23 Intriguing Walmart Statistics for 2024

Many of us have been shopping at Walmart regularly for years, but few of us know its history or the actual extent of its success. Like any global giant, the company has many stories to tell, and this is just the place to find the most interesting Walmart statistics and facts, concerning both the Canadian market and the world.

In the following article, you’ll find out about the finances, history, stores, employees, and customers of the world’s biggest retailer. Let’s get started!

Top 10 Walmart Facts and Stats

  • Walmart is the number-one retail company in the world.
  • The first Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. stock shares were sold at US$16.50 apiece.
  • The Waltons—the family that owns Walmart—is the richest family in the world.
  • The first Walmart was opened in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962.
  • In Canada, Walmart was first established in 1994.
  • Walmart failed in South Korea and Germany and had to close its stores there in 2005 and 2006.
  • In 2022, Walmart had 2.3 million associates globally.
  • Walmart Canada has roughly 90,000 associates.
  • In 2022, there were 402 Walmart stores in Canada.
  • Walmart Canada’s daily foot traffic reaches approximately 2.4 million customers.

Walmart Facts and History

In this section, we’ll be taking a look at the history of the retail chain itself, and the family who owns it.

1. The Waltons—the family who own Walmart—are the richest family in the world.

(Bloomberg)

By 2022 estimates, their combined net worth was around US$224.5 billion, which was actually down by $14 billion compared to 2021, after years of continued growth.

2. The first Walmart was opened in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962.

(Walmart)

It was founded by Sam Walton at the age of 44. Walmart facts show that, by 1967, the Walton family owned 24 Walmart shops, reporting around US$12.7 million in sales.

3. In 1969, the company was originally incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

(Walmart)

As Walmart history facts tell us, the company began steadily expanding soon after incorporation. The company’s founder liked to ascribe this immense success not just to the low prices the stores offered, but also to his associates’ devotion.

4.  The child-safety program “Code Adam” was initiated by Walmart in 1994.

(Factinate)

This alert system was put into place to prepare store employees for the eventuality of a child going missing within one of its stores. It was implemented in both the US and Canada, and the approach worked so well that it inspired legislators.

The 2003 namesake federal law defined response procedures in case of children going missing in any federal building open to the public.

Interesting Facts About Walmart and Its Finances

Here we’ll be examining the retail giant’s financial situation, what its investors can expect, and Walmart’s share price.

5. The first Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. shares were sold at US$16.50 apiece.

(Walmart, Google Finance)

The company became publicly traded in 1970, and this was a considerable amount of money. Of course, the shares are worth much more today, due to the company’s growth and global presence. On December 7, 2022, the share price was around US$150. When adjusted for inflation, this represents a nearly five-fold increase over the past five decades.

6. In 2021 and 2022, Walmart was the #1 retail company in the world.

(National Retail Federation, Forbes)

Walmart’s market share from 2021 to 2022 was at the very top of the retail category. The company’s sales revenue reached an astonishing US$572.75 billion. Amazon, although bigger in terms of total market cap, had lower sales revenue (US$469.82 billion), coming in second in the retail sector.

7. In 2022, Walmart shareholders received US$15.9 billion in returns.

(Walmart)

This was likely due to new business developments that greatly contributed to the previously mentioned Walmart sales revenue of US$572.75 billion. According to Walmart facts, in 2022, the company increased its annual dividend for the 49th year in a row.

Walmart Employment Statistics

Walmart has always been measured by the strength of its employees – or associates, as the company likes to call them. It’s time to learn the most important stats about the engine behind this retail giant.

8. In 2022, Walmart had over 2.3 million associates globally.

(Walmart)

Facts about the Walmart company reveal that its employees are referred to as associates, be they part-timers or full-time hires. In the US alone, the company employs around 1.6 million people, and internationally, it’s got about 700,000 associates.

9. Walmart associates receive a 10% employee discount.

(Walmart)

This can be used on all regularly priced merchandise, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. They also have access to discounts on phone services and gym memberships.

10. Walmart facts and figures show the average hourly employee in the States earns over US$17 per hour.

(Walmart)

During 2021 and 2022, Walmart has been raising associate wages, and now the average a field employee makes has surpassed $17 per hour. However, some starting positions are still paid below the $15-per-hour mark, as store employees in some regions might earn as little as $12 per hour at the beginning of their Walmart career.

11. Walmart Supercenters employ up to 300 associates.

(Walmart)

This is the biggest kind of Walmart store there is. Other than that, there are Walmart Discount Stores, which employ up to 200 associates, and Neighborhood Markets (stores tailored towards grocery shopping) offer up to 95 positions. The last option doesn’t exist in Canada yet, unfortunately.

Facts About Walmart Stores

Be it shopping for gifts or buying necessities, Walmart remains most people’s go-to. In this section, we will be looking at Walmart stores, how many there are, and where they are located.

12. There are around 10,600 Walmart-owned stores and clubs in the world.

(Walmart)

They operate under 48 banners in 24 different countries, as well as through eCommerce sites. These stats include supercenters, discount stores, and Sam’s Club outlets as well. This is a decrease from January 2021, when there were 11,443 units worldwide, and it’s mostly due to the closures of foreign branches.

