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Walmart history: Beyond the Ticker

For more than six decades, the discount megastore Walmart (WMT) has redefined retail. In 2023 alone, the company brought in more than $648 billion dollars in revenue. Beyond the Ticker takes a deep dive into the company’s biggest moments. 1962 Walmart was founded by Sam Walton. Its first location was in Rogers, Arkansas. 1967 The Walton family owned 24 stores and had racked up $12.7 million in sales. 1970 On October 1, 1970, Walmart went public via an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares opened at $16.50 per share. 1983 The company opened its first Sam's Club in Oklahoma in a bid to compete with Costco’s (COST) wholesale, member-only model. 1988 Founder Sam Walton stepped down as CEO, and David Glass was named his successor. That same year, the first Walmart Supercenter opened in Washington, Missouri, creating what it’s currently known for – a mix of general merchandise and grocery. 1996 Walmart opened its first location in China and surpassed $1 billion in sales for the year. 2000 Walmart.com launched, allowing US customers to shop online – as Amazon.com (AMZN) began to take off. 2017 To compete with Amazon, among other online retailers, Walmart introduced free two-day shipping. 2020-2021 During the pandemic, the retailer boomed as consumers sought out the Covid-19 vaccine, and then, cheaper groceries as inflation picked up. 2024 In late March, Walmart stock reached a record closing high of $61.45 per share. And it only keeps growing – with more than 10,500 stores in 19 different countries. From tech giants to retail titans, Beyond the Ticker is a historical series that takes a deep dive into some of Wall Street's trending companies and how they transformed into the financial icons they are today. Check out more of our Beyond the Ticker series, and be sure to tune in to Yahoo Finance. Editor's note: This video was produced by Zach Faulds.