9:00 p.m.
China
With 24 new stores
in FY 15, Walmart
customers have more
access to quality food
they can trust.
9:00 a.m. ET
Canada
A broad assortment
that is locally relevant
makes Walmart a
favorite in Canada.
7:00 a.m. MT
United States
By using Easy Reorder on SamsClub.com,
business members conveniently
order online and use Club Pickup
to access merchandise.
8:00 a.m.
Mexico
Bodega Aurerra Express
shoppers find low prices on
favorite brands close to
where they live and work.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716 USA
479-273-4000
walmart.com
2015 Annual Report
2:00 p.m.
United Kingdom
Click & Collect lets Asda
shoppers order online and
collect their groceries at
various pickup points.
8:00 a.m. CT
United States
Supercenter customers
enjoy low prices and
fast, friendly checkout.
2
0
1
5
A
n
n
u
a
l
R
e
p
o
r
t
10:00 a.m.
Brazil
Walmartbrasil.com’s
expanded assortment
puts a million items
within reach.
Winning the future of retail
One customer at a time
Walmart shoppers are driven by value. We continue to
expand everyday low prices to more markets globally.
“Technology-driven savers” are a fast growing segment of our
customer base. Globally, we’re investing to improve mobile
capabilities and to test alternative access points. For example,
Asda now has Click & Collect at all stores.
Walmart’s investor relations app:
our company at your fingertips
PRIC E
A
C
C
E
S
S
Walmart’s IR app gives shareholders anytime and
anywhere access to financial and company news from
their mobile devices. Find presentations, quarterly
results, global footprint map and the stock price on
your iPad, iPhone or Android device. Download the
free app from iTunes or Google Play.
Customer
Proposition
E
X
P
E
R
I
E
N
CE
S
A S
T
N
O RTME
Customers want to save time and money, and have an
enjoyable shopping experience. We’re investing to
increase associate wages and training to improve the
service in our stores and clubs.
Customers want more choice, more items than they ever did
before. Walmart.com increased assortment by 60% in fiscal
2015, and we’ll surpass 10 million items this year.
Global Responsibility Report:
Every day, we offer affordable food, apparel and
other merchandise to customers in 27 countries
globally. We believe it is our responsibility to
operate in a way that is sustainable for the planet
and people who work all along our supply chains,
that creates economic opportunity for our
associates while growing our suppliers and the
economy more broadly, and that strengthens
the communities where we operate. To learn
more, read our GRR at corporate.walmart.com/
microsites/globalresponsibility-report-2015.
Walmart’s enhanced digital annual
report has expanded content.
We’re driving innovation and sustainability –
and reducing costs – with our enhanced digital
annual report. Visit www.stock.walmart.com to
hear directly from our leaders, associates and
customers. Also, visit this website to enroll to
receive future materials electronically for our
Annual Shareholders’ Meetings.
Our sustainable, next-generation report
The minimized environmental footprint of this report is the result of an extensive,
collaborative effort of Walmart and our supply chain partners. The environmental and
social impact continues to be an important consideration. It is printed on paper from
well-managed forests containing recycled PCW fiber that is Elementally Chlorine Free
(ECF). It is printed using 100 percent renewable wind power (RECs), along with
environmental manufacturing principles that were utilized in the printing process.
These practices include environmentally responsible procurement, lean manufacturing,
green chemistry principles, the recycling of residual materials and reduced volatile
organic compound inks and coatings.
4.65 acre
894 fewer
117,618 kWh
of forestland preserved via
managed forestry
trees consumed
via recycling
less energy – the same
used by 4.4 homes for a year
426 metric tons
45,573 kWh
417,714 fewer
of greenhouse gas offset –
the equivalent of taking 85.5
cars off the road for a year
converted to clean renewable
sources (printing plant
using RECs)
gallons of water
consumed
Savings baselines were developed using the
national averages of similar coated papers and
printing practices by EarthColor Printing. FSC®
is not responsible for any calculations on saving
resources by choosing this paper.
P R I N T ED USI
N
1
0
0
%
WIND E N E
G
Y
G
R
Supplied by Community Energy
Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM
SmartWood Program Labeling Guidelines
We’re investing to win in retail by
providing our customers what they
want, when they want it, at
unrivaled prices.
Doug McMillon
President and Chief Executive Officer
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Our framework for growth
What is the strategic plan to drive
Walmart’s continued growth in
a changing retail environment
around the world?
Given the breadth of our business, strategic
clarity is really important. We’re thinking
about the future through the lens of the
customer. Customers are channel agnostic
– shopping in stores, online or with their
phones is more seamless than it used to
be. We’re thinking the same way. Walmart
possesses unique assets and capabilities
to serve customers with our stores, clubs,
global supply chain, data and great associ-
ates. We want to enable customers to find
what they want, at a value, in a convenient,
enjoyable way, regardless of how they
shop. Our customer proposition is focused
on four areas – price, access, assortment
and experience. Each dimension is
important, and we take a holistic view
to how they integrate with each other.
Our plan provides a framework to ignite,
energize and accelerate change, as we
make decisions and investments.
How does Walmart’s everyday low
price (EDLP) philosophy translate
across markets globally?
We serve value conscious customers,
regardless of household income, all over
the world. So, we’ll always be aggressive on
price. EDLP builds customer trust, both in
stores and online. That’s especially important
in a digital era where there’s greater price
transparency. To deliver price leadership, we
continue to focus on driving everyday low
cost (EDLC) through improvements in supply
chain, processes and other efficiencies.
How are you providing greater
access for customers to shop Walmart?
Through our more than 11,000 stores,
websites and mobile apps, customers can
access Walmart in more ways than ever
before. It’s vital to have relevant formats
in each market we serve. But the future of
retail is not just in-store or online – it’s put-
ting the two together in new ways. I’m
excited that we’re leaders in integrating
digital and physical retail in a seamless
fashion. We’ll continue to test and learn
as we explore options for convenient
merchandise pickup or delivery to save
customers’ time.
How are you expanding
the assortment with your
e-commerce offering?
Customers want more merchandise
choices, and they expect to find almost
anything when shopping Walmart. In
our stores, we’re focused on providing
quality merchandise, desirable national
brands and great private brand options.
On the e-commerce front, we provide
those same things through an expanded
assortment of approximately 8 million
items on walmart.com in the U.S.
Interestingly, 75 percent of walmart.com
sales come from non-store inventory,
thus providing incremental sales growth
beyond our stores. And, this is a global
effort. In Brazil, for example, our online
assortment, including from marketplace
partners, grew 10-fold last year.
What are your most important
objectives to improve customer
experience, both in stores and online?
Retail has always been a people business,
and we win when associates exceed
customer expectations. That’s why we’re
investing in higher wages and increased
training and development for our U.S.
associates. We’ll also equip them with
information and technology to facilitate
great customer service. We’re focused
on running great stores and websites by
improving in-stock and driving a faster
checkout, both online and in stores. I’m
excited about the progress we’ll make for
customers this year.
2015 Annual Report
1
Save
Money.
Live
Better.
Dear Shareholders,
Associates and Customers:
It’s an exciting time for Walmart. From the U.S. to the U.K., from
Mexico to China, and across all the markets we serve, retail is
changing in fundamental ways. Our future is bright because
we’re increasing our investments in associates, stores and
e-commerce capabilities to prepare for the way customers will
want to shop with us in this new era of retail.
Each week, we serve close to 260 million customers in our
stores, in 27 countries, and through our websites globally. While
language and culture may differ, remarkable similarities exist
globally in what customers expect from a retailer. Whether it’s a
young mom in Toronto or a retired couple in Phoenix, custom-
ers everywhere want to save money and save time. They want
to shop on their terms in a manner that’s easy and convenient.
They seek broad choices in assortment. And, regardless of how
they shop, in stores or on their mobile device, they expect a great
price and experience. At Walmart, our enterprise strategy guides
how we fulfill those expectations and deliver on our customer
proposition. We’ll drive sales growth by executing well, in stores
and e-commerce, every time we serve customers.
Delivering a solid financial performance
I’m encouraged that Walmart’s fiscal 2015 revenue grew
by more than $9 billion to nearly $486 billion and earnings
per share were $4.99, a nearly 3 percent increase from the
prior year. But, we have higher expectations. Our priority
is to run great stores, clubs and e-commerce everywhere
we operate to grow the business.
Walmart U.S. delivered net sales of $288 billion, a more
than 3 percent increase, and improved its sales and
operating income trends each consecutive quarter
during the year. I’m pleased by the positive comp sales
growth, especially the strong performance from
Neighborhood Markets, but we’re not satisfied. The
2
Walmart U.S. team is implementing a broad
range of initiatives focused on strengthening
our assortment (especially the fresh offering),
driving the integration of e-commerce with our
stores, and improving the customer experience.
