UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 10-K
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| Annual report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 | |||||
For the fiscal year ended January 31 , 2022
| Transition report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 | |||||
Commission file number 001-06991 .
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | ||||||||||
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (479 ) 273-4000
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
Yes ¨ No ý
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for at least the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| ☒ | Accelerated Filer | ☐ | ||||||||||||||||||
| Non-Accelerated Filer | ☐ | Smaller Reporting Company | ||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging Growth Company | ||||||||||||||||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes ☐ No ☒
As of July 31, 2021, the aggregate market value of the voting common stock of the registrant held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based on the closing sale price of those shares on the New York Stock Exchange reported on July 30, 2021, was $206,032,159,403 . For the purposes of this disclosure only, the registrant has assumed that its directors, executive officers (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Exchange Act) and the beneficial owners of 5% or more of the registrant's outstanding common stock are the affiliates of the registrant.
The registrant had 2,751,779,629 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 16, 2022.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
| Document | Parts Into Which Incorporated | |||||||
| Portions of the registrant's Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held June 1, 2022 (the "Proxy Statement") | Part III | |||||||
Walmart Inc.
Form 10-K
For the Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2022
Table of Contents
| Page | ||||||||
WALMART INC.
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JANUARY 31, 2022
All references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the information incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K by reference to information in the Proxy Statement of Walmart Inc. for its Annual Shareholders' Meeting to be held on June 1, 2022 and in the exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K to "Walmart Inc.," "Walmart," "the Company," "our Company," "we," "us" and "our" are to the Delaware corporation named "Walmart Inc." and, except where expressly noted otherwise or the context otherwise requires, that corporation's consolidated subsidiaries.
PART I
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports, statements, and information that Walmart Inc. (which individually or together with its subsidiaries, as the context otherwise requires, is referred to as "we," "Walmart" or the "Company") has filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") or may file with or furnish to the SEC in the future, and prior or future public announcements and presentations that we or our management have made or may make, include or may include, or incorporate or may incorporate by reference, statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), that are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Act as well as protections afforded by other federal securities laws.
Nature of Forward-Looking Statements
Such forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but instead express our estimates or expectations for our consolidated, or one of our segment's, economic performance or results of operations for future periods or as of future dates or events or developments that may occur in the future or discuss our plans, objectives or goals. These forward-looking statements may relate to:
•the growth of our business or change in our competitive position in the future or in or over particular periods;
•the amount, number, growth, increase, reduction or decrease in or over certain periods, of or in certain financial items or measures or operating measures, including our earnings per share, net sales, comparable store and club sales, our Walmart U.S. operating segment's eCommerce sales, liabilities, expenses of certain categories, expense leverage, operating income, returns, capital and operating investments or expenditures of particular types and new store openings;
•investments and capital expenditures we will make and how certain of those investments and capital expenditures are expected to be financed;
•our increasing investments in eCommerce, technology, supply chain, store remodels and other omni-channel customer initiatives, such as same day pickup and delivery;
•our workforce strategy;
•volatility in currency exchange rates affecting our or one of our segments' results of operations;
•the Company continuing to provide returns to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends, the use of share repurchase authorization over a certain period or the source of funding of a certain portion of our share repurchases;
•our sources of liquidity, including our cash, continuing to be adequate or sufficient to fund our operations, finance our global investment and expansion activities, pay dividends and fund share repurchases;
•cash flows from operations, our current cash position and access to capital markets will continue to be sufficient to meet our anticipated operating cash needs;
•the reclassification of amounts related to our derivatives;
•our effective tax rate for certain periods and the realization of certain net deferred tax assets and the effects of resolutions of tax-related matters;
•the effect of adverse decisions in, or settlement of, litigation or other proceedings or investigations to which we are subject;
•the effect on the Company's results of operations or financial position of the Company's adoption of certain new, or amendments to existing, accounting standards; or
•our commitments, intentions, plans or goals related to environmental, sustainability, and governance ("ESG") priorities, including, but not limited to, the sustainability of our environment and supply chains, the promotion of economic opportunity or other societal initiatives.
Our forward-looking statements may also include statements of our strategies, plans and objectives for our operations, including areas of future focus in our operations, and the assumptions underlying any of the forward-looking statements we make. The forward-looking statements we make can typically be identified by the use therein of words and phrases such as "aim,"
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"anticipate," "believe," "could be," "could increase," "could occur," "could result," "continue," "estimate," "expansion," "expect," "expectation," "expected to be," "focus," "forecast," "goal," "grow," "guidance," "intend," "invest," "is expected," "may continue," "may fluctuate," "may grow," "may impact," "may result," "objective," "plan," "priority," "project," "strategy," "to be," "we'll," "we will," "will add," "will allow," "will be," "will benefit," "will change," "will come in at," "will continue," "will decrease," "will grow," "will have," "will impact," "will include," "will increase," "will open," "will remain," "will result," "will stay," "will strengthen," "would be," "would decrease" and "would increase," variations of such words or phrases, other phrases commencing with the word "will" or similar words and phrases denoting anticipated or expected occurrences or results.
The forward-looking statements that we make or that are made by others on our behalf are based on our knowledge of our business and our operating environment and assumptions that we believe to be or will believe to be reasonable when such forward-looking statements were or are made. As a consequence of the factors described above, the other risks, uncertainties and factors we disclose below and in the other reports as mentioned above, other risks not known to us at this time, changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, our actual results may differ materially from those discussed in or implied or contemplated by our forward-looking statements. Consequently, this cautionary statement qualifies all forward-looking statements we make or that are made on our behalf, including those made herein and incorporated by reference herein. We cannot assure you that the results or developments expected or anticipated by us will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that those results or developments will result in the expected consequences for us or affect us, our business, our operations or our operating results in the manner or to the extent we expect. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any of the forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances except to the extent required by applicable law.
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| ITEM 1. | BUSINESS | ||||
General
Walmart Inc. ("Walmart," the "Company" or "we") helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – by providing the opportunity to shop in both retail stores and through eCommerce, and to access our other service offerings. Through innovation, we strive to continuously improve a customer-centric experience that seamlessly integrates our eCommerce and retail stores in an omni-channel offering that saves time for our customers. Each week, we serve approximately 230 million customers who visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites under 46 banners in 24 countries.
Our strategy is to make every day easier for busy families, operate with discipline, sharpen our culture and become more digital, and make trust a competitive advantage. Making life easier for busy families includes our commitment to price leadership, which has been and will remain a cornerstone of our business, as well as increasing convenience to save our customers time. By leading on price, we earn the trust of our customers every day by providing a broad assortment of quality merchandise and services at everyday low prices ("EDLP"). EDLP is our pricing philosophy under which we price items at a low price every day so our customers trust that our prices will not change under frequent promotional activity. Everyday low cost ("EDLC") is our commitment to control expenses so our cost savings can be passed along to our customers.
Our operations comprise three reportable segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club. Our fiscal year ends on January 31 for our United States ("U.S.") and Canadian operations. We consolidate all other operations generally using a one-month lag and on a calendar year basis. Our discussion is as of and for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2022 ("fiscal 2022"), January 31, 2021 ("fiscal 2021") and January 31, 2020 ("fiscal 2020"). During fiscal 2022, we generated total revenues of $572.8 billion, which was comprised primarily of net sales of $567.8 billion.
We maintain our principal offices in Bentonville, Arkansas. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "WMT."
The Development of Our Company
The businesses conducted by our founders began in 1945 when Sam M. Walton opened a franchise Ben Franklin variety store in Newport, Arkansas. In 1946, his brother, James L. Walton, opened a similar store in Versailles, Missouri. Until 1962, our founders' business was devoted entirely to the operation of variety stores. In 1983, we opened our first Sam's Club, and in 1988, we opened our first supercenter. In 1998, we opened our first Walmart Neighborhood Market. In 1991, we began our first international initiative when we entered into a joint venture in Mexico and, as of January 31, 2022, our Walmart International segment conducted business in 23 countries.
In 2000, we began our first eCommerce initiative by creating both walmart.com and samsclub.com. Since then, our eCommerce presence has continued to grow. In 2007, leveraging our physical stores, walmart.com launched its Site to Store service, enabling customers to make a purchase online and pick up merchandise in stores. To date, we now have over 8,000 pickup and 6,000 delivery locations globally. In recent years, we have heavily invested in omni-channel and eCommerce innovation, as well as made several eCommerce acquisitions to better serve our customers. These investments have enabled us to leverage technology, talent and expertise, incubate digitally-native brands, and expand our assortment and service offerings. We have also continued to enhance our eCommerce initiatives internationally, such as with our acquisition of a majority stake of Flipkart Private Limited ("Flipkart"), which is our ecosystem in India that includes eCommerce platforms of Flipkart and Myntra as well as PhonePe, a digital transaction platform.
We are enhancing our ecosystem with our omni-channel capabilities, stores, service offerings, eCommerce websites and marketplaces as well as our supply chain combined with approximately 2.3 million associates as of January 31, 2022 to better serve our customers. Together, we believe these elements produce a flywheel effect which creates relationships where customers view Walmart as their primary destination. In the U.S., our Walmart+ membership incorporates several service offerings which provide enhanced omni-channel shopping experiences and benefits for members. As we execute on our strategy, our flywheel is accelerating through offerings such as our Walmart Connect advertising business, Walmart Fulfillment Services, our health and wellness business, including Walmart Health, and our financial services business. These offerings represent mutually reinforcing pieces of our flywheel centered around our customers around the world who are increasingly seeking convenience.
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Information About Our Segments
We are engaged in global operations of retail, wholesale and other units, as well as eCommerce, located throughout the U.S., Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India and Mexico. We also previously operated in Argentina prior to the sale of Walmart Argentina in fiscal 2021 and operated in the United Kingdom and Japan prior to the sale of those operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2022. Refer to Note 12 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for information on these divestitures. Our operations are conducted in three reportable segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club, which are further described below. Each segment contributes to the Company's operating results differently. However, each has generally maintained a consistent contribution rate to the Company's net sales and operating income in recent years other than minor changes to the contribution rate for the Walmart International segment due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Additional information on our operating segments and geographic information is contained in Note 13 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Walmart U.S. Segment
Walmart U.S. is our largest segment and operates in the U.S., including in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Walmart U.S. is a mass merchandiser of consumer products, operating under the "Walmart" and "Walmart Neighborhood Market" brands, as well as walmart.com and other eCommerce brands. Walmart U.S. had net sales of $393.2 billion for fiscal 2022, representing 69% of our fiscal 2022 consolidated net sales, and had net sales of $370.0 billion and $341.0 billion for fiscal 2021 and 2020, respectively. Of our three segments, Walmart U.S. has historically had the highest gross profit as a percentage of net sales ("gross profit rate"). In addition, Walmart U.S. has historically contributed the greatest amount to the Company's net sales and operating income.
Omni-channel. Walmart U.S. provides an omni-channel experience to customers, integrating retail stores and eCommerce, through services such as pickup and delivery, ship-from-store, and digital pharmacy fulfillment options. As of January 31, 2022, we had approximately 4,600 pickup locations and more than 3,500 same-day delivery locations. Our Walmart+ membership offering provides enhanced omni-channel shopping benefits that currently include unlimited free shipping on eligible items with no order minimum, unlimited delivery from store, fuel and pharmacy discounts, and mobile scan & go for a streamlined in-store shopping experience. We have several eCommerce websites, the largest of which is walmart.com. We define eCommerce sales as sales initiated by customers digitally and fulfilled by a number of methods including our dedicated eCommerce fulfillment centers and leveraging our stores. The following table provides the approximate size of our retail stores as of January 31, 2022:
| Minimum Square Feet | Maximum Square Feet | Average Square Feet | ||||||||||||||||||
| Supercenters (general merchandise and grocery) | 69,000 | 260,000 | 178,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Discount stores (general merchandise and limited grocery) | 30,000 | 221,000 | 105,000 | |||||||||||||||||
Neighborhood markets(1) (grocery) | 28,000 | 65,000 | 42,000 | |||||||||||||||||
(1) Excludes other small formats.
Merchandise. Walmart U.S. does business in three strategic merchandise units, listed below:
•Grocery consists of a full line of grocery items, including dry grocery, snacks, dairy, meat, produce, deli & bakery, frozen foods, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, as well as consumables such as health and beauty aids, pet supplies, household chemicals, paper goods and baby products;
•General merchandise includes:
◦Entertainment (e.g., electronics, toys, seasonal merchandise, wireless, video games, movies, music and books);
◦Hardlines (e.g., automotive, hardware and paint, sporting goods, outdoor living and stationery);
◦Apparel (e.g., apparel for men, women, girls, boys and infants, as well as shoes, jewelry and accessories); and
◦Home (e.g., housewares and small appliances, bed & bath, furniture and home organization, home furnishings, home decor, fabrics and crafts).
•Health and wellness includes pharmacy, over-the-counter drugs and other medical products, optical services and other clinical services.
Brand name merchandise represents a significant portion of the merchandise sold in Walmart U.S. We also market lines of merchandise under our private brands, including brands such as: "Allswell," "Athletic Works," "Bonobos Fielder," "Eloquii Elements," "Equate," "Free Assembly," "Freshness Guaranteed," "George," "Great Value," "Holiday Time," "Hyper Tough," "Mainstays," "Marketside," "No Boundaries," "onn.," "Ozark Trail," "Parent's Choice," "Sam's Choice," "Scoop," "Spring Valley," "Time and Tru," "Way to Celebrate" and "Wonder Nation." The Company also markets lines of merchandise under licensed brands, some of which include: "Avia," "Better Homes & Gardens," "Pioneer Woman" and "Sofia Jeans by Sofia Vergara."
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Periodically, revisions are made to the categorization of the components comprising our strategic merchandise units. When revisions are made, the previous periods' presentation is adjusted to maintain comparability.
The Walmart U.S. business also includes an in-house advertising offering via Walmart Connect, supply chain and fulfillment capabilities to online marketplace sellers via Walmart Fulfillment Services, and access to quality, affordable healthcare via Walmart Health. In Fiscal 2022, Walmart U.S. initiatives also included the launch of a B2B last mile delivery service platform via Walmart GoLocal, and Walmart Luminate which provides a suite of data products to merchants and suppliers. Additional service offerings include fuel, financial services and related products (including through our digital channels, stores and clubs as well as our previously announced fintech joint venture), such as money orders, prepaid access, money transfers, check cashing, bill payment, and certain types of installment lending. Combined, these offerings do not currently represent a significant portion of annual segment revenues.
Operations. Walmart U.S. is available to customers through supercenters, discount stores and neighborhood markets, as well as online or through the mobile application 24 hours a day. Consistent with its strategy, Walmart U.S. continues to develop technology tools and services to better serve customers and help stores operate more efficiently, such as pickup and delivery, Walmart+, ship-from-store and other initiatives which provide convenient and seamless omni-channel shopping experiences.
Seasonal Aspects of Operations. Walmart U.S.'s business is seasonal to a certain extent due to calendar events and national and religious holidays, as well as different weather patterns. Historically, its highest sales volume has occurred in the fiscal quarter ending January 31.
Competition. Walmart U.S. competes with brick and mortar, eCommerce, and omni-channel retailers operating discount, department, retail and wholesale grocers, drug, dollar, variety and specialty stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets and supercenter-type stores, eCommerce retailers, as well as companies that offer services in digital advertising, fulfillment and delivery services, health and wellness, and financial services. Each of these landscapes is highly competitive and rapidly evolving, and new business models and the entry of new, well-funded competitors continue to intensify this competition. Some of our competitors have longer histories in these lines of business, more customers, and greater brand recognition. They may be able to obtain more favorable terms from suppliers and business partners and to devote greater resources to the development of these businesses. In addition, for eCommerce and other internet-based businesses, newer or smaller businesses may be better able to innovate and compete with us.
Our ability to develop and operate units at the right locations and to deliver a customer-centric omni-channel experience largely determines our competitive position within the retail industry. We compete in a variety of ways, including the prices at which we sell our merchandise, merchandise selection availability, services offered to customers, location, store hours, in-store amenities, the shopping convenience and overall shopping experience we offer, the attractiveness and ease of use of our digital platforms, cost and speed of and options for delivery to customers of merchandise purchased through our digital platforms or through our omni-channel integration of our physical and digital operations. We employ many strategies and programs designed to meet competitive pressures within our industry. These strategies include the following:
•EDLP: our pricing philosophy under which we price items at everyday low prices so our customers trust that our prices will not change under frequent promotional activity;
•EDLC: everyday low cost is our commitment to control expenses so our cost savings can be passed along to our customers;
•Omni-channel offerings such as pickup and delivery and our Walmart+ membership offering, all of which enhance convenience and seek to serve customers in the ways they want to be served; and
•Expanding our flywheel and the products and services we offer in areas such as digital advertising, fulfillment services, health and wellness, and financial services.
Distribution. We utilize a total of 157 distribution facilities which are located strategically throughout the U.S. For fiscal 2022, the majority of Walmart U.S.'s purchases of store merchandise were shipped through these facilities, while most of the remaining store merchandise we purchased was shipped directly from suppliers. General merchandise and dry grocery merchandise is transported primarily through the segment's private truck fleet; however, we contract with common carriers to transport the majority of our perishable grocery merchandise. We ship merchandise purchased by customers on our eCommerce platforms by a number of methods from multiple locations including from our 31 dedicated eCommerce fulfillment centers, as well as leveraging our ability to ship or deliver directly from more than 3,500 stores.