13. In October 2022, there were 5,320 Walmart stores in the States alone.

(Walmart)

Walmart statistics for 2022 indicate the number of Walmart stores has decreased slightly since the beginning of 2021, when it was at 5,342. However, this is still a significant increase in the number of stores from January 2019, when there were 4,769 Walmart units altogether in the US.

14. Walmart failed in South Korea and Germany.

(Journal of Asia-Pacific Business, The Guardian)

Walmart spent many years trying to win over Korean and German consumers. Upon selling its German stores to the retailer Metro, the company actually suffered a US$1 billion loss. This happened shortly after Walmart had disappeared off the face of South Korea’s business scene due to the incompatibility of its offer with Korean consumer demand.

Walmart Customer Demographics

Who is Walmart’s average customer? How much do they spend, and how often do they visit the store on average? The following section will give you precisely those answers.

15.  Globally, Walmart stores had around 230 million weekly visits in 2022.

(Statista)

This was less than in the previous five years, especially the 2019 peak, when the number of customer visits reached 275 million. This reduction in Walmart’s weekly foot traffic was a consequence of the pandemic at first, but it can now be credited to the growing dominance of online shopping.

16. Walmart statistics indicate that the retailer’s shoppers tend to visit the store every 21.6 days.

(Inspira)

On average, they will purchase 11 items and pay US$50.95. This puts Walmart in a more favourable position compared to its competitor Target. The latter’s customers tend to shop every 47.7 days, purchasing an average of 7.6 items worth US$46.92.

17. The average Walmart customer is 59.5 years old.

(Business Insider)

Walmart demographics show the retailer’s customers are predominantly white women with an average yearly household income of approximately US$80,000. Amazon’s average customer is also a white woman with an annual household income of around US$80,000, but her age is either in the 35-44 or 55-64 bracket.

18. 41% of Walmart shoppers name “low prices” as the reason they shop there.

(Walmart)

This is in line with the finding that nearly two-thirds of Walmart’s customers earn less than US$50,000 per year. Over a quarter earns between US$50,000 and US$100,000, while only 13%-15% earn over $100,000. Walmart has clearly established itself as a budget option, which makes sense – its slogan is “Save money. Live better.” after all.

Fun Facts About Walmart Canada

Walmart is one of Canada’s biggest employers and best-known brands. Here are some riveting stats on how the retailer is doing in the second-largest country in the world.

19. In 2022, there were 402 Walmart stores in Canada.

(Walmart)

This is six fewer stores than there were in 2021, according to Canadian Walmart statistics. However, regardless of the slight decrease, there are still more retail stores today than there were five years ago (400).

20. The first Walmart in Canada opened in 1994.

(Walmart, CNW)

This happened when Walmart acquired 122 Woolco stores in the country. Its headquarters are located in Mississauga, Ontario. It’s also important to mention that the retailer has shared a significant part of its success with its community. Namely, it’s raised and donated about $500 million to various Canadian charities over the last 27 years.

21. In Canada, Walmart has daily foot traffic of approximately 2.4 million customers.

(Business Wire)

This number represents a total of online and offline visits. By itself, the retailer’s Canadian eCommerce store has 750,000 daily visits.

22. Walmart Canada has more than 100,000 associates.

(CNW, Financial Post)

In October 2020, the company announced it would take on 10,000 more staff. The need for this increase in the number of associates was motivated by the sharp growth in eCommerce sales as a consequence of the pandemic. With so many employees and over 400 stores nationwide, Walmart is one of the country’s top employers.

23. Walmart Canada introduced PayPal to its stores in April 2020.

(Walmart)

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic’s first wave, in a bid to accommodate the explosion of online shopping, Walmart’s Canadian website added PayPal to its list of payment options. This was a smart move, as stats show that 67% of Canada’s millennials use PayPal for everyday transactions.

Conclusion

As the biggest retail company in the world, Walmart is one of the most recognizable brands, even in countries where it doesn’t operate. The Walmart statistics showcased above tell us its success won’t be stopping any time soon.

We hope the facts we’ve presented here gave you an even broader perspective of the company’s importance.


FAQ

What is Walmart’s yearly profit?

Between October 31 of 2021 and 2022, Walmart made a gross profit of US$146.3 billion. That was an increase from US$138.8 billion the year before.

What is Walmart’s biggest selling item?

Walmart indeed sells a vast variety of products. It offers everything from fresh produce to various toys, smart home devices, pet supplies, and home improvement equipment. Statistics also indicate that Walmart sells a lot of gardening equipment.

Nonetheless, every year, Walmart’s top seller remains the humble banana.

How many customers does Walmart have?

On a weekly basis, the retailer has around 230 million customers and members visiting both its physical locations as well as eCommerce stores, Walmart statistics show. This number includes all of the 24 countries and 48 banners that Walmart operates under.

How many employees does Walmart have per store?

Walmart’s discount stores can employ up to 200 people, while Supercenters employ as many as 300 each. The numbers are lower regarding Sam’s Club locations and Walmart’s neighbourhood markets, with up to 95 associates employed.

Sources

Bloomberg

Business Insider

Business Wire

CNW

Factinate

Financial Post

Forbes

Google Finance

Inspira

Journal of Asia-Pacific Business

Macrotrends

National Retail Federation

Statista

The Guardian

Walmart

Zippia

Milica Milenkovic
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