For example, in February, we announced a
$1 billion investment in our U.S. hourly associates
to provide higher wages, more training and
increased opportunities to build a career with
Walmart. These are strategic investments in our
people to reignite the sense of ownership they have in our stores
and foster an improved customer experience to drive sales growth.
Walmart International produced solid constant currency sales and
operating income growth. On a constant currency basis, net sales
surpassed $141 billion, while operating income increased to more
than $6 billion. I’m pleased that we’re running better stores in our
International markets. Operations in Canada, Mexico and China
continue to improve, leading to stronger sales and profitability.
The U.K. market has become fiercely competitive, and in Brazil, we
continue to work on improving performance. Across International,
our commitment to a compelling fresh food offering and innova-
tions in e-commerce, like grocery home shopping, will be important
growth drivers for the future.
The emphasis of the Sam’s Club team on making membership
more rewarding helped drive net sales of $58 billion and an
increase of more than 10 percent in membership income.
Members appreciate the value-added benefits offered by Sam’s
Club like Plus Cash Rewards and the suite of comprehensive
business member services. The team is focused on bringing
merchandise excitement and newness to drive sales. In addition,
Sam’s Club continues to strengthen digital integration with clubs
through initiatives like Club Pickup.
Our 22 percent growth in global e-commerce sales surpassed
the overall market and was supported by enhancements to our
Almost
260M
Customers served
weekly in our stores
in 27 countries
and through
websites globally
2015 Annual Report $486B
Consolidated fiscal
2015 revenue
16%
Fiscal 2015 total
shareholder return
technology, assortment and supply chain. The investments
in our global technology platform provide a foundation that
strengthens usability and conversion across our e-commerce
websites and mobile apps. We’re also investing in more fulfillment
centers around the world to enable faster delivery of merchandise
to customers. Each of our business segments continues to
increase the integration of e-commerce and mobile assets with
our stores and clubs. For example, we’re testing Click & Collect
pickup points in many of our key markets. Asda already has
Click & Collect capabilities in all stores.
Investing in customer relevance
As we invest to expand our global e-commerce capabilities and
build more stores, we keep customer expectations at the forefront.
The type of store format or fulfillment center we build, the location
of where we put a club, or the functionality of a website are all
predicated on how we can better serve our customers. And, as
we make these choices, we’re striving to balance sales growth
and profitability. We’re being thoughtful with our investments,
ensuring we have the infrastructure in place for sustainable
growth. Walmart’s strong balance sheet and robust cash flow
provide a solid foundation to support these investments. While
we grow, we remain focused on expense management and EDLC.
When we operate and grow efficiently, we’ll generate increased
value for shareholders.
Engaged associates fuel our success
Highly motivated and engaged associates are essential to providing
customers with excellent service. And, it’s only through associates
who are merchant-minded that we’ll continue to connect custom-
ers with new items that they want and need. Although technology
has transformed our business, retail is still a people business.
Walmart has always provided a ladder of opportunity – one that
today is available to our 2.2 million associates globally. Regardless
of your background, Walmart will give you the opportunity to
grow a career as far as your ability and hard work will take you. I
am one of many leaders in our company who benefited from this
opportunity to begin as an hourly associate and grow into roles
with increased responsibility.
Talent is the essential enabler to reach our objectives. I’m excited
by the new initiatives we’ve put in place around the world to
better train and equip our associates for success. For example, the
steps we’ve taken in the U.S., China and Mexico to strengthen
compensation structures and increase training opportunities give
associates more ownership and accountability, so they can react
faster to customers’ needs. Adding new talent is also important as
we work to grow digital retail and fully align our organization with
a changing retail environment. Some of the brightest minds in retail
are joining Walmart because they know this is an organization that’s
embracing innovation to deliver a better future for customers.
Committed to a better world
We’re not only thinking differently about retail, we’re thinking differently
about the world. Walmart is a powerful change agent, and we’re
committed to global responsibility initiatives that make our world
better. I’m proud of our work to advance environmental sustainability,
to support women’s economic empowerment, and to offer healthier
food choices for our customers. We continue to look for more ways
to lead and have an even greater impact on the communities that
we serve. We’ll also remain steadfast in our commitment to compli-
ance, ethics and doing business the right way. I’m pleased with the
enhancements we’ve made, including better technology, to
strengthen these organizations and build world-class compliance.
My career at Walmart began more than three decades ago, and I’ve
never been more excited about our future than I am today. Walmart
has a great purpose – to save people money so they can live better.
We’re embracing change so we can deliver that promise more effec-
tively. As I look back over this past year, we’ve made great strides
towards our goals. We know where our customers’ expectations
are going, and we’re ideally positioned to deliver for them. Walmart
has great assets and capabilities, but there’s more we must do. We’re
continuing to build a Walmart that excels globally at the integration
of digital and physical retail, providing our customers with a seam-
less experience to shop whenever, wherever and however they want.
It’s a great opportunity. I’m excited about the next steps in our journey.
Sincerely,
3
2015 Annual Report
Delivering an improved
shopping experience
In fiscal 2015, Walmart U.S. delivered a 3.1 percent increase in net
sales to $288 billion. Comp sales growth of 0.6 percent included
more than 6 percent growth in our Neighborhood Market format.
Operating income declined 2.1 percent to $21.3 billion, due primarily to
increased health-care costs. We improved sales and operating income
trends each consecutive quarter in fiscal 2015. Our new leadership
team, led by Greg Foran, is focused on improving our customer
experience through assortment, price and access.
Enhancing the customer experience
We’re focused on exceeding our customers’ expectations by strengthening
the shopping experience. We’ve expanded the Checkout Promise to
provide a faster checkout experience, with more lanes available during
peak hours and weekends. In February, we announced an array of
changes for associates and a bold new approach to our jobs. These
changes to training, scheduling and pay will lead to expanded career
opportunities and increased wages for hundreds of thousands of
4
2015 Annual Report
and relevant, and we’ve refreshed our
mobile app. We’ll continue to test, learn
and innovate as we explore initiatives, such
as online grocery delivery and Walmart
Grocery Pickup, to provide greater access
to our brand anytime and anywhere.
And, we’ll accomplish all of this through
investments in technology, systems and
our supply chain, including our more than
4,500 stores. These investments will give
our customers better access to merchan-
dise and make the shopping experience
more rewarding.
Providing career
opportunities for
U.S. veterans
We’re proud of our five-year commitment
to hire 100,000 veterans by 2018. Over the
past two years, we’ve hired approximately
80,000 veterans to join the Walmart team.
And, more than 6,000 have been promoted
to roles of greater responsibility and higher
pay. They possess discipline, training and
a passion for service to improve our business
for customers.
2015 Annual Report
5
full-time and part-time hourly store asso-
ciates. Across the country, all entry-level
associates now earn a minimum of $9.00
per hour, and by February 2016, current
associates will earn at least $10.00 per hour.
Our people will have more control over
their schedules and access to training
that provides a pathway to greater career
opportunities. These investments are
designed to reignite our associate pride
and ownership to improve service to our
customers.
Focusing on a quality assortment
We’re an agent for our customer, driving
value through improving quality and
expanding key brands, at an everyday
low price. Customers expect a consistent
high quality fresh food experience, which
is a key traffic driver to our stores. We’ll
continue to strengthen our fresh depart-
ments by improving quality, consistency,
and presentation, especially with more
locally sourced fresh fruits and vegetables.
Operational enhancements, from product
flow and forecasting, to associate training
and development, will ensure a superior
fresh offering. Additionally, by leveraging
our unified physical and digital capabilities,
customers have access to approximately
8 million items across our entire product
offering, with more to come this year.
Maintaining price leadership
Customers want value and we’re committed
to delivering EDLP. We’re focused on
executing a consistent pricing strategy that
will provide transparent pricing for our cus-
tomers through new tools and capabilities.
We’ll continue to work with our supplier
partners to achieve EDLC. This will allow
us to invest in and strengthen our EDLP
pricing strategy and offer the value our
customers seek.
Aligning formats and channels
with customers’ needs
Customers want to save time and money,
and Walmart has an ability to serve them
anytime, anywhere. While our supercenters
provide a convenient one-stop solution,
we’ll reinvent the format to exceed cus-
tomer expectations. And, we’re upgrading
our Neighborhood Markets to accentuate
our fresh and organic offering. Overall, we
expect to add approximately 15 to 16 mil-
lion total net retail square feet in fiscal 2016,
representing between 240 and 270 units.
With our extensive store base, distribution
network and e-commerce capabilities,
we’re best-positioned to succeed at the
integration of digital and physical retail.
