Walmart Inc.
Company History
Walmart History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas, United States
When was Walmart founded?
Walmart was founded in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas, United States by Sam Walton, making it 64 years old.
- Founded
- 1962
- Founding place
- Rogers, Arkansas, United States
- Founders
- Sam Walton
- Headquarters today
- Bentonville, Arkansas
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1962–2026)
- Current CEO
- John Furner
- Acquisitions
- 5
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1962 | First Walmart Opens |
| 1970 | Walmart Goes Public |
| 1983 | Sam's Club Launches |
| 1988 | First Supercenter and New CEO |
| 1999 | Asda Acquired |
| 2000 | Lee Scott Becomes CEO |
| 2014 | Doug McMillon Becomes CEO |
| 2016 | Jet.com Acquisition |
| 2018 | Flipkart Investment |
| 2024 | VIZIO Acquisition |
| 2026 | John Furner Becomes CEO |
| 2026 | Q2 FY27 Results |
- Where was Walmart founded?
- Walmart was founded in Rogers, Arkansas, United States in 1962. wikidata.org
- Who founded Walmart?
- Walmart was founded by Sam Walton.
- When did Walmart start?
- Walmart was founded in 1962.
- How old is Walmart?
- Walmart is 64 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Sam Walton ran a Ben Franklin variety-store franchise in Newport, Arkansas from 1945 and later opened Walton's 5&10 in Bentonville. In 1962 he opened the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas, betting that a discount store with low costs and high volume could win in small towns that larger chains ignored.
Founders
Sam Walton
Sam Walton opened the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 and built the company around low prices, low costs, and its own distribution network. He served as CEO until 1988 and remained chairman until his death in 1992. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992. Education: David H. Hickman High School. Samuel Moore Walton was born on March 29, 1918 and died of blood cancer on April 5, 1992, aged 74. He also co-founded Sam's Club in 1983. From 1982 to 1988 he was the richest person in the United States. He is buried in Bentonville, Arkansas. Sam Walton was born in 1918.
Key Milestones
First Walmart Opens
Sam Walton opens the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas.
Source: corporate.walmart.comWalmart Goes Public
Walmart sells shares to the public to fund expansion.
Source: corporate.walmart.comSam's Club Launches
The first Sam's Club warehouse club opens in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
Source: corporate.walmart.comFirst Supercenter and New CEO
Walmart opens its first supercenter, and David Glass succeeds Sam Walton as CEO.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAsda Acquired
Walmart bought the British supermarket chain Asda in 1999 for about $10 billion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDoug McMillon Becomes CEO
Doug McMillon, who started as an hourly associate in 1984, becomes CEO.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgJet.com Acquisition
Walmart buys Jet.com for about $3.3 billion to strengthen its U.S. ecommerce team.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFlipkart Investment
Walmart acquires a majority stake in Flipkart for about $16 billion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgVIZIO Acquisition
Walmart completes its $2.3 billion purchase of smart-TV maker VIZIO to expand its advertising business.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgJohn Furner Becomes CEO
John Furner succeeds Doug McMillon as President and CEO effective February 1, 2026; David Guggina takes over Walmart U.S.
Source: corporate.walmart.comQ2 FY27 Results
Walmart reports Q2 FY27 revenue of $187.9 billion, up 5.9%, and raises full-year sales and operating income guidance.
Source: corporate.walmart.comMajor Acquisitions
Jet.com
2016Bring in ecommerce talent and technology, including Jet founder Marc Lore, who went on to run Walmart's U.S. ecommerce business.
Flipkart
2018Acquire about 77% of Flipkart to enter Indian ecommerce.
VIZIO
2024Expand Walmart Connect into connected-TV advertising.
Bonobos
2017Walmart Inc. acquired Bonobos in 2017.
BIG Bompreço
2004Walmart Inc. acquired BIG Bompreço in 2004.
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Walmart Company History FAQ
When, where, and by whom was the first Walmart store opened?
The first Walmart Discount City store was opened on July 2, 1962, in Rogers, Arkansas, by founder Sam Walton, following his success operating franchised variety stores in Newport and Bentonville.
When did Walmart go public and list its shares?
Walmart incorporated in 1969 and launched its initial public offering (IPO) on October 1, 1970, selling 300,000 shares of common stock at $16.50 per share to fund rapid distribution center expansion.
When was Sam's Club founded within Walmart?
Sam's Club was founded in 1983 in Midwest City, Oklahoma, as a membership-only warehouse club format designed to serve small business owners and bulk consumer shoppers.
When was the first Walmart Supercenter opened?
The first Walmart Supercenter opened in 1988 in Washington, Missouri, combining a full-service supermarket with discount general merchandise under one roof, fundamentally transforming US grocery retailing.
When did Walmart become the largest retailer in the United States and the world?
Walmart surpassed Sears and Kmart to become the largest US retailer in 1990 by sales, and by 2002 became the world's largest corporation by revenue on the Fortune 500 list.
How did Walmart expand internationally starting in the 1990s?
Walmart expanded into Mexico in 1991 via a joint venture with Cifra (creating Walmex), followed by entries into Canada, the United Kingdom (Asda, later sold), China, Japan, and South Africa (Massmart).
What was the significance of the $3.3 billion Jet.com acquisition in 2016?
In August 2016, Walmart acquired Jet.com for $3.3 billion, bringing founder Marc Lore to lead Walmart U.S. eCommerce, accelerating omnichannel delivery, marketplace scale, and digital supply chains.
When did Walmart acquire majority ownership of Indian ecommerce giant Flipkart?
In 2018, Walmart invested $16 billion to acquire a 77% controlling stake in Flipkart, securing a dominant market leadership position in India's fast-growing digital consumer economy.
When did Walmart surpass $700 billion in annual revenue?
Walmart surpassed $700 billion in annual revenue for the first time in fiscal year 2026 (ended January 31, 2026), reporting $713.2 billion in total revenues across its stores, clubs, and online channels.
Why did Walmart transfer its stock listing from NYSE to Nasdaq in December 2025?
In December 2025, Walmart transferred its common stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to Nasdaq (retaining ticker WMT) to align with its identity as a technology- and retail-media-driven omnichannel enterprise.
Who succeeded Doug McMillon as President and CEO of Walmart?
On February 1, 2026, John Furner, former President and CEO of Walmart U.S., succeeded Doug McMillon as President and CEO of Walmart Inc. after McMillon's 12-year transformative tenure.
Where is Walmart headquartered and how large is its associate workforce?
Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, and employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide, making it the largest private employer in the world.
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