and dividends). This marked a 775% increase from its IPO price. Throughout the 1980s, Walmart’s stock price increased steadily, hitting a peak of $0.47 in 1982.

Walmart’s share price soared in the 1990s, reaching a high of $45.23 in 1999. This marked a whopping 2,743-fold increase from the IPO price.

In the 2000s, Walmart’s stock price stagnated, fluctuating between $38.04 in 2001 and $40.56 in 2010. This was a modest 11% increase from its 2000 closing price of $34.93 due to increased competition, regulatory scrutiny, and challenges in its international operations.

During the 2010s, Walmart’s stock price resumed its upward trend to hit a new high of $169.78 in 2020, marking a 321% increase from its 2010 closing price.

Between 2021 and 2023, share prices remained relatively stable, ranging between $136 and $169. CNBC reports that on November 3, 2023, Walmart stocks hit an all-time high of $166.30 since the retailing giant first started trading on the NYSE in 1972.

As per Companies Market Cap, Walmart’s share price as of December 1, 2023 was $154.34. In addition, its market cap was $415.42 billion, making it the world’s leading retailer, ahead of Costco Worldwide and other US chains like Target and Kroger.

Walmart Location Statistics

According to its 2023 annual report, Walmart’s headquarters is located in Bentonville, Arkansas, USA. The number of Walmart stores worldwide has decreased from 10,586 in October 2022 to 10,509 Walmart stores and clubs in 19 countries as of October 31, 2023.

Specifically, in the US, Walmart:

• Closed 3 Walmart Discount stores for a new total of 361 stores.
• Closed 12 Walmart Supercenter stores for a new total of 3,560 stores.
• Closed 7 Neighborhood Markets Discount Stores for a new total of 675 stores.
• Closed 79 Small Formats for a new total of 20 stores.
• Closed 1 Sam’s Club for a new total of 599 stores.

In total, this brought Walmart’s US store count to 5,215 for October 2023 /Q3 FY 2024.

In addition, Walmart International, which has a market presence in Africa, Central America, and more, opened 44 new stores and closed 54 stores for a new total of 5,262 international stores in the same quarter.

Business Wire reported that in 2023 90% of the US population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart store.

On October 30, 2023, Walmart celebrated the re-grand opening of 117 remodeled stores in the United States, an investment of more than half a billion dollars in 30 states.

This marked the largest single-day rollout of re-grand openings in the history of Walmart and is part of more than 700 store modernizations expected in 2023.

Overall, the retail giant has invested over $9 billion in the past two years to upgrade more than 1,400 stores across the country.

Walmart Distribution Statistics

According to its 2023 Annual Report, Walmart used a total of 163 distribution facilities which are strategically located throughout the US.

They ship merchandise purchased by Walmart shoppers on its ecommerce platforms through 34 dedicated ecommerce fulfillment centers and through leveraging its ability to ship or deliver directly from more than 3,900 stores.

Walmart International uses a total of 188 distribution facilities located in Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa.

Through these facilities, Walmart processes and distributes both imported and domestic products to the international segment. As of January 31, 2023, Walmart International had over 2,900 pickup and 2,500 delivery locations.

Walmart Statistics on Services

Walmart continues to establish itself as a technology-powered omni-channel retailer through physical stores, ecommerce channels, and a range of service offerings.

Data from Statista shows that in 2023, Walmart recorded about 240 million weekly customer visits and its warehouse division, Sam’s Club, generated $2.6 billion from membership fees.

In addition to core services like pharmacy, auto care, and health and wellness, Walmart also provides:

• Photo services
• Financial services
• Registry, lists, and gifts
• Protection, home, and tech services
• Custom cakes
• Photo services

Walmart Eye Center Statistics

Walmart eye centers, also known as Vision Centers, were launched in 1990.

As of 2023, Walmart has 3,422 vision centers located across Walmart and Sam’s Club stores, according to a Vision Monday (VM) report.

According to the same report, estimated sales from 2,875 Walmart eye centers were $1.7 billion in 2022. Meanwhile, sales from 547 Sam’s Club eye centers amounted to $180 million.

Walmart Vision Centers conveniently offer the following services in-store and online:

• A range of eyewear and eyewear accessories, with virtual try-on capabilities.
• Prescription glasses and sunglasses, contacts, reading glasses, and computer glasses.
• Clear, tinted, polarized, transition lenses, protective coating for lenses, and lens fitting services.
• Eye exams administered by optometrists inside Walmart eye centers.

While operating hours vary according to location, general Walmart Vision Center opening hours are from 11 am to 8 pm Monday through Friday, 11 am to 9 pm on Saturdays, and 12 pm to 6 pm on Sundays.

Walmart Auto Center Statistics

Walmart Auto Centers were first launched in 1978.