We’ll continue to make the walmart.com
experience more intuitive, personalized
International
Driving increased
profitability through
balanced growth
In fiscal 2015, Walmart International’s net sales increased 3.6 percent on
a constant currency basis, to $141.4 billion. We grew operating income
faster than sales, demonstrating balanced growth and improved
profitability. We also added 9.4 million square feet of retail space and
183 stores, bringing our total portfolio to more than 6,200 stores and
10 e-commerce websites in 26 countries. By remaining focused on
being in good businesses and being the best-in-class retailer, we’re
ensuring a balanced portfolio for customers with the right formats
and merchandise, supported by EDLP to drive sales growth.
Delivering sales through customer relevance
We’re passionate about driving sales wherever we operate. Customers
around the world choose Walmart for our low prices, convenient
access to compelling merchandise and a shopping experience that
meets their expectations. EDLP, enabled by being a low-cost operator,
is the foundation of our customer proposition. In fiscal 2015, we contin-
ued to make progress on the transition to EDLP in markets such as Brazil
6
2015 Annual Report and Africa. In other highly competitive
markets such as the U.K. and Canada, we
remained focused on price investment to
drive sales. We’re also leveraging best
practices globally – improving our fresh
and private brand assortments and driv-
ing greater operational efficiency. Our
EDLC agenda had a strong year, with our
‘We Operate for Less’ and ‘We Buy for Less’
programs saving us $150 million in China,
for example. We’re also providing cus-
tomers greater convenience by opening
more small-format stores. And, when
necessary, we’ve closed underperforming
stores and divested non-core elements of
our business. We’ll continue to strategically
optimize our global positioning across key
geographies and formats to maximize
future growth potential.
Accelerating e-commerce and
digital/physical integration
In all markets, we’re committed to providing
customers convenient access to Walmart.
We’re innovating through e-commerce,
mobile and various pickup sites to pro-
vide customers more shopping options
than ever before. We’re especially
focused on grocery home shopping,
with expanded operations in the U.K.,
Mexico and Japan. Asda doubled its Click
& Collect sites, and in Japan, we automated
the order picking process to fulfill Seiyu.com
grocery orders more efficiently and sus-
tainably. E-commerce sales growth has
been strong. Brazil e-commerce sales in
fiscal 2015 grew faster than the market
despite strong competitive pressures, and
in China, Yihaodian saw traffic increase
more than 60 percent. No matter the
shopper preference, we’ll continue to
strive to be the destination of choice.
Building world-class talent and trust
With nearly 800,000 associates serving
customers in the International business,
we’re committed to investing in our peo-
ple’s success through training initiatives
and opportunity, ensuring we have high
performing associates in all markets.
We’re leveraging our global leadership
talent by giving them opportunities in
various markets, such as Mexico and
Brazil, to lead improvements in business
performance. Our leadership team is
focused on a common goal to be the
most trusted retailer everywhere we
operate. We aim to strengthen customer
trust with a strong focus on EDLP, high
quality fresh food and excellent customer
service. For example, in China, we’ve
invested to improve our distribution
network for fresh products and also utilized
Walmart’s “Worry Free Fresh” program to
provide a money-back guarantee if our
produce and meats don’t meet customer
expectations. Our commitment to having
world-class compliance and leading on
social and environmental issues also con-
tributes to building trust with customers.
In fiscal 2015, we continued to execute a
comprehensive compliance-focused
training program, including areas encom-
passing anti-corruption, food safety and
other compliance areas. Our consistent
focus on good corporate citizenship helps
strengthen community relationships.
Empowering women
entrepreneurs around
the world
Walmart’s Global Women’s Economic
Empowerment Initiative provides
training, access to markets and career
opportunities to nearly 1 million women,
many on farms and in factories. We’re
committed to affording them economic
opportunities and increasing our sourcing
from women-owned businesses.
7
2015 Annual Report Creating a more rewarding
member experience
In fiscal 2015, Sam’s Club’s commitment to creating the most valued
membership organization in the U.S. contributed to growth in net sales,
operating income and enhanced member engagement. Overall net
sales increased 1.5 percent to $58 billion, while comp sales, excluding
fuel, were up 0.6 percent. Membership income grew 10.3 percent, driving
operating income growth, without fuel, of 2 percent to $1.9 billion.
The most valuable card in a member’s wallet
Delivering exceptional value is what a Sam’s Club membership is all
about, and we’re finding more ways to strengthen our member
engagement. We expect that our increased hourly wages and additional
investments in training, announced in February, will provide greater career
opportunities for our club associates and allow us to continue delivering
award-winning service to members. In addition, Plus members appreciate
the benefits of our Cash Rewards program. Response has been strong,
On the menu:
smart and healthy food
choices for members
Whether they’re millennials or boomers,
Sam’s Club members are seeking healthier
food options – and we deliver. Last year,
we more than doubled our organic portfolio.
And, “healthy for you” items such as breakfast
bars, squeezable fruit pouches and protein
drinks are resonating with members as well.
8
2015 Annual Report
mobile app allow members to search
for products, track Instant Savings and
purchase exciting merchandise whenever
and wherever they want. Club Pickup,
which had been aimed at our Business
members, was relaunched in fiscal 2015
so both Savings and Business members
can order online and then pick up their
merchandise at their local club at a
convenient time for them. And, the
online Easy Reorder tool allows members
to see past purchases and quickly add
them to their current cart. Members can
shop Sam’s Club in a matter of minutes –
no matter how big the order. As we grow,
we’ll also give greater access through new
clubs. In fiscal 2016, Sam’s Club will open
9 to 12 new and relocated clubs, and
remodel at least 55 clubs, while investing
in innovation at SamsClub.com.
Brands and values that delight
members in club and online
Having great merchandise builds members’
trust and loyalty. Sam’s Club members look
for household staples, as well as new, excit-
ing, on-trend merchandise – from children’s
apparel to home décor – at members-only
prices. We’re focused on infusing newness
across every merchandise category – build-
ing excitement, driving traffic, enhancing
engagement and increasing retention of
club members. Members increasingly shop
Sam’s Club for healthy options, including
organics, active wear and nutrition bars that
support their active lifestyles. In addition,
our award-winning pharmacists, free health
screening services and immunizations make
Sam’s Club an important health-care
destination for many members.
2015 Annual Report
9
increasing the percentage of members
who choose to become Plus members.
Putting money back in the pockets of Plus
members after they make qualifying pur-
chases at the club significantly enhances
the value of this membership. And, all
of our members are enthusiastic about
our cash back credit card. This secure,
chip-enabled 5-3-1 MasterCard® offers
the best cash-back program in the market.
We’ve also expanded our portfolio of
services to provide more convenience
and value. We’re helping small business
members take care of back office needs
by providing easy access to leading
providers of affordable health insurance
plans, payroll services, merchant pay-
ment processing and legal services.
Our goal is to curate a suite of anywhere,
anytime business member services with
exclusive savings that make the Sam’s
Club membership the most valuable
“business card” for these members, while
supporting the small business community.
We also launched a Sam’s Club Travel app
in December to give all members faster
access to outstanding travel savings.
Integrating digital and physical
access for member convenience
We’re focused on giving members the
choices they want by continuing to
integrate digital and physical retail.
Improved digital access through our
investments in SamsClub.com and our
Integrating digital and physical
retail for Walmart customers
11
Countries with
dedicated Walmart
e-commerce
websites
blueChip_12
1.2M sq. ft.
Average size of our
4 new U.S.
e-commerce
fulfillment centers
opening in FY 16
10
2015 Annual Report
$12.2B
Global e-commerce
sales in FY 15
(22% growth)
70%
Approximate
walmart.com traffic
from mobile devices
during FY 15 Q4
holidays
60%
Increase in
walmart.com
assortment in FY 15
(to 8 million items)
Investing in our
e-commerce capabilities
Walmart’s e-commerce investments around
the world are focused on four priorities:
a global technology platform, a next gen-
eration fulfillment network, talent and the
integration of digital and physical retail. Our
new technology platform makes shopping
easier on any device and enables deployment
of innovation to multiple markets quickly.
Our new, highly automated fulfillment centers
allow more orders to be shipped faster, and at
a lower cost, to customers’ doorsteps. We’re
attracting many of the industry’s top engi-
neers and scientists as we build a technology
company inside the world’s largest retailer.
And, we continue to use our stores to test
innovations like order pickup and grocery
home shopping to position Walmart as
the global leader in integrating digital
and physical retailing.
2015 Annual Report
11
Fostering opportunities for
Walmart associates globally
$1B
Walmart’s incremental
investment in higher
wages, education and
training for U.S. store
and club associates
57%
Of our associates
are women
2.2M
Dedicated
associates globally
“Walmart will continue
to provide a ladder of
opportunity that any
associate can climb.
If you work hard,
develop new skills and
care for our customers,
there should be no
limit to what you can
do here.”
