Wal-Mart Business Report
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
COMPANY HISTORY 2
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION 4
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 4
BUSINESS METHODS 5
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS 6
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS 7
CONCLUSION 8
Works Cited 9
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this business report is to gain familiarity with Wal-Mart and to learn about the different aspects that make Wal-Mart a successful company. This report gives an in-depth analysis of the company history, services and products provided, the company philosophy, business methods, organizational structure, and financial and competitive analysis.
Wal-Mart is a well-known company. Although Wal-Mart was originally just a retail outlet, this company has extended its reach to far greater areas of service and products including Tire shops, Photo shops, and Pharmacy’s.
These findings show that the company is doing very well. The financial statements look good and the company is profitable considering the industry averages. Therefore, it is recommended that investors consider this company for their investment portfolio.
COMPANY HISTORY
The first Wal-Mart store opened in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962. The founder of Wal-Mart is a late 1940’s retailer by the name of Sam Walton. Walton was said to be a cheap man, and would cut corners and save money wherever possible. That is how his idea to pass the savings on to the customer came to be. He knew he could save money like other retailers by making deals with suppliers, but he also knew that if people could experience the savings more directly the sales volume would increase and he could still make a profit. Walton wanted to earn his profits through volume. And it didn’t stop at deal making with suppliers and passing it on to customers. There has been plenty of publicity about Wal-Mart wages for cashiers, but even Wal-Mart executives were subjected to the cost-cutting ways of Sam Walton when it came to business trips. In 1985
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
COMPANY HISTORY 2
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION 4
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 4
BUSINESS METHODS 5
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS 6
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS 7
CONCLUSION 8
Works Cited 9
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this business report is to gain familiarity with Wal-Mart and to learn about the different aspects that make Wal-Mart a successful company. This report gives an in-depth analysis of the company history, services and products provided, the company philosophy, business methods, organizational structure, and financial and competitive analysis.
Wal-Mart is a well-known company. Although Wal-Mart was originally just a retail outlet, this company has extended its reach to far greater areas of service and products including Tire shops, Photo shops, and Pharmacy’s.
These findings show that the company is doing very well. The financial statements look good and the company is profitable considering the industry averages. Therefore, it is recommended that investors consider this company for their investment portfolio.
COMPANY HISTORY
The first Wal-Mart store opened in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962. The founder of Wal-Mart is a late 1940’s retailer by the name of Sam Walton. Walton was said to be a cheap man, and would cut corners and save money wherever possible. That is how his idea to pass the savings on to the customer came to be. He knew he could save money like other retailers by making deals with suppliers, but he also knew that if people could experience the savings more directly the sales volume would increase and he could still make a profit. Walton wanted to earn his profits through volume. And it didn’t stop at deal making with suppliers and passing it on to customers. There has been plenty of publicity about Wal-Mart wages for cashiers, but even Wal-Mart executives were subjected to the cost-cutting ways of Sam Walton when it came to business trips. In 1985
References: Datamonitor. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Company Profile. Reference Code: 1935 Published Nov. 2006 www.datamonitor.com Frank, T.A. “A Brief History of Wal-Mart”. Washington Monthly. April 1st 2006. Date Accessed: February 17, 2007. http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13796 Waddoups, Jeffrey C. “Public Subsidies of low-wage employment: the case of uncompensated health care.” Journal of Economic Issues. Sept. 2006. v.4 i.3 p.813 “Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. – Key Statistics.” Yahoo Finance. 2007. http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=WMT “Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.- information and related industry information from Hoovers.” Hoovers. Accessed 03/02/2007. http://hoovers.com/wal-mart/--ID_11600--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml