You’ve probably heard of Walmart before as it’s one of the biggest retailers in the world. But a lot of people wonder whether Walmart is a corporation or a franchise.
If you’ve been curious about whether or not Walmart is a corporation or not, you’re not alone! I was curious about the same thing and researched the matter in-depth. Here’s everything I found out!
Is Walmart A Corporation In [currentyear]?
Walmart is a corporation primarily owned by the Walton family, who owns 50% of the stakes in the company after founder Sam Walton and his brother James died, as of [currentyear]. Individual shareholders and investment groups own the remaining shares of the company. You can find Walmart publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
Do you want to know even more details about Walmart, such as when it became a corporation? Read below to find out the answers to your most pressing questions!
Why Is Walmart A Corporation?
Walmart is a corporation because it’s a publicly-traded retailer listed on the New York Stock Exchange and owned by those invested in the company.
Further, Walmart has investors worldwide, including investments from private individuals and large companies.
Is Walmart A Worldwide Corporation?
Yes, Walmart is a worldwide corporation because it has store locations globally, well beyond just the United States.
Additionally, Walmart is available in 24 countries, operates more than 10,500 stores globally, and has a vast eCommerce market.
Who Owns Walmart Corporation?
Currently, the Walmart corporation is primarily owned by the Walton family, who carries on the founder’s legacy, Sam Walton, who died in 1992.
Moreover, the Walton family is the richest in America since nearly half of the corporation is owned by the heirs of Sam Walton and his brother James.
When Did Walmart Go Corporate?
On October 31, 1969, Walmart became the corporation Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and began as a publicly-traded company in 1970.
What Type Of Business Is Walmart?
Walmart is considered a retail and wholesale business. Further, Walmart’s in the consumer services sector with more than 2.3 million employees worldwide.
When Did Walmart Become A Chain?
The Walmart chain began in 1962 in Arkansas, with the company expanding outside of the state by 1968.
Furthermore, by the 1980s, Walmart had expanded into the Southern US. By 1995, Walmart was in every US state and already opening locations in Canada.
When Did Walmart Go International?
Walmart expanded outside of the United States in 1991 by opening a location in Mexico City, Mexico, which was an instant success.
Additionally, Walmart became so successful in Mexico that it opened up a Supercenter two years after it first opened!
Will Walmart Ever Become A Franchise?
No, Walmart will never turn into a franchise because the company’s success has been in large part due to the stockholders and the fact it’s a publicly-traded company.
Can Anyone Buy Walmart Stock?
Yes, anyone can purchase Walmart stock. Also, it’s easy to buy a share using Computershare, a stock transfer agency that Walmart uses.
On top of that, you can purchase shares of Walmart stock through any authorized brokerage firm.
Currently, about half of Walmart shares are owned by individual stockholders since the Walton family owns nearly 50% of the shares.
Institutional shareholders have about 30% of the outstanding shares, and Walmart has a few institutional shareholders that you should know, including:
Walton Enterprises LLC
Walton Enterprises owns about one billion shares and is a private holding company that the Walton family uses to manage their interest in Walmart.
Walton Family Holdings Trust
About 400 million shares are owned by Walton Family Holdings Trust, which the Walton family set up to help maintain a family and non-family balance of shares.
Vanguard Group Inc.
Vanguard Group is an ETF and mutual fund company that owns 137.6 million shares of Walmart stock.
How Can Someone Get Involved With Walmart?
Walmart has many ways to get involved with the store, including through purchasing stock by using Computershare, a brokerage firm, or even investment apps.
On top of that, Walmart offers a Walmart Marketplace, which allows a variety of third-party merchants to begin a partnership with the company independently.
Also, you can choose to get involved with Walmart by working at one of its retail stores, warehouses, or distribution centers.
Furthermore, if you’re a Walmart employee, you can own stock in the company. So, there’s no conflict if you want to purchase stock and obtain employment through this corporate giant.
If you are looking to learn more, you can also read our related posts on what is Walmart, if Walmart is a department store, and the reasons why Walmart is so cheap.
Conclusion
Walmart is a publicly-traded corporation on the New York Stock Exchange, and the Walton family owns most of the company’s stock.
However, individuals can own stock in Walmart, and there are also institutional shareholders such as Vanguard Group.
Moreover, Walmart isn’t a franchise and never will be since it has become so popular and has been successful as a corporation thanks to the shareholders and various investors.
Additionally, anyone can hold stock in Walmart by using Computershare, Walmart’s stock transfer agency.
On top of that, you can use any brokerage firm or investment app and begin purchasing shares of Walmart stock, which is a good investment that doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon!