Doug McMillon
President and Chief Executive Officer
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
12
12
2015 Annual Report
2015 Annual Report
$500M
Bonuses earned by
hourly associates in
fiscal 2015
75%
Of store operations
management joined
Walmart as
hourly associates
4 of 5
Are proud to work
at Walmart
Based on survey results
from more than 2 million
associates worldwide
3,600
Global eCommerce
associates around
the world
2015 Annual Report
13
We’re delivering
strong governance
for shareholders.
S. Robson Walton
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Across our markets, Walmart is in a period
of rapid change, and our Board of Directors
is highly engaged in overseeing the
development and execution of Walmart’s
enterprise strategy. Under Doug’s leader-
ship, management is focused on driving
long-term growth and profitability. We’re
investing in our associates and e-commerce,
and integrating our e-commerce offering
with our stores and clubs to exceed
customers’ expectations. I’m proud that
the Board fully supported a $1 billion
investment in our U.S. store and club hourly
associates to increase pay and provide a
pathway to greater career opportunities.
We also endorsed a more than $300 million
incremental investment in e-commerce to
continue development of fulfillment and
technology capabilities in fiscal 2016.
These commitments are expected to
improve the store and digital experience
for our customers.
Walmart has an exceptional Board of
Directors comprised of a diverse mix of
highly qualified members committed to
upholding strong governance standards
and demonstrating integrity in all activi-
ties. Our Board continually reviews our
composition, leadership structure, and our
way of working to ensure that we’re fully
leveraging these talented individuals. Our
Board’s diversity is broad – from ethnicity
and gender, to business experience and
tenure. The median length of service on
our Board is approximately 6½ years. This
includes a healthy mix of directors with
fresh perspectives who joined our Board
over the past few years, combined with
longer-serving directors with expertise in
our business and broader retail acumen.
Because change is inevitable, succession
planning is one of our key responsibilities.
Greg Penner, who has served on the
Board since 2008, became the Board’s
Vice Chairman this past year, and he has
taken a more active leadership role in
Board and management interactions
focused on strategy, management devel-
opment and Board processes. As part of
our standard refreshment, we have a rig-
orous Board candidate evaluation process
to ensure that we maintain the right skill
sets for our growing business. Two board
additions in 2014, Kevin Systrom and Tom
Horton, underscore the benefits of this
approach and demonstrate how we’re
strengthening our oversight to keep pace
with the changing retail dynamics.
Committed to Board independence
Our Board is dedicated and challenges
management to grow Walmart in the best
interest of our stakeholders. In fact, most
directors attended all of our Board and
committee meetings last year, with the
overall meeting attendance for the year
being 98 percent. The Walton family has
a passion to see the company succeed,
and we’re proud to have representation on
Walmart’s Board. But, we also recognize the
importance of having an independent board
with diverse experiences and viewpoints.
Today, the majority of our board members
are independent. Dr. James Cash serves as
our Lead Independent Director, adding
exceptional value to our governance
processes. And, we’ve had separate
Chairman and CEO roles since 1988. This
structure allows our management team
to focus on long-term value creation for
all shareholders and avoids the tempta-
tion to respond to short-term pressure
that’s not best for our business.
Listening to our shareholders
All of us believe it’s important for the
company to hear from shareholders and
respond accordingly. Over the past year,
management engaged in a proactive out-
reach with many of our largest shareholders
to discuss Walmart’s strategy, governance
and compensation practices, as well as
our environmental and social initiatives.
These meetings were insightful, and the
feedback was shared with the Board. We’ll
continue to evaluate and act upon the rec-
ommendations that the Board feels are in
the best interest of all of our shareholders.
This is an exciting time for Walmart and
retail in general. Our future is bright for our
customers, associates and shareholders.
Despite all the change that’s occurring,
Walmart remains true to delivering on the
purpose we’ve always had, to save people
money so they can live better. And, we’re
committed to growing the company in
an ethical and compliant way, endeavor-
ing to always do the right thing.
14
2015 Annual Report
Board of Directors
Pictured below from left to right:
S. Robson Walton (Chairman)
Mr. Walton is Chairman of the Board of Directors of
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Kevin Y. Systrom
Mr. Systrom is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder
of Instagram, a social media application.
Marissa A. Mayer
Ms. Mayer is the Chief Executive Officer and President
and Director of Yahoo!, Inc., a digital media company.
Timothy P. Flynn
Mr. Flynn is the retired Chairman of KPMG International,
a professional services firm.
Thomas W. Horton
Mr. Horton is the former Chairman of American Airlines
Group Inc. and the former Chairman of American Airlines,
Inc. He also previously served as the Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of AMR Corporation and CEO
of American Airlines, Inc.
Michael T. Duke
Mr. Duke is the former Chairman of the Executive
Committee of the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores,
Inc., where he served in that capacity until January 31,
2015. He previously served as the President and Chief
Executive Officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. from February
2009 to January 2014.
James I. Cash, Jr., Ph.D. (Lead Independent Director)
Dr. Cash is the James E. Robison Emeritus Professor of
Business Administration at Harvard Business School,
where he served from July 1976 to October 2003.
Aida M. Alvarez
Ms. Alvarez is the former Administrator of the U.S. Small
Business Administration and was a member of President
Clinton’s Cabinet from 1997 to 2001.
Gregory B. Penner (Vice Chairman)
Mr. Penner is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and a General Partner at Madrone
Capital Partners, an investment firm.
Linda S. Wolf
Ms. Wolf is the retired Chairman of the Board of Directors
and Chief Executive Officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide,
Inc., an advertising agency and division of Publicis
Groupe S.A.
C. Douglas McMillon
Mr. McMillon is the President and Chief Executive Officer
of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Jim C. Walton
Mr. Walton is the Chairman of the Board of Directors
and Chief Executive Officer of Arvest Bank Group, Inc.,
a group of banks operating in the states of Arkansas,
Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Douglas N. Daft
Mr. Daft is the retired Chairman of the Board of Directors
and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company, a
beverage manufacturer, where he served in that capacity
from February 2000 until May 2004, and in various other
capacities since 1969.
Roger C. Corbett
Mr. Corbett is the retired Chief Executive Officer and
Group Managing Director of Woolworths Limited,
the largest retail company in Australia.
Pamela J. Craig
Ms. Craig is the retired Chief Financial Officer of
Accenture plc, a global management consulting,
technology services, and outsourcing company.
Steven S Reinemund
Mr. Reinemund is the retired Dean of Business and
Professor of Leadership and Strategy at Wake Forest
University. He previously served as the Chairman of
the Board and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of PepsiCo, Inc.
Board Committees:
Name
Audit
S. Robson Walton
Timothy P. Flynn(FE)
(C)
Thomas W. Horton(FE)
Michael T. Duke
Marissa A. Mayer
Kevin Y. Systrom
Aida M. Alvarez
Gregory B. Penner
Comp.,
Nominating &
Governance
Executive
Global
Comp.
Strategic
Planning
& Finance
Tech &
e-commerce
Name
Comp.,
Nominating &
Governance
Audit
Executive
Global
Comp.
Strategic
Planning
& Finance
Tech &
e-commerce
Linda S. Wolf
(C)
(C)
(C)
C. Douglas McMillon
Jim C. Walton
James I. Cash, Jr., Ph.D.(FE)
Douglas N. Daft
Roger C. Corbett
Pamela J. Craig(FE)
(C)
Steven S Reinemund
(C)
(C) Committee Chair (FE) Financial Expert
2015 Annual Report
15
Sometimes, it is more convenient for customers
to shop online and have their order delivered
to their doorstep. Other times, they may
want to pick up their online order when
they are already shopping at our store. We
are building the capabilities to provide
customers with best-in-class e-commerce –
from user-friendly websites and mobile
apps to high-tech fulfillment centers and
the infrastructure required for grocery home
shopping. Our incremental investments in
and around e-commerce will be well over
$1 billion this year, and we will continue
to seek the right balance between sales
growth and profitability as we grow our
e-commerce business.
Investing in our people and shareholders
This year, we’re making a $1 billion incremental
investment in strategic people initiatives
within our U.S. businesses. This wage restruc-
turing and expanded training opportunities
will help hourly associates earn higher pay and
advance their careers. This investment will
benefit our customers through a better store
and club experience, leading to higher sales
and returns.
I’m proud of Walmart’s long record of consistent
returns to shareholders. After growth initiatives,
we use our remaining cash flows to provide
shareholder returns through dividends and
share repurchases. Last year, we returned
over $7 billion to shareholders. This year, we
increased our annual dividend to $1.96 per
share, representing 42 consecutive years of
dividend increases.
As I close, I encourage you to review
our financial results in the next section.
