Free cash flow

Looking Into WAL-MART

The Company Every week, 100 million customers visit Wal-Mart stores worldwide, making it the world’s largest retailers. A leader in the discount industry, Wal-Mart posted $218 billion in sales last year as it continued to specialize in selling discounted household goods. The company has 1.3 million employees working at 3,200 locations in the United States and 1,100 locations in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, China, Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Wal-Mart aims to instill its logo, “Everyday Day Low Prices” in each and every division. Currently the company is broken down into four divisions: Wal-Mart Supercenters, Discount Stores, Neighborhood Markets and SAM’S Club Warehouses. The magnitude and global presence of Wal-Mart allows it to be a dominant player in the retailing market place. It is essential that fundamental relationships within the industry and the company’s environment need to be analyzed in order to efficiently evaluate the correct market price for the company’s stock (WMT (NYSE)).

Industry Outlook

Household products, retail drugs stores, and personal care segments are expected to produce above-average revenue growth and increase market share in the coming months. The uncertainty between the U.S. and global economies should not affect the sector because many of the products are basic necessities. The retail sector is expected to perform in line with the overall market in the next 6-12 months. Mega retailers such as Wal-Mart are expanding their product variety by focusing on groceries and pharmaceutical drugs. To combat the market intrusion, Walgreen, CVS and other drug stores are adding groceries to their shelves. The mass merchandising industry is only getting bigger as the major players are offering more selections in order to gain a competitive edge. Many companies like Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Royal Ahold and Kroger are expanding by acquisitions. The industry is