Walmart International Segment
Walmart International is our second largest segment and operated in 23 countries outside of the U.S. as of January 31, 2022. Walmart International operates through our wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Chile, and China, and our majority-owned subsidiaries in Africa (which includes Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia), India, as well as Mexico and Central America (which includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua). Walmart International previously operated in Argentina prior to the sale of
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Walmart Argentina in fiscal 2021 and operated in the United Kingdom and Japan prior to the sale of those operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2022. Refer to Note 12 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for discussion of recent divestitures.
Walmart International includes numerous formats divided into two major categories: retail and wholesale. These categories consist of many formats, including: supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs (including Sam's Clubs) and cash & carry, as well as eCommerce through walmart.com.mx, walmart.ca, flipkart.com and other sites. Walmart International had net sales of $101.0 billion for fiscal 2022, representing 18% of our fiscal 2022 consolidated net sales, and had net sales of $121.4 billion and $120.1 billion for fiscal 2021 and 2020, respectively. The gross profit rate is lower than that of Walmart U.S. primarily because of its format mix.
Walmart International's strategy is to create strong local businesses powered by Walmart which means being locally relevant and customer-focused in each of the markets it operates. We are being deliberate about where and how we choose to operate and continue to re-shape the portfolio to best enable long-term, sustainable and profitable growth. As such, we have taken certain strategic actions to strengthen our Walmart International portfolio for the long-term, which include the following highlights over the last three years:
•Divestiture of Walmart Argentina in November 2020.
•Divestiture of Asda Group Limited ("Asda"), our retail operations in the U.K., in February 2021.
•Divestiture of a majority stake in Seiyu, our retail operations in Japan, in March 2021.
Omni-channel. Walmart International provides an omni-channel experience to customers, integrating retail stores and eCommerce, such as through pickup and delivery services in most of our markets, our marketplaces such as Flipkart in India, and a digital transaction platform anchored in payments such as PhonePe in India. Same-day delivery capacity continues to expand in Mexico, including our recent launch of a membership model which provides unlimited same-day delivery from stores, and in China, our partnerships with JD.com and JD Daojia provide customers one-hour delivery by leveraging Walmart stores as fulfillment centers. A value-based internet and telephone service was recently launched in Mexico allowing customers to enjoy digital connectivity.
Generally, retail units' selling areas range in size from 1,400 square feet to 186,000 square feet. Our wholesale stores' selling areas generally range in size from 24,000 square feet to 158,000 square feet. As of January 31, 2022, Walmart International had approximately 2,900 pickup and over 1,900 delivery locations.
Merchandise. The merchandising strategy for Walmart International is similar to that of our operations in the U.S. in terms of the breadth and scope of merchandise offered for sale. While brand name merchandise accounts for a majority of our sales, we have both leveraged U.S. private brands and developed market specific private brands to serve our customers with high quality, low priced items. Along with the private brands we market globally, such as "Equate," "George," "Great Value," "Holiday Time," "Mainstays," "Marketside" and "Parent's Choice," our international markets have developed market specific brands including "Aurrera," "Cambridge," "Extra Special," "Lider," "Myntra," and "PhonePe." In addition, we have developed and continue to grow our relationships with regional and local suppliers in each market to ensure reliable sources of quality merchandise that is equal to national brands at low prices.
Walmart International also offers advertising, financial services and related products in various markets. Our businesses in Mexico and Canada, for example, offer prepaid cards and money transfers, and our PhonePe business in India provides a platform that offers mobile and bill payment, person-to-person (P2P) payment, investment and insurance solutions, financial services and advertising. Combined, these offerings did not represent a significant portion of annual segment revenues.
Operations. The hours of operation for operating units in Walmart International vary by country and by individual markets within countries, depending upon local and national ordinances governing hours of operation. Consistent with its strategy, Walmart International continues to develop technology tools and services to better serve customers and help its various formats operate more efficiently, as well as to provide convenient and seamless omni-channel shopping experiences.
Seasonal Aspects of Operations. Walmart International's business is seasonal to a certain extent. Historically, its highest sales volume has occurred in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. The seasonality of the business varies by country due to different national and religious holidays, festivals and customs, as well as different weather patterns.
Competition. Walmart International competes with brick and mortar, eCommerce, and omni-channel retailers who operate department, drug, discount, variety and specialty stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets and supercenter-type stores, wholesale clubs, home-improvement stores, specialty electronics stores, cash & carry operations and convenience stores, and eCommerce retailers, as well as catalog businesses. Our ability to develop and operate units at the right locations and to deliver a customer-centric omni-channel experience largely determines our competitive position within the retail industry. We believe price leadership is a critical part of our business model and we continue to focus on moving our markets towards an EDLP approach. Additionally, our ability to operate food departments effectively has a significant impact on our competitive position in the markets where we operate. Each of these landscapes is highly competitive and rapidly evolving, and new business models and the entry of new, well-funded competitors continue to intensify this competition. Some of our competitors have longer histories
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in these lines of business, more customers, and greater brand recognition. They may be able to obtain more favorable terms from suppliers and business partners and to devote greater resources to the development of these businesses. In addition, for eCommerce and other internet-based businesses, newer or smaller businesses may be better able to innovate and compete with us.
Distribution. We utilize a total of 179 distribution facilities located in Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India, Mexico and South Africa. Through these facilities, we process and distribute both imported and domestic products to the operating units of the Walmart International segment. During fiscal 2022, the majority of Walmart International's purchases passed through these distribution facilities. Suppliers ship the remainder of Walmart International's purchases directly to our stores in the various markets in which we operate. Across the segment, we have efficient networks connecting physical stores and distribution and fulfillment centers which facilitate the movement of goods to where our customers live. We ship merchandise purchased by customers on our eCommerce platforms by a number of methods from multiple locations including from our 83 dedicated eCommerce fulfillment centers, more than 3,400 eCommerce sort centers and last-mile delivery facilities in India, as well as our physical retail stores.
Sam's Club Segment
Sam's Club operates in 44 states in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. Sam's Club is a membership-only warehouse club that also operates samsclub.com. Sam's Club had net sales of $73.6 billion for fiscal 2022, representing 13% of our consolidated fiscal 2022 net sales, and had net sales of $63.9 billion and $58.8 billion for fiscal 2021 and 2020, respectively. As a membership-only warehouse club, membership income is a significant component of the segment's operating income. Sam's Club operates with a lower gross profit rate and lower operating expenses as a percentage of net sales than our other segments.
Membership. The following two options are available to members:
| Plus Membership | Club Membership | ||||||||||
| Annual Membership Fee | $100 | $45 | |||||||||
| Number of Add-on Memberships ($40 each) | Up to 16 | Up to 8 | |||||||||
All memberships include a spouse/household card at no additional cost. Plus Members are also eligible for free shipping on the majority of merchandise, with no minimum order size, and receive discounts on prescriptions and glasses. Beginning in fiscal 2023, Sam's Club launched a single loyalty rewards currency called Sam's Cash which merges and replaces existing Cash Rewards for Plus members and Cash Back for Sam's Club Mastercard holders. Members may redeem Sam's Cash on purchases in the club and online, to pay for membership fees or for cash in clubs. Sam's Cash does not expire and is available for monthly redemption.
Omni-channel. Sam's Club provides an omni-channel experience to customers, integrating retail stores and eCommerce through such services as Curbside Pickup, mobile Scan & Go, ship-from-club, and delivery-from-club. Members have access to a broad assortment of merchandise and services, including those not found in our clubs, online at samsclub.com and through our mobile commerce applications. The warehouse facility sizes generally range between 32,000 and 168,000 square feet, with an average size of approximately 134,000 square feet.
Merchandise. Sam's Club offers merchandise in the following five merchandise categories:
•Grocery and consumables includes dairy, meat, bakery, deli, produce, dry, chilled or frozen packaged foods, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, floral, snack foods, candy, other grocery items, health and beauty aids, paper goods, laundry and home care, baby care, pet supplies and other consumable items;
•Fuel, tobacco and other categories;
•Home and apparel includes home improvement, outdoor living, gardening, furniture, apparel, jewelry, tools and power equipment, housewares, toys, seasonal items, mattresses, and tire and battery centers;
•Technology, office and entertainment includes consumer electronics and accessories, software, video games, office supplies, appliances, and third-party gift cards; and
•Health and wellness includes pharmacy, optical and hearing services and over-the-counter drugs.
In addition, the Member's Mark private label brand continues to expand its assortment and deliver member value.
Operations. Operating hours for Sam's Clubs are generally Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Additionally, most club locations offer Plus Members the ability to shop before the regular operating hours Monday through Saturday, starting at 8:00 a.m. Consistent with its strategy, Sam's Club continues to develop technology tools to drive a great member experience. Curbside Pickup is available at all clubs to help provide fast, easy and contact-free shopping for members. Sam's Club also offers "Scan & Go," a mobile checkout and payment solution, which allows members to bypass the checkout line.
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Seasonal Aspects of Operations. Sam's Club's business is seasonal to a certain extent due to calendar events and national and religious holidays, as well as different weather patterns. Historically, its highest sales volume has occurred in the fiscal quarter ending January 31.
Competition. Sam's Club competes with other membership-only warehouse clubs, the largest of which is Costco, as well as with discount retailers, retail and wholesale grocers, general merchandise wholesalers and distributors, gasoline stations as well as omni-channel and eCommerce retailers and catalog businesses. At Sam's Club, we provide value at members-only prices, a quality merchandise assortment, and bulk sizing to serve both our Plus and Club members. Our eCommerce website and mobile commerce applications have increasingly become important factors in our ability to compete.
Distribution. We utilize 28 dedicated distribution facilities located strategically throughout the U.S., as well as some of the Walmart U.S. segment's distribution facilities which service the Sam's Club segment for certain items. During fiscal 2022, the majority of Sam's Club's non-fuel club purchases were shipped from these facilities, while the remainder of our purchases were shipped directly to Sam's Club locations by suppliers. Sam's Club ships merchandise purchased on samsclub.com and through its mobile commerce applications by a number of methods including shipments made directly from clubs, 12 dedicated eCommerce fulfillment centers and other distribution centers.
Sam's Club uses a combination of our private truck fleet, as well as common carriers, to transport non-perishable merchandise from distribution facilities to clubs. The segment contracts with common carriers to transport perishable grocery merchandise from distribution facilities to clubs.
Intellectual Property
We regard our trademarks, service marks, copyrights, patents, domain names, trade dress, trade secrets, proprietary technologies, and similar intellectual property as important to our success, and with respect to our associates, customers and others, we rely on trademark, copyright, and patent law, trade-secret protection, and confidentiality and/or license agreements to protect our proprietary rights. We have registered, or applied for the registration of, a number of U.S. and international domain names, trademarks, service marks and copyrights. Additionally, we have filed U.S. and international patent applications covering certain of our proprietary technology. We have licensed in the past, and expect that we may license in the future, certain of our proprietary rights to third parties.
Suppliers and Supply Chain
As a retailer and warehouse club operator, we utilize a global supply chain that includes both U.S. and international suppliers from whom we purchase the merchandise that we sell in our stores, clubs and online. In many instances, we purchase merchandise from producers located near the stores and clubs in which such merchandise will be sold, particularly products in the "fresh" category. We offer our suppliers the opportunity to efficiently sell significant quantities of their products to us. These relationships enable us to obtain pricing that reflects the volume, certainty and cost-effectiveness these arrangements provide to such suppliers, which in turn enables us to provide low prices to our customers. Our suppliers are subject to standards of conduct, including requirements that they comply with local labor laws, local worker safety laws and other applicable laws. Our ability to acquire from our suppliers the assortment and volume of products we wish to offer to our customers, to receive those products within the required time through our supply chain and to distribute those products to our stores and clubs, determines, along with other supply chain logistics matters (such as containers or port access for example), in part, our in-stock levels in our stores and clubs and the attractiveness of our merchandise assortment we offer to our customers and members.
Government Regulation
As a company with global operations, we are subject to the laws of the United States and multiple foreign jurisdictions in which we operate and the rules and regulations of various governing bodies, which may differ among jurisdictions. For additional information, see the risk factors herein in "Item 1A. Risk Factors" under the sub-caption "Legal, Tax, Regulatory, Compliance, Reputational and Other Risks."
Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") Priorities
Our ESG strategy is centered on the concept of creating shared value: we believe we maximize long-term value and create competitive advantage for the Company by serving our stakeholders, including our customers, associates, shareholders, suppliers, business partners, and communities. We believe that addressing such societal needs builds the value of our business, including by enhancing customer and associate trust, creating new revenue streams, managing cost and risk, building capabilities for future advantage, and strengthening the underlying systems we all rely on.
We prioritize the ESG issues that offer the greatest potential for Walmart to create shared value: issues that rank high in relevance to our business and stakeholders and which Walmart is positioned to make a positive impact. Our current ESG priorities are categorized into four broad themes: opportunity, sustainability, community, and ethics and integrity.
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•Opportunity. Retail can be a powerful engine for inclusive economic opportunity. We aim to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to provide opportunity for Walmart associates (as further described in the Human Capital Management section below), our supply chain and the communities we're in to fulfill our customer mission, strengthen our business and help people build a better life for themselves and their families.
•Sustainability. Walmart's sustainability efforts focus on our ability to create and preserve long-term value for both people and planet. With respect to people, our sustainability efforts focus on sourcing responsibly, helping prevent forced labor, empowering women, creating inclusive economic opportunity and selling safer, healthier products. With respect to the planet, our efforts aim to enhance the sustainability of product supply chains by reducing emissions, protecting and restoring nature, and reducing waste. To help address the effects of climate change, Walmart has set science-based targets for emissions reduction, including our goal to achieve zero emissions in our operations by 2040—without offsets—and to reduce or avoid one billion metric tons of emissions in our value chain by 2030 under our Project Gigaton™ initiative.
•Community. Walmart aims to serve and strengthen communities by operating our business in a way that meets the needs of our customer and community stakeholder groups, including by providing safer, healthier and more affordable food and other products, disaster support, associate volunteerism, local grant programs and community cohesion initiatives.
•Ethics and Integrity. At every level of our Company, we work to create a culture that inspires trust among our associates, with our customers, and in the communities we serve.
We periodically publish information on our ESG priorities, strategies, and progress on our corporate website and may update those disclosures from time to time. Nothing on our website, including our ESG reporting, documents or sections thereof, shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Human Capital Management
Our commitment to help people around the world save money and live better is delivered by our associates who make the difference for our customers every day. As of the end of fiscal 2022, we employed approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide, with approximately 1.7 million associates in the U.S. and approximately 0.6 million associates internationally. In the U.S., approximately 94% of these associates are hourly and approximately 69% are full-time.
We believe the strength of our workforce, our associates, is a significant contributor to our success. Walmart is a place of opportunity, not only as a foundational entry point to develop critical skills that are relevant for a variety of careers, but also a place where people can grow in their careers across our global omni-channel business. As customer expectations and technology change the nature of work, we are focused on attracting, developing, rewarding, and retaining associates to thrive in an ever-changing environment. Approximately 75% of our U.S. salaried store, club and supply chain management started their careers in hourly positions. Our focus on providing a path of career opportunity for our associates through robust training, competitive wages and benefits, and opportunities for advancement creates a strong associate value proposition. The COVID-19 pandemic and the related reassessment taking place across the workforce had an impact on our retention of associates and as a result turnover in the U.S. increased compared to the previous fiscal year.
Our workforce strategy includes the following strategic priorities:
Inclusion - Build a Walmart for everyone: a diverse, equitable and inclusive company, where associates' ideas and opinions matter. We are focused on creating an inclusive culture and a diverse associate base. Creating an environment where all associates believe they belong and are empowered to be themselves, which we believe is essential in serving our customers now and in the future. We publish our diversity representation twice yearly, and hold ourselves accountable to providing recurring culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion updates to senior leadership, including our President and CEO, and members of the Board of Directors. Of the approximately 2.3 million associates employed worldwide, 53% identify as women. In the U.S., 49% of the approximately 1.7 million associates identify as people of color.
We review our processes regarding our commitment to fair-pay practices. We are committed to creating a performance culture where associates are rewarded based on meaningful factors such as qualifications, experience, performance, and the work they do.
To build a company where associates feel engaged, valued and heard, we gather and respond to associates' feedback in a variety of ways, including but not limited to an anonymous, periodic associate engagement survey, our Open Door process, and one-on-one interactions. Management reviews the results of feedback obtained from our formal associate engagement survey. Feedback and suggestions received through these channels have led to meaningful changes in our business.
Well-being - Focus on the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of our associates. We invest in our associates by offering competitive wages, as well as a broad range of benefits that vary based on customary local practices and statutory requirements, and we believe these investments in our associates are important to our future. In the U.S., we offer affordable healthcare coverage to our full-time and eligible part-time associates as well as company paid benefits such as 401(k) match,
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maternity leave, a paid parental leave program to all full-time associates, paid time off, Associate Stock Purchase Plan match, life insurance, behavioral health services, and a store discount card or Sam's Club membership. Additional information about how we invest in our associates' well-being, including wage structure and pay, can be found in our Human Capital brief in our most recent ESG reporting, which is available on our corporate website. Nothing on our website, including our ESG reporting documents, or sections thereof, shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K or incorporated by reference into any of our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information relating to retirement-related benefits we provide to our associates is included in Note 11 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
The health and safety of our associates remain our biggest priorities and we continue to focus on enabling access to vaccines, providing safeguards within facilities, and supporting associates. We encourage all associates to consider the COVID-19 vaccine and provide access to make the decision easier. Associates can become vaccinated while on the clock or receive paid time off to do so. Our COVID-leave policy, which was implemented in March 2020 to support associates during the pandemic, has been extended through March 31, 2022.