Walmart’s business is strong, and we are
confident that our strategic investments
will make Walmart’s future even brighter.
A solid fiscal 2015
performance; investing
for a stronger future
Charles M. Holley, Jr.
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Walmart had a solid year in fiscal 2015 as
each operating segment improved its
performance as the year progressed. While
net sales grew nearly 2 percent and operating
income increased 1 percent, our underlying
performance was actually stronger. Our
results were impacted by significant
headwinds from currency exchange rate
fluctuations. These currency headwinds
may continue throughout this current year.
Our top priority is to run great stores in all
of our markets. That is the only way to have
sustainable increases in comp sales, as well
as top line growth. We’re pleased that
e-commerce sales rose faster than the
market globally last year at approximately
22 percent. As we continue to integrate our
websites and mobile apps with our stores
and clubs, we’ll enable customers to shop
anytime and anywhere they want.
Walmart is well-positioned to deliver for
customers because we have the financial
strength to invest in growth. Our AA credit
rating, unmatched in retail, is a testament to
our financial discipline and strong balance
sheet. We’ve consistently delivered strong
cash flow for many years. In fact, in fiscal
2015, Walmart generated free cash flow of
more than $16 billion, the best performance
in over a decade. Our return on investment
was 16.9 percent, as we continue to invest in
store growth and e-commerce initiatives.
Retail is changing and we’re investing to
serve customers more effectively, which we
believe will benefit shareholders over time.
We know that customers expect value, a
broad assortment, and various options in
how and where they shop. They also want
an enjoyable shopping experience, both in
stores and online. Our fiscal 2016 investments
in associate wages and training, as well as our
stepped-up investments in global e-commerce,
will strengthen our ability to deliver a great
experience for customers. These important
investments will make us even more relevant
in the future.
Investing for customers to drive growth
We take a long-term view as we position our
business for the future. Globally, customers
will always need to shop in stores, and we
will continue to serve customers with a
variety of formats. That is why we will add
26–30 million net retail square feet this
year with new stores and clubs around the
world, to bring Walmart closer to customers.
$64B*
Consolidated net
sales growth
19%*
Earnings per
share growth
$64B*
Returned to
shareholders through
dividends and
share repurchases
*Data reflects five-year period including fiscal 2011 through 2015.
16
16
2015 Annual Report
2015 Annual Report Executive Officers
Neil M. Ashe
Executive Vice President, President and
Chief Executive Officer, Global eCommerce
Rollin L. Ford
Executive Vice President and
Chief Administrative Officer
Daniel J. Bartlett
Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs
Rosalind G. Brewer
Executive Vice President, President and
Chief Executive Officer, Sam’s Club
M. Susan Chambers
Executive Vice President, Global People
David Cheesewright
Executive Vice President, President and
Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International
Greg S. Foran
Executive Vice President, President and
Chief Executive Officer, Walmart U.S.
Jeffrey J. Gearhart
Executive Vice President, Global Governance
and Corporate Secretary
Charles M. Holley, Jr.
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
C. Douglas McMillon
President and Chief Executive Officer
Steven P. Whaley
Senior Vice President and Controller
18 Five-Year Financial Summary
40 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
19 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
60 Report of Independent Registered Public
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Accounting Firm
36 Consolidated Statements of Income
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
37 Consolidated Balance Sheets
38
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity and
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest
61
Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm on Internal Control over
Financial Reporting
62 Management’s Report to Our Shareholders
63 Unit Counts as of January 31, 2015
39 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
64 Corporate and Stock Information
17
2015 Annual Report
Five-Year Financial Summary
(Amounts in millions, except per share and unit count data)
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
As of and for the Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
Operating results
Total revenues
Percentage change in total revenues from previous fiscal year
Net sales
Percentage change in net sales from previous fiscal year
Increase (decrease) in calendar comparable sales (1)
in the United States
Walmart U.S.
Sam’s Club
Gross profit margin
Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses,
as a percentage of net sales
Operating income
Income from continuing operations attributable to Walmart
Net income per common share:
Diluted income per common share from
continuing operations attributable to Walmart
Dividends declared per common share
Financial position
Inventories
Property, equipment and capital lease assets, net
Total assets
Long-term debt and long-term capital lease obligations
(excluding amounts due within one year)
Total Walmart shareholders’ equity
Unit counts
Walmart U.S. segment
Walmart International segment
Sam’s Club segment
Total units
$485,651
$ 476,294
$468,651
$446,509
$421,395
2.0%
1.6%
5.0%
6.0%
3.4%
482,229
473,076
465,604
443,416
418,500
1.9%
1.6%
5.0%
6.0%
3.4%
0.5%
0.6%
0.0%
24.3%
(0.5)%
(0.6)%
0.3%
24.3%
2.4%
2.0%
4.1%
24.3%
1.6%
0.3%
8.4%
24.5%
(0.6)%
(1.5)%
3.9%
24.8%
19.4%
19.3%
19.0%
19.2%
19.4%
$ 27,147
16,182
$ 26,872
15,918
$ 27,725
16,963
$ 26,491
15,734
$ 25,508
15,340
$ 4.99
1.92
$ 4.85
1.88
$ 5.01
1.59
$ 4.53
1.46
$ 4.18
1.21
$ 45,141
116,655
203,706
$ 44,858
117,907
204,751
$ 43,803
116,681
203,105
$ 40,714
112,324
193,406
$ 36,437
107,878
180,782
43,692
81,394
44,559
76,255
41,417
76,343
47,079
71,315
43,842
68,542
4,516
6,290
647
4,203
6,107
632
4,005
5,783
620
11,453
10,942
10,408
3,868
5,287
611
9,766
3,804
4,191
609
8,604
(1) Comparable sales include sales from stores and clubs open for the previous 12 months, including remodels, relocations and expansions, as well as e-commerce sales.
Comparable store and club sales include fuel.
18
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Overview
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (“Walmart,” the “Company” or “we”) is engaged in
the operation of retail, wholesale and other units in various formats
around the world. Our operations consist of three reportable segments:
Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam’s Club.
• Walmart U.S. is our largest segment and operates retail stores in all
50 states in the United States (“U.S.”), Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico,
with three primary store formats, as well as digital retail. Walmart U.S.
generated approximately 60% of our net sales in fiscal 2015 and, of our
three segments, Walmart U.S. is the largest and 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.
• Walmart International consists of operations in 26 countries outside of
the U.S. and includes retail, wholesale and other businesses. These busi-
nesses consist of numerous formats, including supercenters, supermarkets,
hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, including Sam’s Clubs, cash & carry, home
improvement, specialty electronics, restaurants, apparel stores, drug stores
and convenience stores, as well as digital retail. Walmart International
generated approximately 28% of our fiscal 2015 net sales. The overall
gross profit rate for Walmart International is lower than that of Walmart
U.S. because of its merchandise mix. Walmart International is our second
largest segment and has grown through acquisitions, as well as by adding
retail, wholesale and other units.
• Sam’s Club consists of membership-only warehouse clubs and operates
in 48 states in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico, as well as digital retail. Sam’s
Club accounted for approximately 12% of our fiscal 2015 net sales. As a
membership-only warehouse club, membership income is a significant
component of the segment’s operating income. As a result, Sam’s Club
operates with a lower gross profit rate and lower operating expenses as
a percentage of net sales than our other segments.
Each of our segments contributes to the Company’s operating results
differently, but each has generally maintained a consistent contribution
rate to the Company’s net sales and operating income in recent years.
Through the operations in each of our segments, we help people around
the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail
stores or through our e-commerce and mobile capabilities. Through
innovation, we are striving to create a customer-centric experience that
seamlessly integrates digital and physical shopping. Physical retail
encompasses our brick and mortar presence in each of the markets we
operate. Digital retail is comprised of our e-commerce websites and
mobile commerce applications. Each week, we serve nearly 260 million
customers who visit our over 11,000 stores under 72 banners in 27 coun-
tries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. Our strategy is to lead on
price, invest to differentiate on access, be competitive on assortment and
deliver a great experience. 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”), while fostering a culture that
rewards and embraces mutual respect, integrity and diversity. 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 promo-
tional activity. Price leadership is core to who we are. Everyday low cost
(“EDLC”) is our commitment to control expenses so those cost savings
can be passed along to our customers. Our digital and physical presence
provides customers access to our broad assortment anytime and
anywhere. We strive to give our customers and members a great digital
and physical shopping experience.
Our fiscal year ends on January 31 for our U.S. and Canadian operations.
We consolidate all other operations generally using a one-month lag and
on a calendar year basis. Our business is seasonal to a certain extent due
to calendar events and national and religious holidays, as well as weather
patterns. Historically, our highest sales volume and operating income
have occurred in the fiscal quarter ending January 31.