As of 2023, Walmart had over 2,500 Auto Care Centers nationwide. Services include tire installation, battery testing and installation, oil and lube services, and more.

As part of Walmart’s ‘Every Day Low Price’ Promise, Walmart Tire Center services offer:

• Basic tire installation with tire mounting, valve stems, lifetime balance, rotation every 7,500 miles, and 50-mile lug re-torque.
• Value tire installation including all of the basic services as well as a road hazard protection warranty.

In 2021, Walmart rolled out improvements to make buying and installing tires hassle-free. Online or through the Walmart app, customers can now search for tires that match the year, make, and model of their vehicle, and book an appointment to get them installed.

For customers who prefer the help of an Auto Care Center expert, an interactive shopping experience called Walmart Tire Finder is available. This feature allows customers to virtually interact with a Walmart Auto Care Center expert and receive guidance through the tire-buying process based on their weather, warranty, and budget preferences.

Walmart Auto Center hours are 7 am to 7 pm, Monday through Sunday.

Walmart Pharmacy Statistics

Walmart opened its first pharmacy in 1978.

Time reported that in 2006, Walmart disrupted drug makers and pharmacy chains by introducing a range of generic drugs for common ailments at just $4 per prescription. The retailer expanded the generic offering in 2008, saving Walmart consumers more than $1 billion.

As of 2023, Walmart Pharmacy offered services such as:

• Low-cost prescriptions, refills offering, and free shipping on prescriptions.
• Affordable over-the-counter and pet medications.
• Clinical services, same-day diagnostic testing, and prescription treatment by Walmart pharmacists.
• Vaccinations and immunizations.
• Medication therapy management.

According to the Drug Channels Institute, drug sales make up the bulk of Walmart’s health and wellness business.

Walmart Pharmacy accounted for 4.4% of US prescription revenue in 2022, behind CVS, Walgreens, Cigna, and United Health Group. This is a slight decrease from 2020 when the Institute reported that Walmart Pharmacy had 4.7% of US prescription revenue.

Although Walmart Pharmacy opening hours vary depending on the location of the store, Walmart serves customers during these hours:

• Monday to Friday: 9 am to 7 pm.
• Saturday: 9 am to 6 pm.
• Sunday: 10 am to 6 pm.

Walmart Health and Wellness Statistics

According to Time, Walmart has focused on healthcare and capturing a share of $3.6 trillion in health spending in the US.

First launched in 2019, Walmart Health offers primary and urgent care, labs, X-ray and diagnostics, behavioral health, and dental all in a single facility located adjacent to a Walmart Supercenter.

Walmart Health is operated by qualified medical professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and behavioral health providers, and has 48 locations across Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas.

Walmart Health offers access to care seven days a week through in-person centers and Walmart Health Virtual Care.

Walmart Health operating hours are:

• Monday to Friday: 7:30 am to 7:30 pm.
• Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
• Sunday Telehealth: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

According to Walmart Health:

• 97% of patients reported feeling cared for during their visit.
• 98% of patients were satisfied with the friendliness of the staff.
• 96% of patients felt there was a high quality of services provided.
• 94% of patients felt satisfied with their ability to save money on services.

Walmart’s health and wellness category increased sales by over 5% in 2021 to $38.5 billion. In 2023, financial data from Walmart showed that the Health and Wellness category for Walmart US and Sam’s Club accounted for a combined 15% of Walmart’s domestic net sales.

Walmart Electronics Statistics

Walmart sells electronics products in-store and online across the following categories:

• TV and video
• Computers and tablets
• Video games
• PC gaming
• Audio
• Cell phones
• Wearable technology
• Smart home and Wi-Fi
• Cameras

Data from Jungle Scout shows that between 2017 and 2020 electronics was the top category on Walmart.com, raking in nearly $1.4 billion over the three years. As per Statista, Walmart’s share of electronics and appliance online sales decreased from 6.8% to 5.7% between 2018 and 2020 and has since increased to 6.2% in 2022.

As an extension of its electronics category, Walmart launched its Tech Services offering in 2021. This includes 24/7 remote support, device repair, and setup services, both in stores and in homes. These services are offered in partnership with cybersecurity company McAfee and technology solution provider True Network Solutions.

Walmart customers can choose from a range of individual services or sign up for a yearly Tech Support and Security membership from $89.99 per year.

Walmart Sales and Revenue Data

According to its 2023 annual report, Walmart’s operations consisted of three reportable segments: Walmart US, Walmart International, and Sam’s Club.