Growth - Provide ongoing growth, development and learning opportunities for associates and continue to attract talent with new skills. We are invested in the growth of our associates in support of our business and their success. We invest in associate development – including new roles and career paths, cross-training, on-the-job learning and coaching, and formal, classroom-style training such as Walmart Academy in the U.S. We also provide access to educational opportunities for our eligible associates through our Live Better U program, which provides a pathway to earn a high school diploma or a college degree at no cost, as well as multiple digital learning opportunities.
Digital - Accelerate digital transformation and ways of working to improve the associate experience and drive business results. To deliver a seamless customer and associate experience, we continue to invest in digital tools to improve associate productivity, engagement, and performance. As more customers shop digitally, we have adapted by adding more roles in eCommerce fulfillment and our home office associates have accelerated tech-based solutions that enhance the customer and associate experiences.
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Information About Our Executive Officers
The following chart names the executive officers of the Company as of the date of the filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K with the SEC, each of whom is elected by and serves at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. The business experience shown for each officer has been his or her principal occupation for at least the past five years, unless otherwise noted.
| Name | Business Experience | Current Position Held Since | Age | |||||||||||||||||
| Daniel J. Bartlett | Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, effective June 2013. From November 2007 to June 2013, he served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of U.S. Operations at Hill & Knowlton, Inc., a public relations company. | 2013 | 50 | |||||||||||||||||
| M. Brett Biggs | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective January 2016. From January 2014 to December 2015, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Walmart International. | 2016 | 53 | |||||||||||||||||
| Rachel Brand | Executive Vice President, Global Governance, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, effective April 2018. From May 2017 to February 2018, she served as Associate Attorney General in the United States Department of Justice. From January 2017 to May 2017, Ms. Brand was an Associate Professor of Law at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School. From August 2012 to February 2017, she served as a board member on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board of the U.S. government. | 2018 | 48 | |||||||||||||||||
| David M. Chojnowski | Senior Vice President and Controller effective January 2017. From October 2014 to January 2017, he served as Vice President and Controller, Walmart U.S. | 2017 | 52 | |||||||||||||||||
| John Furner | Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart U.S. effective November 2019. From February 2017 until November 2019, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer, Sam's Club. From October 2015 to January 2017, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer of Sam's Club. | 2019 | 47 | |||||||||||||||||
| Suresh Kumar | Executive Vice President, Global Chief Technology Officer and Chief Development Officer effective July 2019. From February 2018 until June 2019, Mr. Kumar was Vice President and General Manager at Google LLC. From May 2014 until February 2018, he was Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Corporation. | 2019 | 57 | |||||||||||||||||
| Judith McKenna | Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International, effective February 2018. From February 2015 to January 2018, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Walmart U.S. | 2018 | 55 | |||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn McLay | Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sam's Club effective November 15, 2019. From February 2019 to November 2019, she served as Executive Vice President, Walmart U.S. Neighborhood Markets. From December 2015 until February 2019, she served as Senior Vice President, U.S. Supply Chain. Ms. McLay originally joined the Company in April 2015 as Vice President of U.S. Finance and Strategy. | 2019 | 48 | |||||||||||||||||
| C. Douglas McMillon | President and Chief Executive Officer, effective February 2014. From February 2009 to January 2014, he served as Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International. | 2014 | 55 | |||||||||||||||||
| Donna Morris | Executive Vice President, Global People, and Chief People Officer, effective February 2020. From April 2002 to January 2020, she worked at Adobe Inc. in various roles, including most recently, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice President, Employee Experience. | 2020 | 54 | |||||||||||||||||
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Our Website and Availability of SEC Reports and Other Information
Our corporate website is located at www.stock.walmart.com. We file with or furnish to the SEC Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, amendments to those reports, proxy statements and annual reports to shareholders, and, from time to time, other documents. The reports and other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC are available to investors on or through our corporate website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with or furnish them to the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, such as the Company, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov. Our SEC filings, our Reporting Protocols for Senior Financial Officers and our Code of Conduct can be found on our website at www.stock.walmart.com. These documents are available in print to any shareholder who requests a copy by writing or calling our Investor Relations Department, which is located at our principal offices.
A description of any substantive amendment or waiver of Walmart's Reporting Protocols for Senior Financial Officers or our Code of Conduct for our chief executive officer, our chief financial officer and our controller, who is our principal accounting officer, will be disclosed on our website at www.stock.walmart.com under the Corporate Governance section. Any such description will be located on our website for a period of 12 months following the amendment or waiver.
| ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS | ||||
The risks described below could, in ways we may or may not be able to accurately predict, materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial position and liquidity. Our business operations could also be affected by additional factors that apply to all companies operating in the U.S. and globally. The following risk factors do not identify all risks that we may face.
Strategic Risks
Failure to successfully execute our omni-channel strategy and the cost of our investments in eCommerce and technology may materially adversely affect our market position, net sales and financial performance.
The retail business continues to rapidly evolve and consumers increasingly embrace digital shopping. As a result, the portion of total consumer expenditures with retailers and wholesale clubs occurring through digital platforms is increasing and the pace of this increase could continue to accelerate.
Our strategy, which includes investments in eCommerce, technology, talent, supply chain automation, acquisitions, joint ventures, store remodels and other customer initiatives, may not adequately or effectively allow us to continue to grow our eCommerce business, increase comparable sales, maintain or grow our overall market position or otherwise offset the impact on the growth of our business of a moderated pace of new store and club openings. The success of this strategy will depend in large measure on our ability to continue building and delivering a seamless omni-channel shopping experience and interconnected ecosystem for our customers that deepens our relationships with our customers across our various businesses and partnerships and reinforces our overall flywheel strategy. The success of this strategy is further subject to the related risks discussed in this Item 1A. With the interconnected components of this flywheel strategy and an increasing allocation of capital expenditures focused on these initiatives, our failure to successfully execute on individual components of this strategy may adversely affect our market position, net sales and financial performance which could also result in impairment charges to intangible assets or other long-lived assets. In addition, a greater concentration of eCommerce sales, including increasing online grocery sales, could result in a reduction in the amount of traffic in our stores and clubs, which would, in turn, reduce the opportunities for cross-store or cross-club sales of merchandise that such traffic creates and could reduce our sales within our stores and clubs and materially adversely affect our financial performance.
Furthermore, the cost of certain investments in eCommerce, technology, talent, automation, including any operating losses incurred, will adversely impact our financial performance in the short-term and failure to realize the benefits of these investments may adversely impact our financial performance over the longer term.
If we do not timely identify or effectively respond to consumer trends or preferences, it could negatively affect our relationship with our customers, demand for the products and services we sell, our market share and the growth of our business.
It is difficult to predict consistently and successfully the products and services our customers will demand and changes in their shopping patterns. The success of our business depends in part on how accurately we predict consumer demand, availability of merchandise, the related impact on the demand for existing products and services and the competitive environment. Price transparency, assortment of products, customer experience, convenience, ease and the speed and cost of shipping are of primary importance to customers and continue to increase in importance, particularly as a result of digital tools and social media available to consumers and the choices available to consumers for purchasing products. Our failure to adequately or effectively respond to changing consumer tastes, preferences (including those related to ESG issues) and shopping patterns, or any other failure on our part to timely identify or effectively respond to changing consumer tastes, preferences and shopping patterns
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could negatively affect our reputation and relationship with our customers, the demand for the products we sell or services we offer, our market share and the growth of our business.
We face strong competition from other retailers, wholesale club operators, omni-channel retailers, and other businesses which could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
Each of our segments competes for customers, employees, digital prominence, products and services and in other important aspects of its business with many other local, regional, national and global physical, eCommerce and omni-channel retailers, wholesale club operators and retail intermediaries, as well as companies that offer services in digital advertising, fulfillment and delivery services, health and wellness, and financial services. The omni-channel retail landscape is highly competitive and rapidly evolving, and the entry of new, well-funded competitors may increase competitive pressures. In addition, for eCommerce and other internet-based businesses, newer or smaller businesses may be better able to innovate and compete with us.
We compete in a variety of ways, including the prices at which we sell our merchandise, merchandise selection and availability, services offered to customers, location, store hours, in-store amenities, the shopping convenience and overall shopping experience we offer, the attractiveness and ease of use of our digital platforms, cost and speed of and options for delivery to customers of merchandise purchased through our digital platforms or through our omni-channel integration of our physical and digital operations.
A failure to respond effectively to competitive pressures and changes in the retail and other markets in which we operate, omni-channel innovations and omni-channel ecosystems developed by our competitors or delays or failure in execution of our strategy could materially adversely affect our financial performance. See "Item 1. Business" above for additional discussion of the competitive situation of each of our reportable segments.
Certain segments of the retail industry are undergoing consolidation or substantially reducing operations, whether due to bankruptcy, consolidation or other factors. Such consolidation, or other business combinations or alliances, competitive omni-channel ecosystems, or reductions in operations may result in competitors with greatly improved financial resources, improved access to merchandise, greater market penetration and other improvements in their competitive positions. Such business combinations or alliances could allow these companies to provide a wider variety of products and services at competitive prices, which could adversely affect our financial performance.
General or macro-economic factors, both domestically and internationally, may materially adversely affect our financial performance.
General economic conditions and other economic factors, globally or in one or more of the markets we serve, may adversely affect our financial performance. Higher interest rates, lower or higher prices of petroleum products, including crude oil, natural gas, gasoline, and diesel fuel, higher costs for electricity and other energy, weakness in the housing market, inflation, deflation, increased costs of essential services, such as medical care and utilities, higher levels of unemployment, decreases in consumer disposable income, unavailability of consumer credit, higher consumer debt levels, changes in consumer spending and shopping patterns, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, higher tax rates, imposition of new taxes or other changes in tax laws, changes in healthcare laws, other regulatory changes, the imposition of tariffs or other measures that create barriers to or increase the costs associated with international trade, overall economic slowdown or recession and other economic factors in the U.S. or in any of the other markets in which we operate could adversely affect consumer demand for the products and services we sell in the U.S. or such other markets, change the mix of products we sell to one with a lower average gross margin, cause a slowdown in discretionary purchases of goods, adversely affect our net sales and result in slower inventory turnover and greater markdowns of inventory, or otherwise materially adversely affect our operations and operating results and could result in impairment charges to intangible assets, goodwill or other long-lived assets.
In addition, the economic factors listed above, any other economic factors or circumstances resulting in higher transportation, labor, insurance or healthcare costs or commodity prices, and other economic factors in the U.S. and other countries in which we operate can increase our cost of sales and operating, selling, general and administrative expenses and otherwise materially adversely affect our operations and operating results.
The economic factors that affect our operations may also adversely affect the operations of our suppliers, which can result in an increase in the cost to us of the goods we sell to our customers or, in more extreme cases, in certain suppliers not producing goods in the volume typically available to us for sale.
The performance of strategic alliances and other business relationships to support the expansion of our business could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
We may enter into strategic alliances and other business relationships in the countries in which we have existing operations or in other markets to expand our business. These arrangements may not generate the level of sales we anticipate when entering into the arrangement or may otherwise adversely impact our business and competitive position relative to the results we could
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have achieved in the absence of such alliance. In addition, any investment we make in connection with a strategic alliance, business relationship or in certain of our recently divested markets, could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
Operational Risks
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial position and results of operations continues to be unpredictable, and we may be unable to sustain our revenue growth rate in the future.
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be highly unpredictable and volatile in light of the potential for a resurgence of infection rates or as a result of future mutations, variants, or related strains of the virus. Recent years have demonstrated the widespread and varying impacts of the pandemic on certain business operations, demand for our products and services, in-stock positions, costs of doing business, access to inventory, supply chain operations, the extent and duration of measures to try to contain the virus (such as travel bans and restrictions, quarantines, shelter-in-place orders, business and government shutdowns, and other restrictions on retailers), our ability to predict future performance, exposure to litigation, and our financial performance, among other things.
Customer behaviors have changed rapidly during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the event of a resurgence of infections or future mutations, variants or related strains of the virus become prevalent, customer demand for certain products may fluctuate and customer behaviors may change, which may challenge our ability to anticipate and/or adjust inventory levels to meet that demand. These factors may result in higher out-of-stock positions in certain products, as well as delays in delivering those products, and could impact inventory levels in the future.
Other factors and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the severity and duration of the pandemic, including whether there are additional outbreaks or spikes in the number of COVID-19 cases, future mutations or related strains of the virus in areas in which we and our suppliers operate; further increased operational costs associated with operating during a global pandemic; evolving macroeconomic factors, including general economic uncertainty, unemployment rates, and recessionary pressures; unknown consequences on our business performance and initiatives stemming from the substantial investment of time, capital and other resources to the pandemic response; the effectiveness and extent of administration of vaccinations and medical treatments for COVID-19 or other variants; the pace of recovery when the pandemic subsides; and the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, including consumer behaviors. These risks and their impacts are difficult to predict and could otherwise disrupt and adversely affect our operations and our financial performance.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased revenue growth relative to historic trends, and has particularly accelerated our eCommerce growth. These results, as well as those of other metrics such as net income and other financial and operating data, may not be indicative of results for future periods. Once the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, particularly as vaccines become more widely available, and customers return to work or school or are otherwise no longer subject to the aforementioned containment directives and similar mandates, a failure by us to continue capitalizing on growth opportunities may result in declining revenue and future operating results may fall below expectations.
To the extent that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to adversely affect the U.S. and the global economy, it may also heighten other risks described in this section, including but not limited to those related to consumer behavior and expectations, competition, our reputation, implementation of strategic initiatives, cybersecurity threats, payment-related risks, technology systems disruption, supply chain disruptions, labor availability and cost, litigation, and regulatory requirements.
Natural disasters, climate change, geopolitical events, global health epidemics or pandemics and catastrophic events could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
The occurrence of one or more natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tropical storms, floods, fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, typhoons; weather conditions such as major or extended winter storms, droughts and tornadoes, whether as a result of climate change or otherwise; geopolitical events; global health epidemics or pandemics or other contagious outbreaks such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; and catastrophic events, such as war, civil unrest, terrorist attacks or other acts of violence, including active shooter situations (such as those that have occurred in our U.S. stores), in countries in which we operate, in which our suppliers are located, or in other areas of the world (such as in Ukraine where armed hostilities currently exist between Ukraine and Russia) could adversely affect our operations and financial performance.
Such events could result in physical damage to, or the complete loss of, one or more of our properties, the closure of one or more stores, clubs and distribution or fulfillment centers, limitations on store or club operating hours, the lack of an adequate work force in a market, the inability of customers and associates to reach or have transportation to our stores and clubs affected by such events, the evacuation of the populace from areas in which our stores, clubs and distribution and fulfillment centers are located, the unavailability of our digital platforms to our customers, changes in the purchasing patterns of consumers (including the frequency of visits by consumers to physical retail locations, whether as a result of limitations on large gatherings, travel and movement limitations or otherwise) and in consumers' disposable income, the temporary or long-term disruption in the supply of products from some suppliers, the disruption in the transport of goods from overseas, the disruption or delay in the delivery of goods to our distribution and fulfillment centers or stores within a country in which we are operating, the reduction in the availability of products in our stores, increases in the costs of procuring products as a result of either reduced availability
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or economic sanctions, increased transportation costs (whether due to fuel prices, fuel supply, or otherwise), the disruption (whether directly or indirectly) of critical infrastructure systems, banking systems, utility services or energy availability to our stores, clubs and our facilities, and the disruption in our communications with our stores, clubs and our other facilities.
Furthermore, the long-term impacts of climate change, whether involving physical risks (such as extreme weather conditions, drought, or rising sea levels) or transition risks (such as regulatory or technology changes) are expected to be widespread and unpredictable. Certain impacts of physical risk may include: temperature changes that increase the heating and cooling costs at stores, clubs, and distribution or fulfillment centers; extreme weather patterns that affect the production or sourcing of certain commodities; flooding and extreme storms that damage or destroy our buildings and inventory; and heat and extreme weather events that cause long-term disruption or threats to the habitability of the communities in which Walmart operates. Relative to transition risk, certain impacts may include: changes in energy and commodity prices driven by climate-related weather events; prolonged climate-related events affecting macroeconomic conditions with related effects on consumer spending and confidence; stakeholder perception of our engagement in climate-related policies; and new regulatory requirements resulting in higher compliance risk and operational costs.
We bear the risk of losses incurred as a result of physical damage to, or destruction of, any stores, clubs and distribution or fulfillment centers, loss or spoilage of inventory and business interruption caused by such events. These events and their impacts could otherwise disrupt and adversely affect our operations and could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
Risks associated with our suppliers could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
The products we sell are sourced from a wide variety of domestic and international suppliers. Global sourcing of many of the products we sell is an important factor in our financial performance. We expect our suppliers to comply with applicable laws, including labor, safety, anti-corruption and environmental laws, and to otherwise meet our required supplier standards of conduct. Our ability to find qualified suppliers who uphold our standards, and to access products in a timely and efficient manner and in the large volumes we may demand, is a significant challenge, especially with respect to suppliers located and goods sourced outside the U.S.
Political and economic instability, as well as other impactful events and circumstances in the countries in which our suppliers and their manufacturers are located (such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic), the financial instability of suppliers, suppliers' failure to meet our terms and conditions or our supplier standards (including our responsible sourcing standards), labor problems experienced by our suppliers and their manufacturers, the availability of raw materials to suppliers, merchandise safety and quality issues, disruption or delay in the transportation of merchandise from the suppliers and manufacturers to our stores, clubs, and other facilities, including as a result of labor slowdowns at any port at which a material amount of merchandise we purchase enters into the markets in which we operate, currency exchange rates, transport availability and cost, transport security, inflation and other factors relating to the suppliers and the countries in which they are located are beyond our control.