This discussion, which presents our results for the fiscal years ended
January 31, 2015 (“fiscal 2015”), January 31, 2014 (“fiscal 2014”) and
January 31, 2013 (“fiscal 2013”), 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 the three segments of our business to provide a better
understanding of how each of those segments and its results of operations
affect the financial condition and results of operations of the Company
as a whole.
Throughout this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations, 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, including certain
corporate overhead allocations, and other measures as determined by
the information regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision
maker. When we do so, the previous period amounts and balances are
reclassified to conform to the current period’s presentation. The amounts
disclosed for “Corporate and support” in the leverage discussion of the
Company’s performance metrics consist of corporate overhead and
other items not allocated to any of the Company’s segments.
Comparable store and club sales is a metric that indicates the
performance of our existing U.S. stores and clubs by measuring the
change in sales for such stores and clubs, including e-commerce sales,
for a particular period from the corresponding period in the previous
year. Walmart’s definition of comparable store and club sales
includes sales from stores and clubs open for the previous 12 months,
including remodels, relocations, expansions and conversions, as well as
e-commerce sales. We measure the e-commerce sales impact by includ-
ing those sales initiated through our websites and fulfilled through our
e-commerce distribution facilities, as well as an estimate for sales initiated
online, but fulfilled through our stores and clubs. Changes in format are
excluded from comparable store and club sales when the conversion is
accompanied by a relocation or expansion that results in a change in
retail square feet of more than five percent. Comparable store and club
sales are also referred to as “same-store” sales by others within the retail
industry. The method of calculating comparable store and club sales
19
2015 Annual Report Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
varies across the retail industry. As a result, our calculation of comparable
store and club 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 all countries where the functional currency is not the U.S. dollar.
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. Throughout our discussion, we refer to the
results of this calculation as the impact of currency exchange rate fluc-
tuations. When we refer to constant currency operating results, we are
referring to our operating results without the impact of the currency
exchange rate fluctuations and without the impact of acquisitions until
the acquisitions are included in both comparable periods. The disclosure
of constant currency amounts or results permits investors to understand
better Walmart’s underlying performance without the effects of currency
exchange rate fluctuations or acquisitions. 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 made certain reclassifications to prior period amounts or balances to
conform to the presentation in the current fiscal year. These reclassifications
did not impact the Company’s operating income or consolidated net
income. Additionally, certain prior period segment asset and expense
allocations have been reclassified among segments to be comparable
with the current period presentation.
The Retail Industry
We operate in the highly competitive 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 e-commerce and catalog businesses. Many of these competitors
are national, regional or international chains or have a national or interna-
tional online presence. We compete with a number of companies for
prime retail site locations, as well as in attracting and retaining quality
employees (whom we call “associates”). We, along with other retail compa-
nies, are influenced by a number of factors including, but not limited to:
catastrophic events, weather, competitive pressures, consumer disposable
income, consumer debt levels and buying patterns, consumer credit avail-
ability, cost of goods, currency exchange rate fluctuations, customer
preferences, deflation, inflation, fuel and energy prices, general economic
conditions, insurance costs, interest rates, labor costs, tax rates, 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 located in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015, and in
the discussion under “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements and Information” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended January 31, 2015.
Company Performance Metrics
Our performance metrics emphasize three priorities for improving
shareholder value: growth, leverage and returns. Our priority of growth
focuses on sales through growth in net sales, comparable store and club
sales, including e-commerce sales, and unit square feet growth; the
priority of leverage encompasses our objective to increase our operating
income at the same rate as or a faster rate than the growth in net sales
by growing our operating, selling, general and administrative expenses
(“operating expenses”) at a slower rate than the growth of our net sales;
and the priority of returns focuses on how efficiently we employ assets
through return on investment and how effectively we manage working
capital through free cash flow. While all three priorities are important,
our top priority is growth, with increased investment in digital retail and
our associates. Sales growth will contribute to improving leverage and
returns over time.
Growth
Net Sales
(Amounts in millions)
Walmart U.S.
Walmart International
Sam’s Club
Net sales
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
Percent
of Total
59.8%
28.2%
12.0%
Percent
Change
3.1%
(0.3)%
1.5%
Net Sales
$288,049
136,160
58,020
Net Sales
$279,406
136,513
57,157
2014
2013
Percent
of Total
Percent
Change
59.0%
28.9%
12.1%
1.8%
1.3%
1.3%
1.6%
Net Sales
$274,433
134,748
56,423
Percent
of Total
59.0%
28.9%
12.1%
$465,604
100.0%
$482,229
100.0%
1.9%
$473,076
100.0%
Our consolidated net sales increased 1.9% and 1.6% for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. The increase
in net sales for fiscal 2015 was primarily due to 3.0% year-over-year growth in retail square feet, positive comparable sales in the U.S. and higher
e-commerce sales across the Company. The increase was partially offset by $5.3 billion of negative impact from fluctuations in currency exchange
rates for fiscal 2015. The increase in net sales for fiscal 2014 was due to 3.1% growth in retail square feet, higher e-commerce sales, the impact of
fiscal 2013 acquisitions and positive comparable club sales at Sam’s Club. The increase in net sales for fiscal 2014 was partially offset by $5.1 billion
of negative impact from fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
20
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Calendar Comparable Store and Club Sales
Comparable store and club sales is a metric which indicates the performance of our existing U.S. stores and clubs by measuring the change in sales
for such stores and clubs, including e-commerce sales, for a particular period over the corresponding period in the previous year. The retail industry
generally reports comparable store and club sales using the retail calendar (also known as the 4-5-4 calendar). To be consistent with the retail indus-
try, we provide comparable store and club sales using the retail calendar in our quarterly earnings releases. However, when we discuss our compara-
ble store and club sales below, we are referring to our calendar comparable store and club sales calculated using our fiscal calendar. As our fiscal
calendar differs from the retail calendar, our calendar comparable store and club sales also differ from the retail calendar comparable store and club
sales provided in our quarterly earnings releases. Calendar comparable store and club sales, as well as the impact of fuel, for fiscal 2015 and 2014, were
as follows:
Walmart U.S.
Sam’s Club
Total U.S.
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2015
2014
With Fuel
Fuel Impact
0.6%
0.0%
0.5%
(0.6)%
0.3%
(0.5)%
0.0%
(0.6)%
(0.1)%
0.0%
(0.3)%
(0.1)%
Comparable store and club sales in the U.S., including fuel, increased 0.5% in fiscal 2015 and decreased 0.5% in fiscal 2014, when compared to the
previous fiscal year. The fiscal 2015 total U.S. comparable store and club sales were positively impacted by higher traffic and lower gas prices during
the end of the fiscal year. E-commerce sales positively impacted comparable sales approximately 0.3% and 0.2% for Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club,
respectively, for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015. For fiscal 2014, the total U.S. comparable store and club sales were negatively impacted by
lower consumer spending primarily due to the slow recovery in general economic conditions, the 2% increase in the 2013 payroll tax rate, and the
reduction in government food benefits and severe winter storms that occurred during the fourth quarter. These factors were partially offset by
increased member traffic at Sam’s Club primarily coming from Savings Members. Additionally, e-commerce sales positively impacted the Walmart U.S.
comparable store and Sam’s Club comparable club sales percentages by approximately 0.3% for fiscal 2014.
As we continue to add new stores and clubs in the U.S., we do so with an understanding that additional stores and clubs may take sales away from
existing units. We estimate the negative impact on comparable store and club sales as a result of opening new stores and clubs was approximately
0.9% and 0.8% in fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively. Our estimate is calculated primarily by comparing the sales trends of the impacted stores and
clubs, which are identified based on their proximity to the new stores and clubs, to those of nearby non-impacted stores and clubs, in each case,
as measured after the new stores and clubs are opened.
Leverage
Operating Income
(Amounts in millions)
2015
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
Operating
Income
$21,336
6,171
1,976
(2,336)
Percent
of Total
Percent
Change
78.6%
22.7%
7.3%
(8.6)%
(2.1)%
19.8%
7.2%
(22.2)%
Operating
Income
$21,787
5,153
1,843
(1,911)
2014
Percent
of Total
81.0%
19.2%
6.9%
(7.1)%
Percent
Change
3.2%
(19.0)%
(0.9)%
(19.3)%
2013
Operating
Income
$21,103
6,365
1,859
(1,602)
Percent
of Total
76.1%
23.0%
6.7%
(5.8)%
$27,147
100.0%
1.0%
$26,872
100.0%
(3.1)%
$27,725
100.0%
Walmart U.S.