Q3 FY 2024 Highlights

Key sales and revenue highlights as per Walmart’s earnings release for Q3 FY 2024, include:

• Net income increased to $453 million, or 17 cents per share, compared with a loss of $1.8 billion, or 66 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.
• Global revenue increased by 5.2% from $152.81 billion in Q3 FY 2023 to $160.8 billion in Q3 FY 2024.
• Comparable sales increased by 4.9% for Walmart US and 3.8% for Sam’s Club.
• Customer transactions increased by 3.4% and the average ticket grew by 1.5% compared with a year earlier.
• Ecommerce sales increased year over year by 24% in the US and 15% for online stores worldwide.

Walmart’s Revenue Statistics

As per Walmart’s FY 2023 Financial Fact Book, during fiscal year (FY) 2023, Walmart’s total revenue was $611.3 billion.

This represented a 6.7% increase from FY 2022, when Walmart generated $572.1 billion in revenue, and a 9.3% increase from FY 2021 when Walmart’s annual revenue was $559.1 billion.

Walmart’s operating income for FY 2023 was $20.42 billion. That was a 21.35% decrease from its 2022 fiscal year operating income of $25.94 billion and a 9.8% decrease from FY 2021’s operating income of $22.54 billion.

In 2023, Walmart’s net income was $11.3 billion, as reported by Statista. This was down 18.7% from approximately $13.9 billion in 2022 and 17.6% from $13.7 billion in 2021.

Walmart’s 2023 fiscal year gross profit margin was 23.5%. That was a slight decrease from its FY 2022 gross profit margin of 24.4% and its FY 2021 gross profit margin of 24.3%.

Walmart’s Sales Statistics

In FY 2023, Walmart’s net sales worldwide amounted to $605.9 billion. This represents a 6.7% increase from FY 2022 where Walmart’s net sales were $567.7 billion and a 9.5% increase from FY 2021 where net sales revenue was $555.2 billion.

Net sales of Walmart by segment for FY 2023 stood as follows:

• The Walmart US segment accounted for 69% of total net sales.
• The Sam’s Club segment accounted for 14% or $84.3 billion of total net sales.
• The international segment accounted for 17% or $101 billion of total net sales.

In terms of Walmart US net sales for FY 2023:

• The grocery category accounted for 59% of net sales.
• The general merchandise category accounted for 28% of net sales.
• The health and wellness category accounted for 11% of net sales.
• Other categories accounted for 2% of net sales.

For Sam’s Club, net sales for FY 2023:

• The grocery and consumables category accounted for 63% of net sales.
• Fuel, tobacco, and other categories accounted for 18% of net sales.
• Home and apparel accounted for 11% of net sales.
• Health and wellness accounted for 5% of net sales.
• Technology, office, and entertainment accounted for 3% of net sales.

Walmart’s Sales Growth Statistics

As reported in Walmart’s FY 2023 CEO letter to shareholders, Walmart had sales growth of 9% in retained markets outside the US.

Globally, Walmart’s online sales have reached $82 billion, accounting for 14% of total sales. By 2027, Statista estimates that ecommerce net sales could exceed $112 billion.

According to Walmart’s 2023 Annual report, comparable sales in the US increased 8.2% and 7.7% in fiscal 2023 and 2022, respectively. Comparable sales, also known as comp sales, are calculations that compare a store’s current revenue to its revenue from a previous period.

In FY 2023, Walmart had comp sales of 10.5% for its Sam’s Club US segment.

Comp sales at Sam’s Club increased by 14.6% and 15.0% in fiscal 2023 and 2022, respectively. These figures reflected double-digit comps at Sam’s Club US for the third consecutive year, record membership counts, and growing popularity with Gen Z members.

Additionally, Sam’s Club ecommerce sales contributed 0.8% and 1.3% to comp sales for FY 2023 and 2022, respectively.

In FY 2023, Walmart had comp sales of 6.6% for its Walmart US segment. Walmart’s US comp sales increased by 7.0% and 6.4% in FY 2023 and 2022, respectively. In addition, Walmart US ecommerce sales contributed 0.7% to comp sales for both FY 2023 and 2022.

Walmart’s Market Share Statistics

According to the National Retail Foundation, Walmart was the leading retailer in the US retail industry in 2023, with over $499.65 billion in US retail sales for 2022 and sales growth of 7.8%.

This was followed by Amazon with sales of $232.46 billion and growth of 6.7% and lastly, Costco Wholesale with sales of $164.15 billion and 16.9% growth.

As of February 2023, Statista found that Walmart had a 6.4% market share in the retail ecommerce industry in the US. This put Walmart in second place behind online retailer Amazon, which had a country ecommerce share of 37.6%.

Walmart Black Friday Statistics

CNBC reports that in 2022, Walmart dominated online searches for Black Friday discounts, with searches surging 386% year over year. As per Statista, Walmart was one of the top online stores for Black Friday online searches worldwide between November 2019 and October 2020.

During that time, Black Friday-related searches related to Walmart amounted to 8.24 million.