In addition, the U.S. foreign trade policies, tariffs and other impositions on imported goods, trade sanctions imposed on certain countries and entities, the limitation on the importation of certain types of goods or of goods containing certain materials from other countries and other factors relating to foreign trade are beyond our control. These and other factors affecting our suppliers and our access to products could adversely affect our financial performance.
If the products we sell are not safe or otherwise fail to meet our customers' expectations, we could lose customers, incur liability for any injuries suffered by customers using or consuming a product we sell or otherwise experience a material impact to our brand, reputation and financial performance. We are also subject to reputational and other risks related to third-party sales on our digital platforms.
Our customers count on us to provide them with safe products. Concerns regarding the safety of food and non-food products that we source from our suppliers or that we prepare and then sell could cause customers to avoid purchasing certain products from us, or to seek alternative sources of supply for all of their food and non-food needs, even if the basis for the concern is outside of our control. Any lost confidence on the part of our customers would be difficult and costly to reestablish and such products also expose us to product liability or food safety claims. As such, any issue regarding the safety of any food or non-food items we sell, regardless of the cause, could adversely affect our brand, reputation and financial performance. In addition, third-parties sell goods on some of our digital platforms, which we refer to as marketplace transactions. Whether laws related to these marketplace transactions apply to us is currently unsettled and any unfavorable changes could expose us to loss of sales, reduction in transactions and deterioration of our competitive position. In addition, we may face reputational, financial and other risks, including liability, for third-party sales of goods that are controversial, counterfeit, pirated, or stolen, or otherwise fail to comply with applicable law or the proprietary rights of others. Although we impose contractual terms on sellers that are intended to prohibit sales of certain type of products, we may not be able to detect, enforce, or collect sufficient damages for breaches of such agreements. Any of these events could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations and impede the execution of our eCommerce growth and flywheel strategy.
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We rely extensively on information systems to process transactions, summarize results and manage our business. Disruptions in our systems could harm our ability to conduct our operations.
Given the number of individual transactions we have each year, it is crucial that we maintain uninterrupted operation of our business-critical information systems. Our information systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, worms, other malicious computer programs, denial-of-service attacks, security incidents and breaches (through cyberattacks, which may be from cybercriminals or sophisticated state-sponsored threat actors), catastrophic events such as fires, major or extended winter storms, tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes, usage errors by our associates or contractors, civil or political unrest, or armed hostilities. Our information systems are essential to our business operations, including the processing of transactions, management of our associates, facilities, logistics, inventories, physical stores and clubs and our online operations. Our information systems are not fully redundant and our disaster recovery planning cannot account for all eventualities. If our systems are damaged, breached, attacked, or cease to function properly, we may have to make a significant investment to repair or replace them, and may experience loss or corruption of critical data as well as suffer interruptions in our business operations in the interim. Any interruption to our information systems may have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations. In addition, we frequently update our information technology hardware, software, processes and systems. The risk of system disruption is increased when significant system changes are undertaken. If we fail to timely integrate and update our information systems and processes, we may fail to realize the cost savings or operational benefits anticipated to be derived from these initiatives.
If the technology-based systems that give our customers the ability to shop with us online do not function effectively, our operating results, as well as our ability to grow our omni-channel business globally, could be materially adversely affected.
Increasingly, customers are using computers, tablets, and smart phones to shop with us and with our competitors and to do comparison shopping. We use social media, online advertising, and email to interact with our customers and as a means to enhance their shopping experience. As a part of our omni-channel sales strategy, we offer various pickup, delivery and shipping programs including options where many products available for purchase online can be picked up by the customer or member at a local Walmart store or Sam's Club, which provides additional customer traffic at such stores and clubs. Omni-channel retailing is a rapidly evolving part of the retail industry and of our operations around the world. We must anticipate and meet our customers' changing expectations while adjusting for technology investments and developments in our competitors' operations through focusing on the building and delivery of a seamless shopping experience across all channels by each operating segment. Any failure on our part to provide attractive, user-friendly secure digital platforms that offer a wide assortment of merchandise at competitive prices and with low cost and rapid delivery options and that continually meet the changing expectations of online shoppers and developments in online and digital platform merchandising and related technology could place us at a competitive disadvantage, result in the loss of eCommerce and other sales, harm our reputation with customers, have a material adverse impact on the growth of our eCommerce business globally and have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.
Our digital platforms, which are increasingly important to our business and continue to grow in complexity and scope, and the systems on which they run, including those applications and systems in our acquired eCommerce businesses, are regularly subject to cyberattacks. Those attacks involve attempts to gain unauthorized access to our eCommerce websites (including marketplace platforms) or mobile commerce applications to obtain and misuse customers' or members' information including payment information and related risks discussed in this Item 1A. Such attacks, if successful, in addition to potential data misuse and/or loss, may also create denials of service or otherwise disable, degrade or sabotage one or more of our digital platforms or otherwise significantly disrupt our customers' and members' shopping experience, our supply chain integrity and continuity, and our ability to efficiently operate our business. If we are unable to maintain the security of our digital platforms and keep them operating within acceptable parameters, we could suffer loss of sales, reductions in transactions, reputational damage and deterioration of our competitive position and incur liability for any damage to customers or others whose personal or confidential information is unlawfully obtained and misused, any of which events could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations and impede the execution of our strategy for the growth of our business.
Any failure to maintain the privacy or security of the information relating to our company, customers, members, associates and vendors, whether as a result of cyberattacks on our information systems or otherwise, could damage our reputation, result in litigation or other legal actions against us, cause us to incur substantial additional costs, and materially adversely affect our business and operating results.
Like most retailers, we receive and store in our information systems personal information about our customers and members, and we receive and store information concerning our associates and vendors. Some of that information is stored digitally in connection with the digital platforms that we use to conduct and facilitate our various businesses. In addition, we and our third-party service providers store and maintain health-related personal information, pharmacy, and medical records in connection with our health and wellness and pharmacy business. We also utilize third-party service providers for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, for digital storage technology, content delivery to customers and members, back-office support, and other functions. Such providers may have access to information we hold about our customers, members, associates or
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vendors. In addition, our eCommerce operations depend upon the secure transmission of confidential information over public networks, including information permitting cashless payments.
Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and those threats and the means for obtaining access to information in digital and other storage media are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent. Attacks against information systems and devices, whether our own or those of our third-party service providers, create risk of cybersecurity incidents, including ransomware, malware, phishing incidents. We expect to continue to experience such attempted attacks in the future. Cyberattacks and threat actors can be sponsored by particular countries or sophisticated criminal organizations or be the work of hackers with a wide range of motives and expertise. We and the businesses with which we interact have experienced and continue to experience threats to data and systems, including by perpetrators of random or targeted malicious cyberattacks, computer viruses, phishing incidents, worms, bot attacks, ransomware or other destructive or disruptive software and attempts to misappropriate customer information, including credit card and payment information, and cause system failures and disruptions. Mitigation and remediation recommendations continue to evolve, and addressing vulnerabilities is a priority for us. The increased use of remote work infrastructure due to the COVID-19 pandemic has also increased the possible attack surfaces. Some of our systems and third-party service providers' systems have experienced security incidents or breaches and although they did not have a material adverse effect on our operating results, there can be no assurance of a similar result in the future.
Associate error or malfeasance, faulty password management, social engineering or other vulnerabilities and irregularities may also result in a defeat of our or our third-party service providers' security measures and a compromise or breach of our or their information systems. Moreover, hardware, software or applications we use may have inherent vulnerabilities or defects of design, manufacture or operations or could be inadvertently or intentionally implemented or used in a manner that could compromise information security.
Any compromise of our data security systems or of those of businesses with which we interact, which results in confidential information being accessed, obtained, damaged, disclosed, destroyed, modified, lost or used by unauthorized persons could harm our reputation and expose us to regulatory actions (including, with respect to health information, liability under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or "HIPAA"), customer attrition, remediation expenses, and claims from customers, members, associates, vendors, financial institutions, payment card networks and other persons, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business operations, financial position and results of operations. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently and may not immediately produce signs of a compromise, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures and we or our third-party service providers may not discover any security event, breach, vulnerability or compromise of information for a significant period of time after the security incident occurs. To the extent that any cyberattack, ransomware or incursion in our or one of our third-party service provider's information systems results in the loss, damage, misappropriation or other compromise of information, we may be materially adversely affected by claims from customers, financial institutions, regulatory authorities, payment card networks and others.
Our compliance programs, information technology, and enterprise risk management efforts cannot eliminate all systemic risk. Disruptions in our systems caused by security incidents, breaches or cyberattacks – including attacks on those parties we do business with (such as strategic partners, suppliers, banks, or utility companies) – could harm our ability to conduct our operations, which may have a material effect on us, may result in losses that could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations, or may have a cascading effect that adversely impacts our partners, third-party service providers, customers, financial services firms, and other third parties that we interact with on a regular basis.
In addition, such security-related events could be widely publicized and could materially adversely affect our reputation with our customers, members, associates, vendors and shareholders, could harm our competitive position particularly with respect to our eCommerce operations, and could result in a material reduction in our net sales in our eCommerce operations, as well as in our stores thereby materially adversely affecting our operations, net sales, results of operations, financial position, cash flows and liquidity. Such events could also result in the release to the public of confidential information about our operations and financial position and performance and could result in litigation or other legal actions against us or the imposition of penalties, fines, fees or liabilities, which may not be covered by our insurance policies. Moreover, a security compromise or ransomware event could require us to devote significant management resources to address the problems created by the issue and to expend significant additional resources to upgrade further the security measures we employ to guard personal and confidential information against cyberattacks and other attempts to access or otherwise compromise such information and could result in a disruption of our operations, particularly our digital operations.
We accept payments using a variety of methods, including cash, checks, credit and debit cards, and our private label credit cards and gift cards, and we may offer new payment options over time, which may have information security risk implications. As a retailer accepting debit and credit cards for payment, we are subject to various industry data protection standards and protocols, such as payment network security operating guidelines and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. We cannot be certain that the security measures we maintain to protect all of our information technology systems are able to prevent, contain or detect cyberattacks, cyberterrorism, security incidents, breaches, or other compromises from known malware or ransomware or other threats that may be developed in the future. In certain circumstances, our contracts with
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payment card processors and payment card networks (such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover) generally require us to adhere to payment card network rules which could make us liable to payment card issuers and others if information in connection with payment cards and payment card transactions that we process is compromised, which liabilities could be substantial.
Additionally, through various financial service partners, we offer money transfers, digital payment platforms, bill payment, money orders, check cashing, prepaid access, co-branded credits cards, installment lending, and earned wage access. These products and services require us to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including global anti-money laundering and sanctions laws and regulations as well as international, federal and state consumer financial laws and regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in fines, sanctions, penalties and harm to our reputation.
The Company also has compliance obligations associated with privacy laws enacted to protect and regulate the collection, use, retention, disclosure and transfer of personal information, which include liability for security and privacy breaches. Among other obligations, breaches may trigger obligations under federal and state laws to notify affected individuals, government agencies and the media. Consequently, cybersecurity attacks that cause a data breach could subject us to fines, sanctions and other legal liability and harm our reputation.
Changes in the results of our health and wellness business could adversely affect our overall results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.
Walmart has retail pharmacy operations in our Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club segments, as well as the recent addition of Walmart Health locations in a number of states which offer medical, dental, optometry, immunizations, and other health services. A large majority of our retail pharmacy net sales are generated by filling prescriptions for which we receive payment through established contractual relationships with third-party payers and payment administrators, such as private insurers, governmental agencies and pharmacy benefit managers ("PBMs").
These operations are subject to numerous risks, including: reductions in the third-party reimbursement rates for drugs; changes in our payer mix (i.e., shifts in the relative distribution of our pharmacy customers across drug insurance plans and programs toward plans and programs with less favorable reimbursement terms); changes in third-party payer drug formularies (i.e., the schedule of prescription drugs approved for reimbursement or which otherwise receive preferential coverage treatment); growth in, and our participation in or exclusion from, pharmacy payer network arrangements including exclusive and preferred pharmacy network arrangements operated by PBMs and/or any insurance plan or program; increases in the prices we pay for brand name and generic prescription drugs we sell; increases in the administrative burdens associated with seeking third-party reimbursement; changes in the frequency with which new brand name pharmaceuticals become available to consumers; introduction of lower cost generic drugs as substitutes for existing brand name drugs for which there was no prior generic drug competition; changes in drug mix (i.e., the relative distribution of drugs customers purchase at our pharmacies between brands and generics); changes in the health insurance market generally; changes in the scope of or the elimination of Medicare Part D or Medicaid drug programs; increased competition from other retail pharmacy operations including competitors offering online retail pharmacy options with or without home delivery options; further consolidation and strategic alliances among third-party payers, PBMs or purchasers of drugs; overall economic conditions and the ability of our pharmacy customers to pay for drugs prescribed for them to the extent the costs are not reimbursed by a third-party; failure to meet any performance or incentive thresholds to which our level of third-party reimbursement may be subject; changes in laws or regulations or the practices of third-party payers and PBMs related to the use of third-party financial assistance to assist our pharmacy customers with paying for drugs prescribed for them; and any additional changes in the regulatory environment for the retail pharmacy industry and the pharmaceutical industry, including as a result of restrictions on the further implementation of or the repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the enactment and implementation of a law replacing such act, and other changes in laws, rules and regulations that affect our retail pharmacy business.
If the supply of certain pharmaceuticals provided by one or more of our vendors were to be disrupted for any reason, our pharmacy operations could be severely affected until at least such time as we could obtain a new supplier for such pharmaceuticals. Any such disruption could cause reputational damage and result in a significant number of our pharmacy customers transferring their prescriptions to other pharmacies.
One or a combination of such factors may adversely affect the volumes of brand name and generic pharmaceuticals we sell, our cost of sales associated with our retail pharmacy operations, and the net sales and gross margin of those operations or result in the loss of cross-store or cross-club selling opportunities and, in turn, adversely affect our overall net sales, other results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.
Our failure to attract and retain qualified associates, increases in wage and benefit costs, changes in laws and other labor issues could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
Our ability to continue to conduct and expand our operations depends on our ability to attract and retain a large and growing number of qualified associates globally. Our ability to meet our labor needs, including our ability to find qualified personnel to fill positions that become vacant at our existing stores, clubs, distribution and fulfillment centers and corporate offices, while
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controlling our associate wage and related labor costs, is generally subject to numerous external factors, including the availability of a sufficient number of qualified persons in the work force of the markets in which we operate, unemployment levels within those markets, prevailing wage rates, changing demographics, health and other insurance costs and adoption of new or revised employment and labor laws and regulations. Additionally, our ability to successfully execute organizational changes, including management transitions within the Company's senior leadership, and to effectively motivate and retain associates are critical to our business success. If we are unable to locate, attract or retain qualified personnel, or manage leadership transition successfully, the quality of service we provide to our customers may decrease and our financial performance may be adversely affected.
In addition, if our costs of labor or related costs increase for other reasons or if new or revised labor laws, rules or regulations or healthcare laws are adopted or implemented that further increase our labor costs, our financial performance could be materially adversely affected.
Financial Risks
Failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance could adversely affect the market price and volatility of our stock.
We believe that the price of our stock generally reflects high market expectations for our future operating results. Any failure to meet or delay in meeting these expectations, including our consolidated net sales, consolidated operating income, capital expenditures, comparable store and club sales growth rates, eCommerce growth rates, gross margin, or earnings and adjusted earnings per share could cause the market price of our stock to decline, as could changes in our dividend or stock repurchase programs or policies, changes in our effective tax rates, changes in our financial estimates and recommendations by securities analysts or, failure of Walmart's performance to compare favorably to that of other retailers may have a negative effect on the price of our stock.
Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates may materially adversely affect our financial performance and our reported results of operations.
Our operations in countries other than the U.S. are conducted primarily in the local currencies of those countries. Our Consolidated Financial Statements are denominated in U.S. dollars, and to prepare those financial statements we must translate the amounts of the assets, liabilities, net sales, other revenues and expenses of our operations outside of the U.S. from local currencies into U.S. dollars using exchange rates for the current period. In recent years, fluctuations in currency exchange rates that were unfavorable have had adverse effects on our reported results of operations.
As a result of such translations, fluctuations in currency exchange rates from period-to-period that are unfavorable to us may also result in our Consolidated Financial Statements reflecting significant adverse period-over-period changes in our financial performance or reflecting a period-over-period improvement in our financial performance that is not as robust as it would be without such fluctuations in the currency exchange rates. Such unfavorable currency exchange rate fluctuations will adversely affect the reported performance of our Walmart International operating segment and have a corresponding adverse effect on our reported consolidated results of operations.
We may pay for products we purchase for sale in our stores and clubs around the world with a currency other than the local currency of the country in which the goods will be sold. When we must acquire the currency to pay for such products and the exchange rates for the payment currency fluctuate in a manner unfavorable to us, our cost of sales may increase and we may be unable or unwilling to change the prices at which we sell those goods to address that increase in our costs, with a corresponding adverse effect on our gross profit. Consequently, unfavorable fluctuations in currency exchange rates have and may continue to adversely affect our results of operations.
Legal, Tax, Regulatory, Compliance, Reputational and Other Risks
Our international operations subject us to legislative, judicial, accounting, legal, regulatory, tax, political and economic risks and conditions specific to the countries or regions in which we operate, which could materially adversely affect our business or financial performance.
