Wal-Mart Business Descripition

Wal-Mart Stores (Wal-Mart), the largest retail chain in the world, operates retail stores in

various formats, including supercenters, discount stores and neighborhood markets, Wal-Mart operates over 6,000 stores in the US and 13 international markets including the UK, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and China. The company retails a broad range of merchandise and services at low prices.

Wal-Mart operates its business under three business segments: Wal-Mart Stores, Sam's Club, and the international segment.

The Wal-Mart Stores segment operates three different retail formats in the US, including discount stores, supercenters and neighborhood markets. These stores differ in size as well as the range of merchandise they offer.

Wal-Mart operates more than 1,000 discount stores in 47 states in the US. These offer a variety of value-priced general merchandise including: family apparel, automotive products, health and beauty aids, home furnishings, electronics, hardware, toys, sporting goods, lawn and garden items, pet supplies, jewelry, and household wares. The discount stores average 107,000 square feet in size and employ an average of 225 associates.

The company has over 2,200 Wal-Mart supercenters in 47 US states. In addition to general merchandise, Wal-Mart supercenters offer bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products and fresh produce. Supercenters also feature a number of specialty shops such as vision centers, Tire & Lube Expresses, Radio Grill, McDonald's or Subway restaurants, portrait studios and one-hour photo centers, hair salons, banks, and employment agencies. The supercenters average 187,000 square feet in size, employ 350 or more associates on average and offer 142,000 different items.

Neighborhood Markets offer a full-line supermarket and limited assortment of general merchandise. The company has over 100 neightborhood markets in about 15 US states, offering a 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 suppliers, and household chemicals. Neighborhood markets average 42,000 square feet in size, employ 95 associates on average and offer about 29,000 items.

The Wal-Mart Stores segment owns and operates 40 general merchandise distribution centers, 38 grocery distribution centers, seven apparel and shoes distribution centers, 12 professional services and specialty distribution centers, two imports distribution centers and three distribution center supporting Walmart.com. Additionally, third-party operators are used in 19 distribution centers of which two are grocery distribution centers, five are specialty distribution center, four are import distribution centers and eight support Walmart.com.

The company operates more than 550 Sam's club in 48 US states. Sam's Club is a membership warehouse club, serving both individuals and businesses. Sam's Club offers bulk display of brand name merchandise, including hard goods, some soft goods, institutional-size grocery items, and selected private-label items under the Member's Mark, Bakers & Chefs and Sam's Club