That same year, Jungle Scout estimated that for Black Friday alone, sales neared $76 million compared to $38 million in 2019, showing a 100% year-over-year increase for the day’s ecommerce sales.

Similarly, for Cyber Monday, sales reached $69 million compared to $44 million in 2019, a 57% year-over-year increase for the day’s ecommerce sales. According to Business Insider, 2022 Black Friday traffic at Walmart’s stores fell 5.3% over 2021.

Shoppers chose to spread their spending over a few weeks, starting in October, when Walmart offered a series of online and in-store sales. Similarly in 2023, Walmart spread its Black Friday deals across three separate events.

Walmart offered major savings in November with two “Black Friday Deals” events and a Cyber Monday event.

Walmart Careers and People

How many employees does Walmart have? What’s the average hourly wage? We discuss that and more below.

Walmart Careers

According to Walmart, working at Walmart is an opportunity to build a career. More than 75% of Walmart US store operations management team members started as hourly employees.

In FY 2023, Walmart promoted more than 180,000 US employees or associates to jobs of greater responsibility and higher pay. Walmart has a culture of promoting from within, from entry-level roles to C-suite executives.

75% of US salaried store, club, and supply-chain management started their careers in hourly positions. Entry-level associates receive their first promotion in seven months, on average.

According to Walmart, its Me@Walmart app puts schedules and paid-time-off options right in associates’ hands. Through the app, associates can clock in from their phones, view their schedules up to two weeks in advance, pick up extra shifts, trade shifts with each other, and view and request time off.

To ensure work-life balance:

• All associates receive schedules 2 weeks in advance.
• Set schedules are available, up to 40 hours per week.
• Associates can also build their schedules by picking up or trading shifts.

Walmart Hiring Statistics

In its FY 2023 annual report, Walmart reported that over 2.1 million employees, referred to as associates, worked for Walmart worldwide.

Walmart Employee Demographics

Walmart has 1.6 million associates in the US and 0.5 million internationally, making it the largest private employer in the world. In the US, 93% of these associates are hourly, while 70% of associates are full-time.

The average age of Walmart’s US workforce is:

• Hourly associates – 38 years
• Management – 41 years
• Overall – 38 years

According to FY 2023 Walmart Data:

• 300,000 employees had a 10+ year employment badge.
• 215,000 Walmart employees were promoted in 2022.
• Walmart had a score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index.

Walmart DEI Statistics

Of all associates employed worldwide, 52% identify as women. In the US, 50% of the approximately 1.6 million associates identify as people of color.

As per Walmart’s 2023 Culture, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI) report, female representation across Walmart’s management, non-management, and officer positions for FY 2023 is:

• 52.68% – Global
• 55.09% – International
• 51.97% – US (all women)
• 26.87% – US (women of color)

According to its Midyear FY 2023 DEI report, Walmart hired 48.52% of women in new positions in FY 2023. 29.41% were women of color and 59.13% were people of color.

The same report found that:

• Global representation for women in officer positions increased to over 37%.
• Officer representation in the US for women and People of Color stood at 38.62% and 28.73%, the highest levels since 2021.
• US hourly-to-management and management-to-management promotions increased overall for People of Color.
• Asian and Hispanic representation was up across the board.

Financial Benefits

According to 2023 Walmart data, the average hourly wage for full- and part-time US hourly associates is more than $17.50 per hour.

Associates in salaried store, club, and supply-chain management roles earned an average of more than $113,000 in FY 2023.

Walmart’s starting hourly wage rates vary by region and role and have the following ranges:

• For store formats (e.g. Supercenter, Neighborhood Market grocery formats): $14 to $32 per hour.
• For Sam’s Club: $15 to $32 per hour.
• For distribution centers and fulfillment centers: $16 to $34 per hour.
• Team leads: $18-$23 per hour.

Coaches start at $55,000 per year, while store managers make an average of over $200,000 per year. For corporate associates, Walmart offers competitive compensation packages with base pay, annual performance-based bonuses, and equity grants that vest four times per year.

Benefits and Perks

Walmart offers flexible paid time off (PTO), including Protected PTO of up to 48 hours for unexpected shifts.

The company also offers parental leave. Parental leave includes 12 weeks for salaried associates and 6 weeks for full-time hourly associates. Salaried birth parents can take up to 22 weeks, and full-time hourly birth parents can take up to 16 weeks off.

Walmart’s employees also have the following benefits and perks:

• 401(k) match.
• Associate stock purchase plan.
• 100% college tuition and books through Live Better U.
• Free Walmart+ membership/ Sam’s Club Plus membership.
• Associate discounts on fresh produce, select general merchandise, gym memberships, and cell phone plans.
• Comprehensive well-being benefits.
• Medical coverage starting at just $33.
• Virtual doctor visits.
• No-cost counseling.

FAQs