In addition to our U.S. operations, we operate our retail business in Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India and Mexico.
During fiscal 2022, our Walmart International operations generated approximately 18% of our consolidated net sales. Walmart International's operations in various countries also source goods and services from other countries. Our future operating results in these countries could be negatively affected by a variety of factors, most of which are beyond our control. These factors include political conditions, including political instability, local and global economic conditions, legal and regulatory constraints (such as regulation of product and service offerings including regulatory restrictions (such as foreign ownership restrictions) on eCommerce and retail operations in international markets, such as India), restrictive governmental actions (such as trade protection measures), antitrust and competition law regulatory matters (such as the competition investigations currently
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underway in Mexico related to our subsidiary Wal-Mart de Mexico, in Canada related to our subsidiary Wal-Mart Canada and competition proceedings in India related to our Flipkart subsidiary), local product safety and environmental laws, tax regulations, local labor laws, anti-money laundering laws and regulations, trade policies, currency regulations, laws and regulations regarding consumer and data protection, and other matters in any of the countries or regions in which we operate, now or in the future.
The economies of some of the countries in which we have operations have in the past suffered from high rates of inflation and currency devaluations, which, if they occurred again, could adversely affect our financial performance. Other factors which may impact our international operations include foreign trade, monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. and of other countries, laws, regulations and other activities of foreign governments, agencies and similar organizations, and risks associated with having numerous facilities located in countries that have historically been less stable than the U.S. Additional risks inherent in our international operations generally include, among others, the costs and difficulties of managing international operations, adverse tax consequences and greater difficulty in enforcing intellectual property rights in countries other than the U.S. The various risks inherent in doing business in the U.S. generally also exist when doing business outside of the U.S., and may be exaggerated by the difficulty of doing business in numerous sovereign jurisdictions due to differences in culture, laws and regulations.
In foreign countries in which we have operations, a risk exists that our associates, contractors or agents could, in contravention of our policies, engage in business practices prohibited by U.S. laws and regulations applicable to us, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or the laws and regulations of other countries. We maintain a global policy prohibiting such business practices and have in place a global anti-corruption compliance program designed to ensure compliance with these laws and regulations. Nevertheless, we remain subject to the risk that one or more of our associates, contractors or agents, including those based in or from countries where practices that violate such U.S. laws and regulations or the laws and regulations of other countries may be customary, will engage in business practices that are prohibited by our policies, circumvent our compliance programs and, by doing so, violate such laws and regulations. Any such violations, even if prohibited by our internal policies, could adversely affect our business or financial performance and our reputation.
Changes in tax and trade laws and regulations could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
In fiscal 2022, our Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club operating segments generated approximately 82% of our consolidated net sales. Significant changes in tax and trade policies, including tariffs and government regulations affecting trade between the U.S. and other countries where we source many of the products we sell in our stores and clubs could have an adverse effect on our business and financial performance. A significant portion of the general merchandise we sell in our U.S. stores and clubs is manufactured in other countries. Any such actions including the imposition of further tariffs on imports could increase the cost to us of such merchandise (whether imported directly or indirectly) and cause increases in the prices at which we sell such merchandise to our customers, which could materially adversely affect the financial performance of our U.S. operations and our business.
We are subject to income taxes and other taxes in both the U.S. and the foreign jurisdictions in which we currently operate or have historically operated. The determination of our worldwide provision for income taxes and current and deferred tax assets and liabilities requires judgment and estimation. Our income taxes could be materially adversely affected by earnings being lower than anticipated in jurisdictions that have lower statutory tax rates and higher than anticipated in jurisdictions that have higher statutory tax rates, by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, or by changes in worldwide tax laws, tax rates, regulations or accounting principles.
We are also exposed to future tax legislation, as well as the issuance of future regulations and changes in administrative interpretations of existing tax laws, any of which can impact our current and future years' tax provision. The effect of such changes in tax law could have a material effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. In the U.S., the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "Tax Act") significantly changed federal income tax laws that affect U.S. corporations. As further guidance is issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS, and other standard-setting bodies, any resulting changes in our estimates will be treated in accordance with the relevant accounting guidance. Compliance with the Tax Act and any other new tax rules, regulations, guidance, and interpretations, including collecting information not regularly produced by the Company or unexpected changes in our estimates, may require us to incur additional costs and could affect our results of operations.
In addition, legislatures and taxing authorities in many jurisdictions in which we operate may enact changes to their tax rules. These changes could include modifications that have temporary effect and more permanent changes. The impact of these potential new rules as well as any other changes in domestic and international tax rules and regulations could have a material effect on our effective tax rate.
Furthermore, we are subject to regular review and audit by both domestic and foreign tax authorities as well as subject to the prospective and retrospective effects of changing tax regulations and legislation. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the ultimate tax outcome may materially differ from the tax amounts recorded in our Consolidated Financial
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Statements and may materially affect our income tax provision, net income, or cash flows in the period or periods for which such determination and settlement is made.
Changes in and/or failure to comply with other laws, regulations, and interpretations of such laws and regulations specific to the businesses and jurisdictions in which we operate could materially adversely affect our reputation, market position, or our business and financial performance.
We operate in complex regulated environments in the U.S. and in the other countries in which we operate and could be adversely affected by changes to existing legal requirements including the related interpretations and enforcement practices, new legal requirements and/or any failure to comply with applicable regulations.
Our operations in the U.S. are subject to numerous federal, state and local regulations including licensing and other requirements and reimbursement arrangements affecting our health and wellness operations. The laws and regulations to which we are subject include, but are not limited to: federal and state registration and regulation of pharmacies; dispensing and sale of controlled substances and products containing pseudoephedrine; applicable governmental payer regulations including Medicare and Medicaid; data privacy and security laws and regulations including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the Affordable Care Act; laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment and health and safety matters, including those governing exposure to, and the management and disposal of, hazardous substances; regulations regarding food and drug safety including those of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") and the Drug Enforcement Administration (the "DEA"); trade regulations including those of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and consumer protection and safety regulations including those of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, as well as state regulatory authorities, governing the availability, sale, advertisement and promotion of products we sell and the financial services we offer (including through our digital channels and stores and clubs as well as our previously announced fintech joint venture); anti-kickback laws; anti-money laundering laws; consumer financial protection laws; the Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations; false claims laws; patient inducement regulations; and federal and state laws governing health care fraud and abuse, quality and standards of medical equipment, and the qualifications and practice of the professions of medical, pharmacy, optical care and health care services.
For example, in the U.S., the DEA and various other regulatory authorities regulate the purchase, distribution, maintenance and dispensing of pharmaceuticals and controlled substances. We are required to hold valid DEA and state-level licenses, meet various security and operating standards and comply with the federal and various state controlled substance acts and related regulations governing the sale, dispensing, disposal and holding of controlled substances. The DEA, the FDA and state regulatory authorities have broad enforcement powers, including the ability to seize or recall products and impose significant criminal, civil and administrative sanctions for violations of these laws and regulations. In addition, other health-related legislation at the federal and state level may have an adverse effect on our business or require us to modify certain aspects of our operations. Also, upon the successful completion of the previously announced pending acquisitions by our fintech joint venture, there may be an increased degree of scrutiny by financial regulatory authorities over the newly acquired fintech related businesses, which may result in higher operational costs and an increased possibility for fines and penalties if there is non-compliance with the applicable laws and regulations.
We are also governed by foreign, national and state laws and regulations of general applicability, including laws and regulations related to working conditions, health and safety, equal employment opportunity, employee benefit and other labor and employment matters, laws and regulations related to competition and antitrust matters, and health and wellness related regulations for our pharmacy operations outside of the U.S. Increasing governmental and societal attention to ESG matters, including expanding mandatory and voluntary reporting diligence, and disclosure topics such as climate change, sustainability (including with respect to our supply chain), natural resources, waste reduction, energy, human capital, and risk oversight could expand the nature, scope, and complexity of matters that we are required to control, assess, and report. In addition, certain financial services we offer or make available are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, including those intended to help detect and prevent money laundering, fraud and other illicit activity as well as consumer financial protections laws and U.S. sanctions. We are also subject to data privacy and protection laws regulating the collection, use, retention, disclosure, transfer and processing of personal information, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA"), which was significantly modified by the California Privacy Rights Act ("CPRA"), new comprehensive privacy legislation passed in 2021 in Virginia and Colorado, as well as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") and China's Personal Information Protection Act. The potential effects of these laws are far-reaching and may require us to modify our data processing practices and policies and to incur substantial costs and expenses to comply. In the case of non-compliance with a material provision of the GDPR (such as non-adherence to the core principles of processing personal data), regulators have the authority to levy a fine in an amount that is up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover in the prior year. These administrative fines are discretionary and based, in each case, on a multi-factored approach. Residents in jurisdictions with comprehensive privacy laws have expanded rights to access, correct and require deletion of their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used. The CCPA and CPRA provide for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for data breaches. Furthermore, our marketing and customer engagement activities are subject to communications privacy laws such as the Telephone Consumer
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Protection Act. We may be subjected to penalties and other consequences for noncompliance, including changing some portions of our business. Even an unsuccessful challenge by customer or regulatory authorities of our activities could result in adverse publicity and could require a costly response from and defense by us.
The impact of new laws, regulations and policies and the related interpretations, as well as changes in enforcement practices or regulatory scrutiny generally cannot be predicted, and changes in applicable laws, regulations and policies and the related interpretations and enforcement practices may require extensive system and operational changes, be difficult to implement, increase our operating costs, require significant capital expenditures, or adversely impact the cost or attractiveness of the products or services we offer, or result in adverse publicity and harm our reputation. If we fail to respond adequately to changes, including by implementing strategic and operational initiatives, or do not respond as effectively as our competitors, our business, operations, and financial performance may be adversely affected.
While we strive to adhere our practices and procedures to these laws, they are subject to evolving regulations, interpretations, enforcement priorities of regulatory authorities, and regulator discretion. The regulatory, political, and media scrutiny we face, which may continue, amplifies these risks. We may face audits or investigations by one or more government agencies relating to our compliance with applicable laws and regulations. To the extent a regulator or court disagrees with our interpretation of these laws and determines that our practices are not in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, we could be subject to civil and criminal penalties that could adversely affect the continued operation of our businesses, including: suspension of payments from government programs; loss of required government certifications; loss of authorizations to participate in or exclusion from government programs, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs in the U.S.; loss of licenses; termination from contractual relationships, including those with our drug suppliers and third-party payers; and significant fines or monetary damages and/or criminal and civil penalties. Failure to comply with applicable legal or regulatory requirements in the U.S. or in any of the countries in which we operate could result in significant legal and financial exposure, damage to our reputation, and have a material adverse effect on our business operations, financial position and results of operations.
We are subject to risks related to litigation and other legal proceedings that may materially adversely affect our results of operations, financial position and liquidity.
We operate in a highly regulated and litigious environment. We are involved in legal proceedings, including litigation, arbitration and other claims, and investigations, inspections, audits, claims, inquiries and similar actions by pharmacy, healthcare, tax, environmental and other governmental authorities. We may also have indemnification obligations for legal commitments of certain businesses we have divested. Legal proceedings, in general, and securities, derivative action and class action and multi-district litigation, in particular, can be expensive and disruptive. Some of these suits may purport or may be determined to be class actions and/or involve parties seeking large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages, and may remain unresolved for several years. For example, we are currently a defendant in a number of cases containing class or collective-action allegations, or both, in which the plaintiffs have brought claims under federal and state wage and hour laws, as well as a number of cases containing class-action allegations in which the plaintiffs have brought claims under federal and state consumer laws.
The Company has also been responding to subpoenas, information requests and investigations from governmental entities related to nationwide controlled substance dispensing and distribution practices involving opioids and is also a defendant in numerous litigation proceedings related to opioids, including the consolidated multidistrict litigation entitled In re National Prescription Opiate Litigation (MDL No. 2804) currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Similar cases that name the Company have also been filed in state courts by state, local and tribal governments, health care providers and other plaintiffs. Plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief including abatement. On October 22, 2020, the Company filed a declaratory judgment action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against the U.S. Department of Justice (the "DOJ") and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, asking a federal court to clarify the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists and pharmacies as to the dispensing and distribution of opioids under the Controlled Substances Act (the "CSA"). The Company's action was dismissed. The Company appealed this decision to the Fifth Circuit. On December 22, 2021, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the action. On December 22, 2020, the DOJ filed a civil complaint against the Company in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that the Company unlawfully dispensed controlled substances from its pharmacies and unlawfully distributed controlled substances to those pharmacies in violation of the CSA. The DOJ is seeking civil penalties and injunctive relief. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the DOJ complaint on February 22, 2021. Since that time, the District Court stayed further proceedings in the DOJ complaint pending the decision of the United States Supreme Court in two other cases interpreting the CSA, which have been consolidated into Ruan v. United States, 142 S. Ct. 457 (2021).
In addition, the Company is the subject of a consolidated securities class action alleging violations of the federal securities laws regarding the Company's disclosures with respect to opioids filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware on January 20, 2021 purportedly on behalf of a class of investors who acquired Walmart stock from March 30, 2016 through December 22, 2020. On May 11, 2021 the U.S. District Court in Delaware consolidated the class actions and appointed a lead plaintiff and lead counsel. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated securities class action on October 8, 2021; the lead plaintiff responded to the motion on January 10, 2022; and the defendants filed their reply brief on February 10, 2022.
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Two derivative actions were also filed by certain of the Company's shareholders in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware on February 9, 2021 and April 16, 2021 alleging breach of fiduciary duties against certain of the Company's current and former directors with respect to oversight of the Company's distribution and dispensing of opioids, and those suits have been stayed pending further developments in other Opioids litigation matters.
Other shareholders filed a third derivative action making similar allegations in the Delaware Court of Chancery on September 27, 2021. The defendants in this derivative suit filed the opening brief on their motion to dismiss that case on December 21, 2021; and the plaintiffs responded by filing an amended complaint on February 22, 2022.
The Company cannot predict the number of such claims that may be filed, and cannot reasonably estimate any loss or range of loss that may arise from such claims and the related opioid matters.
We discuss these cases and other litigation to which we are party below under the caption "Item 3. Legal Proceedings" and in Note 10 in the "Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements," which are part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Our amended and restated bylaws designate the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our shareholders, which could increase the costs for our shareholders to bring claims, discourage our shareholders from bringing claims, or limit our shareholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, associates or shareholders in such capacity.
Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for claims, including derivative claims that are based upon a violation of a duty by a current or former director, officer, associate or shareholder in such capacity or as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction upon the Court of Chancery. The exclusive forum provision may increase the costs for a shareholder to bring a claim or limit a shareholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that the shareholder finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, associates or shareholders in such capacity, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our bylaws inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, the claims as to which they are intended to apply, then we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial position or results of operations. While the exclusive forum provision applies to state and federal law claims, our shareholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with, and the exclusive forum provision will not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for actions brought under, the federal securities laws, including the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Our reputation may be adversely affected if we are not able to achieve our ESG goals.
We strive to deliver shared value through our business and our diverse stakeholders expect us to make significant progress in certain ESG priority issue areas. From time to time, we announce certain aspirations and goals relevant to our priority ESG issues. We periodically publish information about our ESG priorities, strategies, and progress on our corporate website and update our ESG reporting from time to time. Achievement of these aspirations and goals is subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, and it is possible that we may fail, or be perceived to have failed, in the achievement of our ESG goals or certain of our customers, associates, shareholders, investors, suppliers, business partners, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations might not be satisfied with our efforts. Certain challenges we face in the achievement of our ESG objectives are also captured within our ESG reporting, which is not incorporated by reference into and does not form any part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. A failure or perceived failure to meet our goals could adversely affect public perception of our business, associate morale or customer or shareholder support.
| ITEM 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS | ||||
None.
