- Walmart Canada launched in 1994 with 122 stores
- Walmart Canada now has more than 400 stores and distribution centres, employing more than 100,000 people in Canada
- Walmart (NYSE:WMT) has 3.5 per cent cash flow and is expected to report cash flow expansion of 6 per cent in 2025
- Walmart has a market cap of more than US$480B, and the stock has increased more than 16,000 per cent since 1984
Sam Walton opened the first Walmart (NYSE:WMT) in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas, to offer quality goods at lower prices. Thirty-two years later in 1994, Walmart Canada launched with 122 stores. Walmart Canada now has more than 400 stores and distribution centres, employing more than 100,000 people in Canada.
Here’s a look at Walmart Canada’s history on its 30th anniversary.
From its opening in 1994, the company has impacted the average price of consumable goods in Canada, launched clothing lines, in-store vision centres, superstores, private brands (Our Finest and Home Trends), launched walmart.ca, and among other humanitarian initiatives raised $200 million for Canadian children’s hospitals.
Walmart massive stock progression
As a stock – Walmart has evolved from a brick-and-mortar retailer into a multi-channel player. In addition to its delivery programs the company is invested in online e-commerce platform Flipkart. As a result, Walmart stays competitive with the constantly changing retail ecosystem alongside Amazon and Target. On the cash side, Walmart is well positioned with cash flow growth of 3.5 per cent, and it is expected to report cash flow expansion of 6 per cent in 2025.
The company has a market cap of more than $480 billion and since 1984 the stock has increased more than 16,000 per cent.
Walmart as a whole continues to offer new opportunities. This month the company is releasing a Boho collaboration with The Jessica Simpson Collection, and it teamed up with RadNet to provide breast cancer screening at its supercentres in Delaware, Arizona and California.
Walmart Canada’s milestones
- 1994: Opens in Canada
- 1995: A study shows, in less than a year since Walmart launched in Canada, the average price of a basket of consumable goods fell 8 per cent
- 1999: Walmart becomes the world’s largest private employer at 1.1 million associates around the world
- 2004: Launched George clothing line
- 2006: Supercentres open in Canada, offering fresh groceries and general merchandise
- 2008: Opens its 300th store in Mississauga, Ontario
- 2011: Launched walmart.ca and private brands, Our Finest and Hometrends
- 2016: Opened first prototype design store in Guelph, Ontario
- 2021: US$20 million over five years to advance equity for Black and Indigenous Canadians through food security and economic opportunity
- 2022: Walmart Canada raises $200 million for the Children’s Miracle Network to fund treatments and services delivered at children’s hospitals across Canada
Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) stock closed at US$60.14 Monday.
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