Walmart International
Sam’s Club
Corporate and support
Operating income
We believe comparing both the growth of our operating expenses and our operating income to the growth of our net sales are meaningful measures,
as they indicate how effectively we manage costs and leverage operating expenses. Our objective for a fiscal year is to grow operating expenses at a
slower rate than net sales and to grow operating income at the same rate as or a faster rate than net sales. On occasion, we may make strategic growth
investments that may, at times, cause our operating expenses to grow at a faster rate than net sales and that may result in our operating income growing
at a slower rate than net sales.
21
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Operating Expenses
For fiscal 2015, operating expenses increased 2.3%, when compared
to the previous fiscal year, while net sales increased 1.9%, respectively,
when compared to the previous fiscal year. Accordingly, we did not
meet our objective of growing operating expenses at a slower rate than
net sales. Our continued investments in digital retail, higher health-care
expenses in the U.S. from increased enrollment and medical cost infla-
tion, the $249 million impact of wage and hour litigation in the U.S., as
well as expenses of $148 million related to the closure of approximately
30 underperforming stores in Japan were the primary factors that caused
us not to leverage for fiscal 2015. For fiscal 2014, we did not meet our
objective of growing operating expenses at a slower rate than net sales as
operating expenses as a percentage of net sales increased 27 basis points.
Overall, lower than anticipated sales, higher investment in key areas, such
as global leverage and digital retail initiatives, and the nearly $1.0 billion
of increased expenses for various matters described in the Walmart
International segment discussion, were the primary cause for the
increase in operating expenses as a percentage of net sales.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company announced a new
associate wage structure combined with comprehensive associate
training and educational programs. We anticipate the additional
expenses in fiscal 2016 resulting from these programs will be approximately
$1.0 billion, which may impact our ability to leverage operating expenses
in fiscal 2016.
Operating Income
For fiscal 2015, we did not meet our objective of growing operating
income at the same rate or a faster rate than net sales as operating
income increased 1.0%, while net sales increased 1.9% when compared
to the previous fiscal year. This was primarily due to the factors we
discussed for not leveraging operating expenses. For fiscal 2014, we also
did not meet our objective of growing operating income at a faster rate
than net sales as operating income decreased 3.1% while net sales
increased 1.6%, when compared to the previous fiscal year. This was
primarily due to the factors we discussed for not leveraging operating
expenses, partially offset by increases in membership and other income
of 5.6%.
Returns
Return on Investment
Management believes return on investment (“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 potential strategic
initiatives with possible short-term impacts.
ROI was 16.9% and 17.0% for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2015
and 2014, respectively. The slight change in ROI was primarily due to
continued investments in store growth and digital retail initiatives,
offset by currency exchange rate fluctuations.
We define ROI as adjusted operating income (operating income plus
interest income, depreciation and amortization, and rent expense) for
the trailing 12 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, plus a rent factor equal to the rent for
the fiscal year or trailing 12 months multiplied by a factor of eight.
When we have discontinued operations, we exclude the impact of the
discontinued operations.
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. In addition,
we include a factor of eight for rent expense that estimates the
hypothetical capitalization of our operating leases. We consider return
on assets (“ROA”) to be the financial measure computed in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) that is the most
directly comparable financial measure to our calculation of ROI. ROI differs
from ROA (which is consolidated income from continuing operations
for the period divided by average total assets of continuing operations
for the period) because ROI: adjusts operating income to exclude certain
expense items and adds interest income; adjusts total assets of con tinuing
operations for the impact of accumulated depreciation and amortization,
accounts payable and accrued liabilities; and incorporates a factor of rent
to arrive at total invested capital.
Although ROI is a standard financial metric, 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. We urge you to understand
the methods used by other companies to calculate their ROI before
comparing our ROI to that of such other companies.
22
2015 Annual Report Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The calculation of ROI, along with a reconciliation to the calculation
of ROA, the most comparable GAAP financial measure, is as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
CALCULATION OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Numerator
Operating income
+ Interest income
+ Depreciation and amortization
+ Rent
Fiscal Years
Ended January 31,
2015
2014
$ 27,147
113
9,173
2,777
$ 26,872
119
8,870
2,828
= Adjusted operating income
$ 39,210
$ 38,689
Denominator
Average total assets
of continuing operations (1)
$203,999
$203,680
+ Average accumulated depreciation
and amortization (1)
- Average accounts payable (1)
- Average accrued liabilities (1)
+ Rent x 8
63,375
37,913
18,973
22,216
57,907
37,748
18,802
22,624
= Average invested capital
$232,704
$227,661
Return on investment (ROI)
16.9%
17.0%
CALCULATION OF RETURN ON ASSETS
Numerator
Income from continuing operations
Denominator
Average total assets
$ 16,814
$ 16,551
of continuing operations (1)
$203,999
$203,680
Return on assets (ROA)
8.2%
8.1%
As of January 31,
2015
2014
2013
Certain Balance Sheet Data
Total assets of
continuing operations
Accumulated depreciation
and amortization
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
$203,706
$204,291
$203,068
65,979
38,410
19,152
60,771
37,415
18,793
55,043
38,080
18,808
(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.
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 perform-
ance. Free cash flow should be considered in addition to, rather than
as a substitute for, consolidated income from continuing operations as
a measure of our performance and net cash provided by operating
activities as a measure of our liquidity.
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 generated free cash flow of $16.4 billion, $10.1 billion and
$12.7 billion for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The increase in
free cash flow for fiscal 2015, when compared to the previous fiscal year,
was primarily due to the timing of payments for accounts payable and
accrued liabilities, as well as the timing of income tax payments, com-
bined with lower capital expenditures. The fiscal 2014 decline in free
cash flow, when compared to the previous fiscal year, was primarily due
to the timing of income tax payments, as well as lower income from
continuing operations and slightly higher 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 Walmart’s management to calculate our free cash
flow may differ from the methods used by other companies to calculate
their free cash flow. We urge you to understand the methods used by
other companies to calculate their free cash flow before comparing our
free cash flow to that of such other companies.
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.
(Amounts in millions)
2015
2014
2013
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
Net cash provided by
operating activities
Payments for property
and equipment
Free cash flow
Net cash used in
$ 28,564
$ 23,257 $ 25,591
(12,174)
(13,115)
(12,898)
$ 16,390
$ 10,142 $ 12,693
investing activities (1)
$(11,125) $(12,526) $(12,637)
Net cash used
in financing activities
(15,071)
(10,789)
(11,946)
(1) “Net cash used in investing activities” includes payments for property and equipment,
which is also included in our computation of free cash flow.
23
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Results of Operations
Consolidated Results of Operations
(Amounts in millions,
except unit counts)
Total revenues
Percentage change from
comparable period
Net sales
Percentage change from
comparable period
Total U.S. calendar comparable
store and club sales increase
(decrease)
Gross profit margin as a
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$485,651
$476,294
$468,651
2.0%
1.6%
5.0%
$482,229
$473,076
$465,604
1.9%
1.6%
5.0%
0.5%
(0.5)%
2.4%
percentage of net sales
24.3%
24.3%
24.3%
Operating income
Operating income as a
percentage of net sales
Income from continuing
operations
Unit counts at period end
Retail square feet at period end
$ 27,147
$ 26,872
$ 27,725
5.6%
5.7%
6.0%
$ 16,814
11,453
1,135
$ 16,551
10,942
1,101
$ 17,704
10,408
1,070
Our total revenues, which are mostly comprised of net sales, but also
include membership and other income, increased 2.0% and 1.6% for fiscal
2015 and 2014, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year.
The increase in total revenues was consistent with the 1.9% and 1.6%
increases in net sales. The increase in net sales was primarily due to 3.0%
year-over-year growth in retail square feet, positive comparable sales in
the U.S. and higher e-commerce sales across the Company. The increase
was partially offset by $5.3 billion of negative impact from fluctuations in
currency exchange rates for fiscal 2015. The increase in net sales for fiscal
2014 was due to 3.1% growth in retail square feet, higher e-commerce
sales, the impact of fiscal 2013 acquisitions and positive comparable club
sales at Sam’s Club. The increase in net sales for fiscal 2014 was partially
offset by $5.1 billion of negative impact from fluctuations in currency
exchange rates. An increase in membership and other income in both
fiscal years, primarily due to growth in membership income at Sam’s
Club, also contributed to the increase in total revenues.
Our gross profit rate was relatively flat for fiscal 2015, when compared to the
previous fiscal year. While the gross profit rate at Walmart International
increased, the gross profit rate at Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club decreased.
Our gross profit rate decreased 3 basis points for fiscal 2014, when
compared to the previous fiscal year, primarily due to our ongoing
investment in price, as well as merchandise mix.