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| ITEM 2. | PROPERTIES | ||||
United States
The Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club segments comprise the Company's operations in the U.S. As of January 31, 2022, unit counts for Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club are summarized by format for each state and territory as follows:
| Walmart U.S. | Sam's Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| State or Territory | Supercenters | Discount Stores | Neighborhood Markets and other small formats | Clubs | Grand Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 101 | 1 | 29 | 13 | 144 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alaska | 7 | 2 | — | — | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona | 83 | 2 | 28 | 12 | 125 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | 76 | 5 | 37 | 9 | 127 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 144 | 68 | 79 | 30 | 321 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado | 70 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 109 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connecticut | 12 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 35 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Delaware | 6 | 3 | — | 1 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 233 | 9 | 98 | 46 | 386 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 154 | 2 | 35 | 24 | 215 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hawaii | — | 10 | — | 2 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Idaho | 23 | — | 3 | 1 | 27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 139 | 15 | 11 | 25 | 190 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 97 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 127 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 58 | 2 | — | 9 | 69 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 58 | 2 | 15 | 9 | 84 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 78 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 103 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisiana | 88 | 2 | 34 | 14 | 138 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maine | 19 | 3 | — | 3 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maryland | 30 | 17 | 3 | 11 | 61 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Massachusetts | 27 | 21 | 4 | — | 52 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 90 | 3 | 9 | 23 | 125 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 65 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 81 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi | 65 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 86 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Missouri | 112 | 9 | 18 | 19 | 158 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Montana | 14 | — | — | 2 | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska | 35 | — | 7 | 5 | 47 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nevada | 30 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Hampshire | 19 | 7 | — | 2 | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Jersey | 35 | 27 | 1 | 8 | 71 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico | 35 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 53 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New York | 81 | 17 | 10 | 12 | 120 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | 143 | 6 | 45 | 22 | 216 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Dakota | 14 | — | — | 3 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio | 139 | 6 | 2 | 27 | 174 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oklahoma | 81 | 7 | 35 | 13 | 136 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon | 29 | 7 | 10 | — | 46 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pennsylvania | 116 | 20 | 3 | 24 | 163 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Puerto Rico | 13 | 5 | 12 | 7 | 37 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rhode Island | 5 | 4 | — | — | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 84 | — | 26 | 13 | 123 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Dakota | 15 | — | — | 2 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 117 | 1 | 19 | 14 | 151 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas | 391 | 18 | 110 | 82 | 601 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah | 41 | — | 13 | 8 | 62 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vermont | 3 | 3 | — | — | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virginia | 110 | 4 | 22 | 15 | 151 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington | 52 | 10 | 5 | — | 67 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington D.C. | 3 | — | 2 | — | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia | 38 | — | 1 | 5 | 44 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 83 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 99 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wyoming | 12 | — | — | 2 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. total | 3,573 | 370 | 799 | 600 | 5,342 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Square feet (in thousands) | 634,754 | 38,947 | 29,295 | 80,351 | 783,347 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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International
The Walmart International segment comprises the Company's operations outside of the U.S. Unit counts as of January 31, 2022(1) for Walmart International are summarized by major category for each geographic market as follows:
| Geographic Market | Retail | Wholesale | Total | Square feet(2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Africa(3) | 324 | 90 | 414 | 22,863 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canada | 408 | — | 408 | 52,976 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Central America(4) | 864 | — | 864 | 13,767 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chile | 373 | 11 | 384 | 17,152 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| China | 361 | 36 | 397 | 64,530 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| India | — | 29 | 29 | 1,570 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mexico | 2,589 | 166 | 2,755 | 104,267 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| International total | 4,919 | 332 | 5,251 | 277,125 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(1)Walmart International unit counts, with the exception of Canada, are as of December 31, 2021, to correspond with the balance sheet date of the related geographic market. Canada unit counts are as of January 31, 2022.
(2)Square feet reported in thousands.
(3)Africa unit counts primarily reside in South Africa, with other locations in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
(4)Central America unit counts reside in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Owned and Leased Properties
The following table provides further details of our retail units and distribution facilities, including return facilities and dedicated eCommerce fulfillment centers, as of January 31, 2022(1):
| Owned | Leased(2) | Total | ||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. properties | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Walmart U.S. retail units | 4,065 | 677 | 4,742 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sam's Club retail units | 513 | 87 | 600 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total U.S. retail units | 4,578 | 764 | 5,342 | |||||||||||||||||
| Walmart U.S. distribution facilities | 110 | 47 | 157 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sam's Club distribution facilities | 11 | 17 | 28 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total U.S. distribution facilities | 121 | 64 | 185 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total U.S. properties | 4,699 | 828 | 5,527 | |||||||||||||||||
| International properties | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Africa | 36 | 378 | 414 | |||||||||||||||||
| Canada | 124 | 284 | 408 | |||||||||||||||||
| Central America | 367 | 497 | 864 | |||||||||||||||||
| Chile | 205 | 179 | 384 | |||||||||||||||||
| China | 2 | 395 | 397 | |||||||||||||||||
| India | 2 | 27 | 29 | |||||||||||||||||
| Mexico | 704 | 2,051 | 2,755 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total International retail units | 1,440 | 3,811 | 5,251 | |||||||||||||||||
| International distribution facilities | 22 | 157 | 179 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total International properties | 1,462 | 3,968 | 5,430 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total properties | 6,161 | 4,796 | 10,957 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total retail units | 6,018 | 4,575 | 10,593 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total distribution facilities | 143 | 221 | 364 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total properties | 6,161 | 4,796 | 10,957 | |||||||||||||||||
(1)Walmart International properties, with the exception of Canada, are as of December 31, 2021, to correspond with the balance sheet date of the related geographic market. Canada unit counts are as of January 31, 2022.
(2)Also includes U.S. and international distribution facilities which are third-party owned and operated.
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We own office facilities in Bentonville, Arkansas, that serve as our principal office and own and lease office facilities throughout the U.S. and internationally for operations as well as for field and market management. The land on which our stores are located is either owned or leased by the Company. We use independent contractors to construct our buildings. All store leases provide for annual rentals, some of which escalate during the original lease or provide for additional rent based on sales volume. Substantially all of the Company's store and club leases have renewal options, some of which include rent escalation clauses. For further information on our distribution centers, see the caption "Distribution" provided for each of our segments under "Item 1. Business."
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| ITEM 3. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS | ||||
I. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: We discuss certain legal proceedings in Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," which is captioned "Contingencies," under the sub-caption "Legal Proceedings." We refer you to that discussion for important information concerning those legal proceedings, including the basis for such actions and, where known, the relief sought. We provide the following additional information concerning those legal proceedings, including the name of the lawsuit, the court in which the lawsuit is pending, and the date on which the petition commencing the lawsuit was filed.
Prescription Opiate Litigation: In re National Prescription Opiate Litigation (MDL No. 2804) (the "MDL"). The MDL is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and includes over 2,150 cases as of March 4, 2022. The liability phase of a trial in one of the MDL cases began on October 4, 2021 against a number of parties, including the Company, regarding opioid dispensing claims. On November 23, 2021, the jury found in favor of the plaintiffs as to the liability of all defendants, including the Company. The abatement phase of the trial, which will determine amounts owed by the defendants, is currently scheduled to begin on May 10, 2022. The Company intends to appeal the jury verdict from the liability phase upon completion of the abatement phase of the trial. There is one case in which the Company is named as a defendant that was remanded from the MDL court to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma (The Cherokee Nation v. CVS Pharmacy, Inc., et al., Case No. CIV-18-56-RAW-SPS (E.D. Okla.)). This case was brought by the Cherokee Nation. Certain motions have been filed by the parties to this case, and the case is currently stayed pending a ruling on those motions. In addition, there are over 225 state court cases pending as of March 4, 2022, some of which may be removed to federal court to seek MDL transfer. The case citations for the state cases are listed on Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 10-K.
DOJ Opioid Civil Litigation: On October 22, 2020, the Company filed a declaratory judgment action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against the U.S. Department of Justice (the "DOJ") and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, asking a federal court to clarify the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists and pharmacies as to the dispensing and distribution of opioids under the Controlled Substances Act (the "CSA"). The Company's action, Walmart Inc. v. U.S. Department of Justice et al., USDC, Eastern Dist. of Texas, 10/22/20, was dismissed. The Company had appealed this decision to the Fifth Circuit. On December 22, 2021, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the action. A civil complaint pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has been filed by the DOJ against the Company, in which the DOJ alleges violations of the CSA related to nationwide distribution and dispensing of opioids. U.S. v. Walmart Inc., et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 12/22/20. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the DOJ complaint on February 22, 2021. The DOJ filed its opposition brief on April 23, 2021 and the Company filed its reply brief on May 24, 2021. On November 19, 2021, the District Court stayed further proceedings in the DOJ complaint pending the decision of the United States Supreme Court in two other cases interpreting the CSA, which have been consolidated into Ruan v. United States, 142 S. Ct. 457 (2021).
Opioids Related Securities Class Actions and Derivative Litigation: Three derivative complaints and two securities class actions drawing heavily on the allegations of the DOJ complaint have been filed in Delaware naming the Company and various current and former directors and certain current and former officers as defendants. The plaintiffs in the derivative suits (in which the Company is a nominal defendant) allege, among other things, that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties in connection with oversight of opioids dispensing and distribution and that the defendants violated Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and are liable for contribution under Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act in connection with the Company's disclosures about opioids. Two of the derivative suits have been filed in the U.S. District Court in Delaware and those suits have been stayed pending further developments in other Opioids litigation matters. The other derivative suit has been filed in the Chancery Court in Delaware. The securities class actions, alleging violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act regarding the Company's disclosures with respect to opioids, were purportedly filed on behalf of a class of investors who acquired Walmart stock from March 30, 2016 through December 22, 2020. On May 11, 2021, the U.S. District Court in Delaware consolidated the class actions and appointed a lead plaintiff and lead counsel. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated securities class action on October 8, 2021; the lead plaintiff responded to the motion on January 10, 2022; and the defendants filed their reply brief on February 10, 2022. The defendants in the derivative suit pending in Delaware Chancery Court filed the opening brief on their motion to dismiss that case on December 21, 2021; and the plaintiffs responded by filing an amended complaint on February 22, 2022.
Derivative Lawsuits: Abt v. Alvarez et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 2/9/21; Nguyen v. McMillon et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 4/16/21: Ontario Provincial Council of Carpenters' Pension Trust Fund et al. v. Walton et al., DE Court of Chancery, 9/27/21.
Securities Class Actions: Stanton v. Walmart Inc. et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 1/20/21 and Martin v. Walmart Inc. et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 3/5/21, consolidated into In re Walmart Inc. Securities Litigation, USDC, Dist. of DE, 5/11/21.
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II. CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS:
Asda Equal Value Claims: Ms S Brierley & Others v ASDA Stores Ltd (2406372/2008 & Others - Manchester Employment Tribunal); ASDA Stores Ltd v Brierley & Ors (A2/2016/0973 - United Kingdom Court of Appeal); ASDA Stores Ltd v Ms S Brierley & Others (UKEAT/0059/16/DM - United Kingdom Employment Appeal Tribunal); ASDA Stores Ltd v Ms S Brierley & Others (UKEAT/0009/16/JOJ - United Kingdom Employment Appeal Tribunal).
Money Transfer Agent Services Proceedings: The Company has received grand jury subpoenas issued by the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania seeking documents regarding the Company's consumer fraud program and anti-money laundering compliance related to the Company's money transfer services, where Walmart is an agent. The most recent subpoena was issued in August 2020. The Company has been responding to these subpoenas and is cooperating with the government's investigation. The Company has also responded to civil investigative demands from the United States Federal Trade Commission (the "FTC") in connection with the FTC's investigation related to money transfers and the Company's anti-fraud program in its capacity as an agent. While the Company had been engaged in discussions with the FTC regarding a potential resolution of this matter, the parties have not been able to reach a resolution. In November 2021, the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection forwarded a draft civil complaint to the FTC seeking authority to file a complaint against the Company seeking various forms of monetary and injunctive relief. The FTC is currently considering whether to grant such authorization. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of the investigations or any related actions by the governmental entities regarding these matters at this time. While the Company does not currently believe that the outcome of these matters will have a material adverse effect on its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows, the Company can provide no assurance as to the scope and outcome of these matters and whether its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows will not be materially adversely affected.
Foreign Direct Investment Matters: In July 2021, the Directorate of Enforcement in India issued a show cause notice to Flipkart Private Limited and one of its subsidiaries ("Flipkart"), and to unrelated companies and individuals, including certain current and former shareholders and directors of Flipkart. The notice requests the recipients to show cause as to why further proceedings under India's Foreign Direct Investment rules and regulations (the "Rules") should not be initiated against them based on alleged violations during the period from 2009 to 2015, prior to the Company's acquisition of a majority stake in Flipkart in 2018. The notice is an initial stage of proceedings under the Rules which could, depending upon the conclusions at the end of the initial stage, lead to a hearing to consider the merits of the allegations described in the notice. If a hearing is initiated and if it is determined that violations of the Rules occurred, the regulatory authority has the authority to impose monetary and/or non-monetary relief. Flipkart has begun the process of responding to the notice and, if the matter progresses to a consideration of the merits of the allegations described in the notice is initiated, Flipkart intends to defend against the allegations vigorously. Due to the fact that this process is in an early stage, the Company is unable to predict whether the notice will lead to a hearing on the merits or, if it does, the final outcome of the resulting proceedings. While the Company does not currently believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, the Company can provide no assurance as to the scope or outcome of any proceeding that might result from the notice, the amount of the proceeds the Company may receive in indemnification from individuals and entities that sold shares to the Company under the 2018 agreement pursuant to which the Company acquired its majority stake in Flipkart, or whether the Company's business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows will not be materially adversely affected.
III. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS: Item 103 of SEC Regulation S-K requires disclosure of certain environmental matters when a governmental authority is a party to the proceedings and such proceedings involve potential monetary sanctions that the Company reasonably believes will exceed an applied threshold not to exceed $1 million.
In June 2021, the Company signed a tolling agreement with the Office of the Attorney General of the State of California to toll the statute of limitations for potential claims regarding Walmart's management of waste consumer products at its California facilities that are alleged to be hazardous. In December 2021, the Office of the Attorney General of the State of California filed suit against the Company, bringing enforcement claims regarding Walmart's management of waste consumer products at its California facilities that are alleged to be hazardous. The Company believes the suit is without merit and is vigorously defending this litigation matter. While the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this matter, the potential for penalties or settlement costs could exceed $1 million. Although the Company does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on its business, financial position, results of operations, or cash flows, the Company can provide no assurance as to the scope and outcome of these matters and whether its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows will not be materially adversely affected.
| ITEM 4. | MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES | ||||
Not applicable.
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PART II
| ITEM 5. | MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES | ||||
Market for Common Stock
The principal market on which Walmart's common stock is listed for trading is the New York Stock Exchange. The common stock trades under the symbol "WMT."
Holders of Record of Common Stock
As of March 16, 2022, there were 209,870 holders of record of Walmart's common stock.
Stock Performance Chart
This graph compares the cumulative total shareholder return on Walmart's common stock during the five fiscal years ended through fiscal 2022 to the cumulative total returns on the S&P 500 Retailing Index and the S&P 500 Index. The comparison assumes $100 was invested on February 1, 2017 in shares of our common stock and in each of the indices shown and assumes that all of the dividends were reinvested.
| *Assumes $100 Invested on February 1, 2017 Assumes Dividends Reinvested Fiscal Year ended January 31, 2022 | ||
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walmart Inc. | $ | 100.00 | $ | 163.83 | $ | 150.78 | $ | 183.78 | $ | 229.31 | $ | 231.82 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| S&P 500 Index | 100.00 | 126.41 | 123.48 | 150.26 | 176.18 | 217.21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S&P 500 Retailing Index | 100.00 | 148.34 | 159.89 | 190.43 | 278.09 | 296.49 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities
From time to time, the Company repurchases shares of our common stock under share repurchase programs authorized by the Company's Board of Directors. All repurchases made prior to February 22, 2021 were made under the plan in effect at the beginning of fiscal 2022. On February 18, 2021, the Board of Directors approved a new $20.0 billion share repurchase program which has no expiration date or other restrictions limiting the period over which the Company can make repurchases, and beginning February 22, 2021, replaced the previous share repurchase program. As of January 31, 2022, authorization for $10.6 billion of share repurchases remained under the share repurchase program. Any repurchased shares are constructively retired and returned to an unissued status.
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Share repurchase activity under our share repurchase programs, on a trade date basis, for each month in the quarter ended January 31, 2022, was as follows:
| Fiscal Period | Total Number of Shares Repurchased | Average Price Paid per Share (in dollars) | Total Number of Shares Repurchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs | Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Repurchased Under the Plans or Programs(1) (in billions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 1-30, 2021 | 4,709,717 | $ | 146.42 | 4,709,717 | $ | 12.4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| December 1-31, 2021 | 7,170,376 | 140.09 | 7,170,376 | 11.4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| January 1-31, 2022 | 5,284,996 | 141.50 | 5,284,996 | 10.6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 17,165,089 | 17,165,089 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1) Represents the approximate dollar value of shares that could have been repurchased at the end of the month.
| ITEM 6. | RESERVED | ||||
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| ITEM 7. | MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS | ||||
Overview
This discussion, which presents our results for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2022 ("fiscal 2022"), January 31, 2021 ("fiscal 2021") and January 31, 2020 ("fiscal 2020"), should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes. We intend for this discussion to provide the reader with information that will assist in understanding our financial statements, the changes in certain key items in those financial statements from period to period and the primary factors that accounted for those changes. We also discuss certain performance metrics that management uses to assess the Company's performance. Additionally, the discussion provides information about the financial results of each of the three segments to provide a better understanding of how each of those segments and its results of operations affect the financial position and results of operations of the Company as a whole.
Throughout this Item 7, we discuss segment operating income, comparable store and club sales and other measures. Management measures the results of the Company's segments using each segment's operating income, including certain corporate overhead allocations, as well as other measures. From time to time, we revise the measurement of each segment's operating income and other measures as determined by the information regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision maker.
Management also measures the results of comparable store and club sales, or comparable sales, a metric that indicates the performance of our existing stores and clubs by measuring the change in sales for such stores and clubs, including eCommerce sales, for a particular period from the corresponding period in the previous year. Walmart's definition of comparable sales includes sales from stores and clubs open for the previous 12 months, including remodels, relocations, expansions and conversions, as well as eCommerce sales. We measure the eCommerce sales impact by including all sales initiated digitally, including omni-channel transactions which are fulfilled through our stores and clubs. Sales at a store that has changed in format are excluded from comparable sales when the conversion of that store is accompanied by a relocation or expansion that results in a change in the store's retail square feet of more than five percent. Sales related to divested businesses are excluded from comparable sales, and sales related to acquisitions are excluded until such acquisitions have been owned for 12 months. Comparable sales are also referred to as "same-store" sales by others within the retail industry. The method of calculating comparable sales varies across the retail industry. As a result, our calculation of comparable sales is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.
