Walmart
American multinational retailer and largest private employer globally.
Walmart Inc. is an American multinational omnichannel retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations in the United States and 19 other countries. As of 2026, Walmart is the second-largest company by revenue globally and the largest private employer in the world, with 2.1 million employees. It is also the largest family-owned business in the world, controlled by the Walton family, who own over 50 percent of the company.
- founders
- Sam Walton and James 'Bud' Walton
- headquarters
- Bentonville, Arkansas
- industry
- Retail
Lore & Background
Sam Walton, a former J. C. Penney employee, bought a Ben Franklin store in 1945, focusing on low prices and high sales volume. After the lease expired, he opened 'Walton's Five and Dime' in Bentonville. The company incorporated as Wal-Mart, Inc. in 1969 and went public in 1970. It expanded from the South and lower Midwest to coast-to-coast by the early 1990s.
Reader's Guide
Walmart's significance lies in its transformation of retail through low-price strategies, massive scale, and logistical innovation. Its satellite network, completed in 1987, was the largest private such system, enabling real-time inventory and communication. The company's rapid expansion raised concerns about its impact on small-town economies, with studies showing both positive and negative effects on local businesses.
Did You Know?
- Walmart was originally named 'Wal-Mart Discount City' and was inspired by the FedMart chain founded by Sol Price.
- The company's satellite network, completed in 1987, was the largest private satellite network at the time.
- Walmart became the first traditional retailer to be valued at over $1 trillion in February 2026.
- Sam Walton's heirs own over 50 percent of Walmart through Walton Enterprises and individual holdings.
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