In discussing our operating results, the term currency exchange rates refers to the currency exchange rates we use to convert the operating results for countries where the functional currency is not the U.S. dollar into U.S. dollars. We calculate the effect of changes in currency exchange rates as the difference between current period activity translated using the current period's currency exchange rates and the comparable prior year period's currency exchange rates. Additionally, no currency exchange rate fluctuations are calculated for non-USD acquisitions until owned for 12 months. Throughout our discussion, we refer to the results of this calculation as the impact of currency exchange rate fluctuations. Volatility in currency exchange rates may impact the results, including net sales and operating income, of the Company and the Walmart International segment in the future.
We have taken certain strategic actions to strengthen our Walmart International portfolio for the long-term, including the following highlights over the last three years:
•In November 2020, we completed the sale of Walmart Argentina and recorded a pre-tax non-cash loss in fiscal 2021 of $1.0 billion, primarily due to cumulative foreign currency translation losses. Refer to Note 12.
•In February 2021, we completed the sale of Asda for net consideration of $9.6 billion, for which we recognized an estimated pre-tax loss in fiscal 2021 of $5.5 billion, and an incremental loss of $0.2 billion in fiscal 2022 upon closing of the transaction. Refer to Note 11 and Note 12.
•In March 2021, we completed the sale of Seiyu for net consideration of $1.2 billion, for which we recognized an estimated pre-tax loss in fiscal 2021 of $1.9 billion, and an incremental loss of $0.2 billion in fiscal 2022 upon closing of the transaction. Refer to Note 12.
We operate in the highly competitive omni-channel retail industry in all of the markets we serve. We face strong sales competition from other discount, department, drug, dollar, variety and specialty stores, warehouse clubs and supermarkets, as well as eCommerce, health and wellness, financial services, advertising, and data service businesses. Many of these competitors are national, regional or international chains or have a national or international omni-channel or eCommerce presence. We compete with a number of companies for attracting and retaining quality associates. We, along with other retail companies, are influenced by a number of factors including, but not limited to: catastrophic events, weather and other risks related to climate change, global health epidemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, competitive pressures, consumer disposable income, consumer debt levels and buying patterns, consumer credit availability, supply chain disruptions, cost and availability of goods, currency exchange rate fluctuations, customer preferences, deflation, inflation, fuel and energy prices,
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general economic conditions, insurance costs, interest rates, labor availability and costs, tax rates, the imposition of tariffs, cybersecurity attacks and unemployment. Further information on the factors that can affect our operating results and on certain risks to our Company and an investment in its securities can be found herein under "Item 1A. Risk Factors."
We expect continued uncertainty in our business and the global economy due to the duration and intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic; the duration and extent of economic stimulus measures; effectiveness and extent of administration of vaccinations and medical treatment; supply chain disruptions; and volatility in employment trends and consumer confidence which may impact our results. For a detailed discussion on results of operations by reportable segment, refer to "Results of Operations" below.
Company Performance Metrics
We are committed to helping customers save money and live better through everyday low prices, supported by everyday low costs. At times, we adjust our business strategies to maintain and strengthen our competitive positions in the countries in which we operate. We define our financial framework as:
•strong, efficient growth;
•consistent operating discipline; and
•strategic capital allocation.
As we execute on this financial framework, we believe our returns on capital will improve over time.
Strong, Efficient Growth
Our objective of prioritizing strong, efficient growth means we will focus on the most productive growth opportunities, increasing comparable store and club sales, accelerating eCommerce sales growth and expanding omni-channel initiatives that complement our flywheel strategy while slowing the rate of growth of new stores and clubs. At times, we make strategic investments which are focused on the long-term growth of the Company.
Comparable sales is a metric that indicates the performance of our existing stores and clubs by measuring the change in sales for such stores and clubs, including eCommerce sales, for a particular period over the corresponding period in the previous year. The retail industry generally reports comparable sales using the retail calendar (also known as the 4-5-4 calendar). To be consistent with the retail industry, we provide comparable sales using the retail calendar in our quarterly earnings releases. However, when we discuss our comparable sales below, we are referring to our calendar comparable sales calculated using our fiscal calendar, which may result in differences when compared to comparable sales using the retail calendar.
Calendar comparable sales, including the impact of fuel, for fiscal 2022 and 2021, were as follows:
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| With Fuel | Fuel Impact | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walmart U.S. | 6.4% | 8.7% | 0.3% | (0.2)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sam's Club | 15.0% | 8.7% | 5.5% | (3.4)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total U.S. | 7.7% | 8.7% | 1.2% | (0.6)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Comparable sales in the U.S., including fuel, increased 7.7% and 8.7% in fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. Walmart U.S. comparable sales increased 6.4% and 8.7% in fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. For fiscal 2022, comparable sales growth was driven by growth in average ticket and transactions, which includes strong consumer spending from government stimulus and some higher inflation impacts in certain merchandise categories compared to recent years. In the first quarter of fiscal 2022, average ticket increased while transactions decreased as customers consolidated shopping trips and purchased larger baskets. Transaction growth turned positive in April 2021 and continued with strong growth through the rest of the year as customers' pre-pandemic behaviors largely resumed. For fiscal 2021, comparable sales growth was driven by growth in average ticket primarily resulting from meeting the increased demand due to economic conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic while transactions decreased as customers consolidated shopping trips. Walmart U.S. eCommerce sales positively contributed approximately 0.7% and 5.4% to comparable sales for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, as we continue to focus on a seamless omni-channel experience for our customers.
Sam's Club comparable sales increased 15.0% and 8.7% in fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. For fiscal 2022, Sam's Club comparable sales benefited from growth in transactions and average ticket and was aided by consumer spending due to government stimulus, and also includes some higher inflation impacts in certain merchandise categories compared to recent years. The growth in comparable sales was partially offset by our decision to remove tobacco from certain club locations. Sam's Club comparable sales for fiscal 2021 benefited from growth in transactions and average ticket resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, partially offset by both our decision to remove tobacco from certain club locations and by lower fuel sales. Sam's Club eCommerce sales positively contributed approximately 1.3% and 2.2% to comparable sales for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively.
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Consistent Operating Discipline
We operate with discipline by managing expenses, optimizing the efficiency of how we work and creating an environment in which we have sustainable lowest cost to serve. We invest in technology and process improvements to increase productivity, manage inventory and reduce costs. We measure operating discipline through expense leverage, which we define as net sales growing at a faster rate than operating, selling, general and administrative ("operating") expenses.
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions, except unit counts) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 567,762 | $ | 555,233 | ||||||||||
| Percentage change from comparable period | 2.3 | % | 6.8 | % | ||||||||||
| Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses | $ | 117,812 | $ | 116,288 | ||||||||||
| Percentage change from comparable period | 1.3 | % | 6.9 | % | ||||||||||
| Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales | 20.8 | % | 20.9 | % | ||||||||||
For fiscal 2022, operating expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased 19 basis points when compared to the previous fiscal year. Operating expenses as a percentage of net sales benefited from growth in comparable sales and lower incremental COVID-19 related costs of $2.5 billion as compared to the previous year, partially offset by increased wage investments primarily in the Walmart U.S. segment.
For fiscal 2021, operating expenses as a percentage of net sales was flat when compared to the previous fiscal year. Operating expenses as a percentage of net sales benefited from strong growth in comparable sales, offset by $4.0 billion of incremental costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Strategic Capital Allocation
Our strategy includes improving our customer-facing initiatives in stores and clubs and creating a seamless omni-channel experience for our customers. As such, we continue to allocate more capital to supply chain, omni-channel initiatives, technology and store remodels and less to new store and club openings. The following table provides additional detail:
| (Amounts in millions) | Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | |||||||||||||
| Allocation of Capital Expenditures | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Supply chain, omni-channel, technology and other | $ | 7,197 | $ | 5,681 | ||||||||||
| Remodels | 3,278 | 2,013 | ||||||||||||
| New stores and clubs, including expansions and relocations | 134 | 134 | ||||||||||||
| Total U.S. | $ | 10,609 | $ | 7,828 | ||||||||||
| Walmart International | 2,497 | 2,436 | ||||||||||||
| Total capital expenditures | $ | 13,106 | $ | 10,264 | ||||||||||
Returns
As we execute our financial framework, we believe our return on capital will improve over time. We measure return on capital with our return on assets, return on investment and free cash flow metrics. We also provide returns in the form of share repurchases and dividends, which are discussed in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section.
Return on Assets and Return on Investment
We include Return on Assets ("ROA"), the most directly comparable measure based on our financial statements presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. ("GAAP"), and Return on Investment ("ROI") as metrics to assess returns on assets. While ROI is considered a non-GAAP financial measure, management believes ROI is a meaningful metric to share with investors because it helps investors assess how effectively Walmart is deploying its assets. Trends in ROI can fluctuate over time as management balances long-term strategic initiatives with possible short-term impacts. ROA was 5.6% for both fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. ROI was 14.9% and 14.0% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, which increased primarily due to the increase in operating income.
We define ROI as adjusted operating income (operating income plus interest income, depreciation and amortization, and rent expense) for the trailing twelve months divided by average invested capital during that period. We consider average invested capital to be the average of our beginning and ending total assets, plus average accumulated depreciation and average amortization, less average accounts payable and average accrued liabilities for that period.
Our calculation of ROI is considered a non-GAAP financial measure because we calculate ROI using financial measures that exclude and include amounts that are included and excluded in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. For example, we exclude the impact of depreciation and amortization from our reported operating income in calculating the numerator of our calculation of ROI. As mentioned above, we consider ROA to be the financial measure computed in accordance with GAAP most directly comparable to our calculation of ROI. ROI differs from ROA (which is consolidated net income for the period divided by average total assets for the period) because ROI: adjusts operating income to exclude certain
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expense items and adds interest income; and adjusts total assets for the impact of accumulated depreciation and amortization, accounts payable and accrued liabilities to arrive at total invested capital. Because of the adjustments mentioned above, we believe ROI more accurately measures how we are deploying our key assets and is more meaningful to investors than ROA. Although ROI is a standard financial measure, numerous methods exist for calculating a company's ROI. As a result, the method used by management to calculate our ROI may differ from the methods used by other companies to calculate their ROI.
The calculation of ROA and ROI, along with a reconciliation of ROI to the calculation of ROA, the most comparable GAAP financial measure, is as follows:
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||||
| CALCULATION OF RETURN ON ASSETS | ||||||||||||||
| Numerator | ||||||||||||||
| Consolidated net income | $ | 13,940 | $ | 13,706 | ||||||||||
| Denominator | ||||||||||||||
Average total assets(1) | $ | 248,678 | $ | 244,496 | ||||||||||
| Return on assets (ROA) | 5.6 | % | 5.6 | % | ||||||||||
| CALCULATION OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT | ||||||||||||||
| Numerator | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 25,942 | $ | 22,548 | ||||||||||
| + Interest income | 158 | 121 | ||||||||||||
| + Depreciation and amortization | 10,658 | 11,152 | ||||||||||||
| + Rent | 2,274 | 2,626 | ||||||||||||
| ROI operating income | $ | 39,032 | $ | 36,447 | ||||||||||
| Denominator | ||||||||||||||
Average total assets(1) | $ | 248,678 | $ | 244,496 | ||||||||||
+ Average accumulated depreciation and amortization(1) | 98,199 | 94,351 | ||||||||||||
- Average accounts payable(1) | 52,201 | 48,057 | ||||||||||||
- Average accrued liabilities(1) | 32,013 | 30,131 | ||||||||||||
| Average invested capital | $ | 262,663 | $ | 260,659 | ||||||||||
| Return on investment (ROI) | 14.9 | % | 14.0 | % | ||||||||||
(1) The average is based on the addition of the account balance at the end of the current period to the account balance at the end of the prior period and dividing by 2.
| As of January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Certain Balance Sheet Data | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 244,860 | $ | 252,496 | $ | 236,495 | ||||||||||||||
| Accumulated depreciation and amortization | 102,211 | 94,187 | 94,514 | |||||||||||||||||
| Accounts payable | 55,261 | 49,141 | 46,973 | |||||||||||||||||
| Accrued liabilities | 26,060 | 37,966 | 22,296 | |||||||||||||||||
Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow is considered a non-GAAP financial measure. Management believes, however, that free cash flow, which measures our ability to generate additional cash from our business operations, is an important financial measure for use in evaluating the Company's financial performance. Free cash flow should be considered in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, consolidated net income as a measure of our performance and net cash provided by operating activities as a measure of our liquidity. See "Liquidity and Capital Resources" for discussions of GAAP metrics including net cash provided by operating activities, net cash used in investing activities and net cash used in financing activities.
We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities in a period minus payments for property and equipment made in that period. We had net cash provided by operating activities of $24.2 billion, $36.1 billion and $25.3 billion for fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. We generated free cash flow of $11.1 billion, $25.8 billion and $14.6 billion for fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal 2022 decreased when compared to fiscal 2021 primarily due to an increase in inventory costs and purchases to support strong sales and lapping the impact of accelerated inventory sell-through in fiscal 2021, as well as timing and payment of wages. Free cash flow for fiscal 2022 decreased when compared to fiscal 2021 due to the same reasons as the decrease in net cash provided by operating activities, as well as $2.8 billion in increased capital expenditures. Net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal 2021 increased when compared to fiscal 2020 primarily due to the impact of the global health crisis which accelerated inventory sell-through, as well as the timing and payment of inventory purchases, incremental COVID-19 related expenses and certain benefit payments. Free cash flow for
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fiscal 2021 increased when compared to fiscal 2020 due to the same reasons as the increase in net cash provided by operating activities, as well as $0.4 billion in decreased capital expenditures.
Walmart's definition of free cash flow is limited in that it does not represent residual cash flows available for discretionary expenditures due to the fact that the measure does not deduct the payments required for debt service and other contractual obligations or payments made for business acquisitions. Therefore, we believe it is important to view free cash flow as a measure that provides supplemental information to our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Although other companies report their free cash flow, numerous methods may exist for calculating a company's free cash flow. As a result, the method used by management to calculate our free cash flow may differ from the methods used by other companies to calculate their free cash flow.
The following table sets forth a reconciliation of free cash flow, a non-GAAP financial measure, to net cash provided by operating activities, which we believe to be the GAAP financial measure most directly comparable to free cash flow, as well as information regarding net cash used in investing activities and net cash used in financing activities.
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 24,181 | $ | 36,074 | $ | 25,255 | ||||||||||||||
| Payments for property and equipment | (13,106) | (10,264) | (10,705) | |||||||||||||||||
| Free cash flow | $ | 11,075 | $ | 25,810 | $ | 14,550 | ||||||||||||||
Net cash used in investing activities(1) | $ | (6,015) | $ | (10,071) | $ | (9,128) | ||||||||||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (22,828) | (16,117) | (14,299) | |||||||||||||||||
(1) "Net cash used in investing activities" includes payments for property and equipment, which is also included in our computation of free cash flow.
Results of Operations
Consolidated Results of Operations
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions, except unit counts) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | $ | 572,754 | $ | 559,151 | $ | 523,964 | ||||||||||||||
| Percentage change from comparable period | 2.4 | % | 6.7 | % | 1.9 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 567,762 | $ | 555,233 | $ | 519,926 | ||||||||||||||
| Percentage change from comparable period | 2.3 | % | 6.8 | % | 1.9 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Total U.S. calendar comparable sales increase | 7.7 | % | 8.7 | % | 2.7 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Gross profit rate | 24.4 | % | 24.3 | % | 24.1 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 25,942 | $ | 22,548 | $ | 20,568 | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income as a percentage of net sales | 4.6 | % | 4.1 | % | 4.0 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Loss on extinguishment of debt | $ | 2,410 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||
| Other (gains) and losses | $ | 3,000 | $ | (210) | $ | (1,958) | ||||||||||||||
| Consolidated net income | $ | 13,940 | $ | 13,706 | $ | 15,201 | ||||||||||||||
Unit counts at period end(1) | 10,593 | 11,443 | 11,501 | |||||||||||||||||
Retail square feet at period end(1) | 1,060 | 1,121 | 1,129 | |||||||||||||||||
(1) Unit counts and associated retail square feet are presented for stores and clubs generally open as of period end, and reflects the removal of stores in the U.K. and Japan subsequent to closing the divestitures in fiscal 2022. Permanently closed locations are not included.
Our total revenues, which includes net sales and membership and other income, increased $13.6 billion or 2.4% and $35.2 billion or 6.7% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. These increases in revenues were primarily due to increases in net sales, which increased $12.5 billion or 2.3% and $35.3 billion or 6.8% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2022, the increase was primarily due to strong positive comparable sales for the Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club segments which benefited from strong U.S. consumer spending and some inflation, along with positive comparable sales in most of our remaining international markets. The increase was partially offset by a $32.6 billion net sales decrease primarily related to the divestiture of our operations in the U.K. and Japan, which closed in the first quarter of fiscal 2022. Net sales also benefited from a $4.5 billion positive impact of fluctuations in currency exchange rates during fiscal 2022. For fiscal 2021, the increase was primarily due to strong positive comparable sales for the Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club segments as well as positive comparable sales in the majority of our international markets resulting from increased demand stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall net sales growth was strong despite certain operating limitations in several international markets in the second quarter of fiscal 2021 due to government regulations and precautionary measures taken as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The net sales increase was partially offset by a negative impact from fluctuations in currency exchange rates of $5.0 billion.
Our gross profit rate increased 14 and 20 basis points for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2022, the increase was primarily due to price management in the Walmart U.S. segment driven by cost
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inflation as well as merchandise mix, partially offset by increased supply chain costs. For fiscal 2021, the increase was primarily due to strategic sourcing initiatives, strong sales in higher margin categories, and fewer markdowns. This was partially offset in the Walmart U.S. segment by carryover of prior year price investment as well as the temporary closure of our Auto Care Centers and Vision Centers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For fiscal 2022, operating expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased 19 basis points when compared to the previous fiscal year. Operating expenses as a percentage of net sales benefited from growth in comparable sales and lower incremental COVID-19 related costs of $2.5 billion as compared to the previous year, partially offset by increased wage investments primarily in the Walmart U.S. segment. For fiscal 2021, operating expenses as a percentage of net sales was flat when compared to the previous fiscal year. Operating expenses as a percentage of net sales benefited from strong growth in comparable sales, offset by $4.0 billion of incremental costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Loss on extinguishment of debt was $2.4 billion in fiscal 2022 due to the early retirement of certain higher rate long-term debt to reduce interest expense in future periods.
Other gains and losses consisted of a net loss of $3.0 billion and a net gain of $0.2 billion for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. The loss in fiscal 2022 primarily reflects net losses associated with the fair value changes of our equity investments, as well as $0.4 billion in incremental losses associated with the divestiture of certain international operations which closed in the first quarter of fiscal 2022. The gain in fiscal 2021 primarily reflects $8.7 billion in net gains associated with the fair value changes of our equity investments, partially offset by the $8.3 billion pre-tax loss related to the divestiture of certain international operations classified as held for sale or sold in fiscal 2021.
Our effective income tax rate was 25.4% for fiscal 2022, 33.3% for fiscal 2021, and 24.4% for fiscal 2020. The decrease in our effective tax rate for fiscal 2022 as compared to fiscal 2021, and the increase in our effective tax rate for fiscal 2021 as compared to fiscal 2020, is primarily due to the $8.3 billion loss related to the divestiture of certain international operations classified as held for sale or sold in fiscal 2021, which provided minimal realizable tax benefit. Our effective income tax rate may also fluctuate as a result of various factors, including changes in our assessment of certain tax contingencies, valuation allowances, changes in tax law, outcomes of administrative audits, the impact of discrete items and the mix and size of earnings among our U.S. operations and international operations, which are subject to statutory rates that are generally higher than the U.S. statutory rate. The reconciliation from the U.S. statutory rate to the effective income tax rates for fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020 is presented in Note 9.
As a result of the factors discussed above, we reported $13.9 billion and $13.7 billion of consolidated net income for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, which represents an increase of $0.2 billion and a decrease of $1.5 billion for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. Diluted net income per common share attributable to Walmart ("EPS") was $4.87, $4.75 and $5.19 for fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Walmart U.S. Segment
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions, except unit counts) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 393,247 | $ | 369,963 | $ | 341,004 | ||||||||||||||
| Percentage change from comparable period | 6.3 | % | 8.5 | % | 2.8 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Calendar comparable sales increase | 6.4 | % | 8.7 | % | 2.9 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 21,587 | $ | 19,116 | $ | 17,380 | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income as a percentage of net sales | 5.5 | % | 5.2 | % | 5.1 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Unit counts at period end | 4,742 | 4,743 | 4,756 | |||||||||||||||||
| Retail square feet at period end | 703 | 703 | 703 | |||||||||||||||||
Net sales for the Walmart U.S. segment increased $23.3 billion or 6.3% and $29.0 billion or 8.5% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. The increases in net sales were primarily due to increases in comparable sales of 6.4% and 8.7% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. Comparable sales in fiscal 2022 were driven by growth in average ticket and transactions, which includes strong consumer spending from government stimulus and some higher inflation impacts in certain merchandise categories compared to recent years. In the first quarter of fiscal 2022, average ticket increased while transactions decreased as customers consolidated shopping trips and purchased larger baskets. Transaction growth turned positive in April 2021 and continued with strong growth through the rest of the year as customers' pre-pandemic behaviors largely resumed. Comparable sales in fiscal 2021 were driven by growth in average ticket primarily resulting from meeting the increased demand due to economic conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic while transactions decreased as customers consolidated shopping trips. Walmart U.S. eCommerce sales positively contributed approximately 0.7% and 5.4% to comparable sales for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, as we continue to focus on a seamless omni-channel experience for our customers.
Gross profit rate increased 51 basis points for fiscal 2022 and was flat for fiscal 2021, when compared to the respective previous fiscal year. The increase in fiscal 2022 gross profit rate was primarily due to price management driven by cost inflation as well merchandise mix, which includes lapping the temporary closures of our Auto Care and Vision Centers and
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growth in our advertising business, partially offset by increased supply chain costs. Gross profit rate for fiscal 2021 benefited from strategic sourcing initiatives and fewer markdowns, but was offset by a change in merchandise mix, the carryover effect of prior price investment and the temporary closure of our Auto Care and Vision Centers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased 31 basis points for fiscal 2022 when compared to the previous fiscal year. Despite the strong sales growth described above, fiscal 2022 operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased primarily due to investments in wages, partially offset by lower incremental COVID-19 related costs of $1.9 billion. For fiscal 2021, operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales decreased 15 basis points primarily due to strong sales, which were partially offset by $3.2 billion of incremental costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic including special bonuses, expanded sick and emergency leave pay, costs associated with outfitting our stores and associates with masks, gloves and sanitizer, and expanded cleaning practices.
As a result of the factors discussed above, segment operating income increased $2.5 billion and increased $1.7 billion for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year.
Walmart International Segment
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions, except unit counts) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 100,959 | $ | 121,360 | $ | 120,130 | ||||||||||||||
| Percentage change from comparable period | (16.8) | % | 1.0 | % | (0.6) | % | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 3,758 | $ | 3,660 | $ | 3,370 | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income as a percentage of net sales | 3.7 | % | 3.0 | % | 2.8 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Unit counts at period end | 5,251 | 6,101 | 6,146 | |||||||||||||||||
| Retail square feet at period end | 277 | 337 | 345 | |||||||||||||||||
Net sales for the Walmart International segment decreased $20.4 billion or 16.8% and increased $1.2 billion or 1.0% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2022, the reduction in net sales was driven by a $32.6 billion decrease primarily related to the divestitures of Asda and Seiyu, which closed during the first quarter of fiscal 2022. This decrease was partially offset by positive comparable sales in most of our remaining markets, as well as positive fluctuations in currency exchange rates of $4.5 billion. For fiscal 2021, the increase was primarily due to positive comparable sales growth in the majority of our markets driven by changes in consumer behavior in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, partially offset by negative fluctuations in currency exchange rates of $5.0 billion. The pandemic led to significant economic pressures and channel and mix shifts due to changes in consumer behavior, including accelerated growth in eCommerce in several markets. While several of our markets experienced extensive store and operational closures in the second quarter of fiscal 2021 as a result of government mandates, most closed stores and warehouses had resumed operations by the third quarter of fiscal 2021.
Gross profit rate decreased 55 basis points and increased 50 basis points for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2022, the decrease was primarily driven by shifts into lower margin formats and the impact related to our divested markets. For fiscal 2021, the increase was primarily due to Flipkart's improved margin mix and reduced fuel sales in the U.K.
Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales decreased 71 basis points and increased 14 basis points for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. The decrease in operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales for fiscal 2022 was primarily due to impacts from the divested markets and $0.4 billion of lower incremental COVID-19 related costs. Operating expenses as a percentage of net sales benefited from depreciation and amortization expense not having been recorded for our operations in the U.K. and Japan subsequent to their held for sale classification at the end of fiscal 2021 and prior to closing during the first quarter of fiscal 2022. For fiscal 2021, the increase was primarily due to $0.5 billion of incremental costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, partially offset by positive comparable sales in the majority of our markets and lapping a $0.4 billion non-cash impairment charge recorded in fiscal 2020.
Operating income for fiscal 2022 included a $0.3 billion impact from positive fluctuations in currency exchange rates, and fiscal 2021 included a $0.2 billion impact from negative fluctuations in currency exchange rates. As a result of the factors discussed above, segment operating income increased $0.1 billion and $0.3 billion for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year.
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Sam's Club Segment
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions, except unit counts) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Including Fuel | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 73,556 | $ | 63,910 | $ | 58,792 | ||||||||||||||
| Percentage change from comparable period | 15.1 | % | 8.7 | % | 1.6 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Calendar comparable sales increase | 15.0 | % | 8.7 | % | 1.6 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 2,259 | $ | 1,906 | $ | 1,642 | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income as a percentage of net sales | 3.1 | % | 3.0 | % | 2.8 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Unit counts at period end | 600 | 599 | 599 | |||||||||||||||||
| Retail square feet at period end | 80 | 80 | 80 | |||||||||||||||||
Excluding Fuel (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 64,860 | $ | 59,184 | $ | 52,792 | ||||||||||||||
| Percentage change from comparable period | 9.6 | % | 12.1 | % | 0.9 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 1,923 | $ | 1,645 | $ | 1,486 | ||||||||||||||
| Operating income as a percentage of net sales | 3.0 | % | 2.8 | % | 2.8 | % | ||||||||||||||
(1) We believe the "Excluding Fuel" information is useful to investors because it permits investors to understand the effect of the Sam's Club segment's fuel sales on its results of operations, which are impacted by the volatility of fuel prices. Volatility in fuel prices may continue to impact the operating results of the Sam's Club segment in the future. Management uses such information to better measure underlying operating results in the segment.
Net sales for the Sam's Club segment increased $9.6 billion or 15.1% and $5.1 billion or 8.7% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2022, the increase was primarily due to comparable sales growth, including fuel, of 15.0%. Comparable sales benefited from growth in transactions and average ticket due to increased consumer spending, which was aided by government stimulus, and also includes some higher inflation impacts in certain merchandise categories compared to recent years. The growth in comparable sales was partially offset by our decision to remove tobacco from certain club locations. Sam's Club eCommerce sales positively contributed approximately 1.3% to comparable sales. For fiscal 2021, the increase was primarily due to comparable sales, including fuel, of 8.7%. Comparable sales benefited from growth in transactions and average ticket resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, partially offset by our decision to remove tobacco from certain club locations and by lower fuel sales. Sam's Club eCommerce sales positively contributed approximately 2.2% to comparable sales.
Gross profit rate decreased 68 basis points and increased 65 basis points for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2022, the decrease in gross profit rate was primarily due to increased fuel sales which have lower margins, cost inflation, and higher supply chain costs, partially offset by favorable sales mix, including reduced tobacco sales. For fiscal 2021, gross profit rate increased due to favorable sales mix, including lower fuel and tobacco sales, and improvement in inventory losses which was partially offset by price investment and higher eCommerce fulfillment costs.
Membership and other income increased 13.1% and 6.8% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2022, the increase was primarily due to growth in total members and increased Plus Member penetration. For fiscal 2021, the increase was primarily due to growth in total members, which benefited from higher overall renewal rates and higher Plus Member penetration.
Operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales decreased 82 basis points and increased 42 basis points for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. Fiscal 2022 operating expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased primarily due to higher sales as well as a benefit from $0.2 billion of lower incremental COVID-19 related costs, partially offset by reduced tobacco sales. Despite the increased sales growth described above, fiscal 2021 operating expenses as a percentage of net sales increased primarily due to $0.3 billion of incremental costs related to the pandemic, which included additional costs such as special bonuses, expanded cleaning practices and security, expanded sick and emergency leave pay, and outfitting our associates with masks and gloves. Additionally, the increase in operating expense as a percentage of segment net sales was affected by reduced tobacco and fuel sales.
As a result of the factors discussed above, segment operating income increased $0.4 billion and $0.3 billion for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity
The strength and stability of our operations have historically supplied us with a significant source of liquidity. Our cash flows provided by operating activities, supplemented with our long-term debt and short-term borrowings, have been sufficient to fund our operations while allowing us to invest in activities that support the long-term growth of our operations. Generally, some or all of the remaining available cash flow has been used to fund dividends on our common stock and share repurchases. We believe our sources of liquidity will continue to be sufficient to fund operations, finance our global investment activities, pay dividends and fund our share repurchases for at least the next 12 months and thereafter for the foreseeable future.
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Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 24,181 | $ | 36,074 | $ | 25,255 | ||||||||||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities was $24.2 billion, $36.1 billion and $25.3 billion for fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal 2022 decreased when compared to the previous fiscal year primarily due to an increase in inventory costs and purchases to support strong sales and lapping the impact of accelerated inventory sell-through in fiscal 2021, as well as timing and payment of wages. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal 2021, when compared to the previous fiscal year, was primarily due to the impact of the global health crisis which accelerated inventory sell-through, as well as the timing and payment of inventory purchases, incremental COVID-19 related expenses and certain benefit payments.
Cash Equivalents and Working Capital Deficit
Cash and cash equivalents were $14.8 billion and $17.7 billion as of January 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Our working capital deficit, defined as total current assets less total current liabilities, was $6.3 billion and $2.6 billion as of January 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. We generally operate with a working capital deficit due to our efficient use of cash in funding operations, consistent access to the capital markets and returns provided to our shareholders in the form of payments of cash dividends and share repurchases.
We use intercompany financing arrangements in an effort to ensure cash can be made available in the country in which it is needed with the minimum cost possible. Additionally, from time-to-time, we repatriate earnings and related cash from jurisdictions outside of the U.S. Historically, U.S. taxes were due upon repatriation of foreign earnings. Due to the enactment of U.S. tax reform, repatriations of foreign earnings will generally be free of U.S. federal tax, but may incur other taxes such as withholding or state taxes. While we are currently evaluating recent regulations issued from the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and the U.S. Treasury Department, we do not expect current local laws, other existing limitations on anticipated future repatriations of cash amounts held outside the U.S. to have a material effect on our overall liquidity, financial position or results of operations.
As of January 31, 2022 and 2021, cash and cash equivalents of $4.3 billion and $2.8 billion, respectively, may not be freely transferable to the U.S. due to local laws or other restrictions. Of the $4.3 billion as of January 31, 2022, approximately $2.2 billion can only be accessed through dividends or intercompany financing arrangements subject to approval of the Flipkart minority shareholders; however, this cash is expected to be utilized by Flipkart.
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | $ | (6,015) | $ | (10,071) | $ | (9,128) | ||||||||||||||
Net cash used in investing activities was $6.0 billion, $10.1 billion and $9.1 billion for fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and generally consisted of capital expenditures. Net cash used in investing activities decreased $4.1 billion for fiscal 2022 when compared to the previous fiscal year primarily due to the net proceeds received from the divestitures of Asda and Seiyu, partially offset by increased capital expenditures. Net cash used in investing activities increased $0.9 billion for fiscal 2021 when compared to the previous fiscal year, primarily as a result of lapping the net proceeds received from the sale of our banking operations in Walmart Canada and the change in other investing activities, partially offset by decreased capital expenditures.
Capital expenditures
Refer to the "Strategic Capital Allocation" section in our Company Performance Metrics for capital expenditure detail for fiscal 2022 and 2021. For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2023 ("fiscal 2023"), we project capital expenditures will be approximately $18 billion, with a focus on supply chain, automation, customer-facing initiatives and technology.
Net Cash Used in Financing Activities
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | $ | (22,828) | $ | (16,117) | $ | (14,299) | ||||||||||||||
Net cash from financing activities generally consists of transactions related to our short-term and long-term debt, financing obligations, dividends paid and the repurchase of Company stock. Transactions with noncontrolling interest shareholders are also classified as cash flows from financing activities. Fiscal 2022 net cash used in financing activities increased $6.7 billion when compared to the previous fiscal year. The increase is primarily due to repayments of long-term debt and related payment
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of premiums for the early extinguishment of certain notes, as well as increased share repurchases, partially offset by new long-term debt issuances in the current year and equity funding from the sale of subsidiary stock. Fiscal 2021 net cash used in financing activities increased $1.8 billion for fiscal 2021 when compared to the previous fiscal year. The increase was primarily due to the timing of issuances and repayments of long-term debt, partially offset by both a reduction in cash used to pay down short-term borrowings as well as share repurchases.
Sale of Subsidiary Stock
During fiscal 2022, the Company received $3.2 billion primarily related to a new equity funding for the Company's majority-owned Flipkart subsidiary, which reduced the Company's ownership from approximately 83% as of January 31, 2021 to approximately 75%.
Short-term Borrowings
We generally utilize the liquidity provided by short-term borrowings to provide funding for our operations, dividend payments, share repurchases, capital expenditures and other cash requirements. The following table includes additional information related to the Company's short-term borrowings for fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020:
| Fiscal Years Ended January 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Amounts in millions) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| Maximum amount outstanding at any month-end | $ | 716 | $ | 4,048 | $ | 13,315 | ||||||||||||||
| Average daily short-term borrowings | 626 | 1,577 | 7,120 | |||||||||||||||||
| Annual weighted-average interest rate | 3.7 | % | 3.1 | % | 2.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
Short-term borrowings as of January 31, 2022 and 2021 were $0.4 billion and $0.2 billion, respectively, with weighted-average interest rates of 2.9% and 1.9%, respectively. We also have $15.0 billion of various undrawn committed lines of credit in the U.S. as of January 31, 2022 that provide additional liquidity, if needed. Additionally, we maintain access to various credit facilities outside of the U.S. to further support our Walmart International segment operations, as needed.
As of January 31, 2022, we have $1.8 billion of syndicated and fronted letters of credit available, of which $1.7 billion was drawn and represents an unrecorded current obligation.
Long-term Debt
The following table provides the changes in our long-term debt for fiscal 2022:
| (Amounts in millions) | Long-term debt due within one year | |||||||||||||||||||