For fiscal 2015, we did not meet our objective of growing operating
expenses at a slower rate than net sales as operating expenses as a
percentage of net sales increased 6 basis points when compared to the
same period in the previous fiscal year. Our continued investments in
digital retail, higher health-care expenses in the U.S. from increased
enrollment and medical cost inflation, the $249 million impact of wage
and hour litigation in the U.S., as well as expenses of $148 million related
to the closure of approximately 30 underperforming stores in Japan were
the primary factors that caused us not to leverage for fiscal 2015. For fiscal
2014, we did not meet our objective of growing operating expenses at a
slower rate than net sales as operating expenses as a percentage of net
sales increased 27 basis points. Overall, lower than anticipated net sales,
higher investment in key areas, such as global leverage and e-commerce
initiatives, and nearly $1.0 billion of increased expenses for various matters
described in the Walmart International segment discussion, were the
primary cause for the increase in operating expenses as a percentage of
net sales.
For fiscal 2015, we did not meet our objective of growing operating
income at the same rate or a faster rate than net sales as operating
income increased 1.0% while net sales increased 1.9% when compared
to the previous fiscal year. This was primarily due to the factors we
discussed for not leveraging operating expenses. For fiscal 2014, we also
did not meet our objective of growing operating income at a faster
rate than net sales as operating income decreased 3.1% while net sales
increased 1.6%, when compared to the previous fiscal year. This was
primarily due to the factors we discussed for not leveraging operating
expenses, partially offset by increases in membership and other income.
Our effective income tax rates were 32.2%, 32.9% and 31.0%, for fiscal 2015,
2014 and 2013, respectively. The reconciliation from the U.S. statutory
rate to the effective income tax rates for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013 is pre-
sented in Note 9 in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.”
As a result of the factors discussed above, we reported $16.8 billion,
$16.6 billion and $17.7 billion of consolidated income from continuing
operations for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, an increase of
$263.0 million for fiscal 2015 and a decrease of $1.1 billion for fiscal 2014
when compared to the previous fiscal year. Diluted income from
continuing operations per common share attributable to Walmart (“EPS”)
was $4.99, $4.85 and $5.01 for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
24
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Walmart U.S. Segment
Walmart International Segment
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
(Amounts in millions,
except unit counts)
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
(Amounts in millions,
except unit counts)
Net sales
Percentage change from
comparable period
Calendar comparable
store sales increase
(decrease)
Operating income
Operating income as a
percentage of net sales
Unit counts at period end
Retail square feet at
period end
$288,049
$279,406
$274,433
3.1%
1.8%
3.9%
0.6%
(0.6)%
2.0%
$ 21,336
$ 21,787
$ 21,103
7.4%
4,516
7.8%
4,203
7.7%
4,005
680
659
641
Net sales for the Walmart U.S. segment increased 3.1% and 1.8% for fiscal
2015 and 2014, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year.
For fiscal 2015, the increase in net sales was due to year-over-year growth
in retail square feet of 3.2%, as well as an increase in comparable store
sales of 0.6%. Positive traffic and lower gas prices late in the fiscal year
contributed to the increase in comparable store sales. For fiscal 2014, the
increase in net sales was due to year-over-year growth in retail square
feet of 2.9%, partially offset by a decline in comparable store sales of 0.6%.
Fiscal 2014 comparable store sales were negatively impacted by lower
consumer spending primarily due to the slow recovery in general eco-
nomic conditions, the 2% increase in the 2013 payroll tax rate and the
reduction in government food benefits.
The fiscal 2015 gross profit rate decreased 12 basis points compared to
the previous fiscal year. The decrease in the gross profit rate was primarily
the result of the segment’s strategic focus on price investment, pharmacy
cost inflation, reductions in third-party reimbursement rates and changes
in merchandise mix. The fiscal year 2014 gross profit rate was relatively
flat when compared to the previous fiscal year primarily due to price
investment and low price leadership, partially offset by cost of goods
savings initiatives and supply chain productivity.
Walmart U.S. did not leverage operating expenses for fiscal 2015, as
operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales increased
24 basis points. The increase in operating expenses as a percentage of
segment net sales was primarily driven by higher health-care expenses
from increased enrollment and medical cost inflation. In addition,
expenses from severe winter storms early in the year contributed to the
increase in operating expenses as a percentage of segment net sales.
Walmart U.S. leveraged operating expenses for fiscal 2014, driven by
productivity initiatives as well as lower incentive expenses in fiscal 2014.
As a result of the factors discussed above, segment operating income
was $21.3 billion, $21.8 billion and $21.1 billion during fiscal 2015, 2014 and
2013, respectively. Walmart U.S. did not grow operating income faster
than sales during fiscal 2015, but grew operating income faster than sales
during fiscal 2014.
Net sales
Percentage change from
comparable period
Operating income
Operating income as a
percentage of net sales
Unit counts at period end
Retail square feet at
period end
$136,160
$136,513
$134,748
(0.3)%
1.3%
7.4%
$ 6,171
$ 5,153
$ 6,365
4.5%
6,290
3.8%
6,107
4.7%
5,783
368
358
346
Net sales for the Walmart International segment decreased 0.3% and
increased 1.3% for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, when compared to
the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2015, the decrease in net sales was due
to $5.3 billion of negative impact from fluctuations in currency exchange
rates, partially offset by year-over-year net growth in retail square feet of
2.6% and higher e-commerce sales in each country with e-commerce
operations, particularly in the United Kingdom, China and Brazil. For
fiscal 2014, the increase in net sales was due to year-over-year net growth
in retail square feet of 3.6% and the impact of fiscal 2013 acquisitions,
which accounted for $730 million of the net sales increase. In addition,
higher e-commerce sales in each country with e-commerce operations
contributed to the increase. The increase in net sales was partially offset
by $5.1 billion of negative impact from fluctuations in currency
exchange rates.
Gross profit rate increased 12 basis points for fiscal 2015 and decreased
10 basis points for fiscal 2014, when compared to the previous fiscal year.
The fiscal 2015 increase in gross profit rate was primarily due to changes
in the merchandise mix in a number of the segment’s larger operations.
The fiscal 2014 decrease in gross profit rate was primarily due to price
investments in certain countries, including Brazil, Canada and Mexico.
Operating expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased 51 basis
points for fiscal 2015, when compared to the previous fiscal year. The
decrease was due to the nearly $1.0 billion of aggregated expenses
incurred in fiscal 2014 detailed below, which were partially offset by fiscal
2015 expenses of $148 million related to the closure of approximately
30 underperforming stores in Japan.
For fiscal 2014, operating expenses as a percentage of net sales increased
80 basis points, when compared to the previous fiscal year. Operating
expenses as a percentage of net sales were primarily impacted by the
nearly $1.0 billion of aggregated expenses for the following matters:
• Charges for contingencies for non-income taxes and employment
claims in Brazil;
• Charges for the closure of 29 units in China and 25 units in Brazil due
to poor performance;
• Store lease expenses in China and Mexico to correct a historical
accounting practice that did not conform to our global accounting
policies; and
• Expenses for the termination of the joint venture, franchise and supply
agreements related to our former partner’s retail store operations
in India.
25
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
As a result of the factors discussed above, segment operating income
was $6.2 billion, $5.2 billion and $6.4 billion for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013,
respectively. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates negatively impacted
operating income $225 million, $26 million and $111 million in fiscal 2015,
2014 and 2013 respectively. Although currency fluctuations caused net
sales for Walmart International to decline, operating income grew for fiscal
2015. Operating income did not grow faster than net sales in fiscal 2014.
Sam’s Club Segment
We believe the information in the following table under the caption
“Excluding Fuel” 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.
(Amounts in millions,
except unit counts)
Including Fuel
Net sales
Percentage change from
comparable period
Calendar comparable
club sales increase
Operating income
Operating income as
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$58,020
$57,157
$56,423
1.5%
1.3%
4.9%
0.0%
0.3%
4.1%
$ 1,976
$ 1,843
$ 1,859
a percentage of net sales
Unit counts at period end
Retail square feet at period end
3.4%
647
87
3.2%
632
84
3.3%
620
83
Excluding Fuel
Net sales
Percentage change from
comparable period
Operating income
Operating income as
$51,630
$50,574
$49,789
2.1%
1.6%
4.6%
$ 1,854
$ 1,817
$ 1,812
a percentage of net sales
3.6%
3.6%
3.6%
Net sales for the Sam’s Club segment increased 1.5% and 1.3% for fiscal
2015 and 2014, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year.
The fiscal 2015 increase in net sales was primarily due to year-over-year
growth in retail square feet of 2.5%, driven by the addition of 15 new
clubs, partially offset by a decrease in fuel sales due to the lower average
selling price. Comparable club sales were flat for fiscal 2015. The fiscal
2014 increase in net sales was due to year-over-year growth in retail
square feet of 2.1%, driven by the addition of 12 new clubs, as well as pos-
itive comparable club sales of 0.3%. The fiscal 2014 positive comparable
club sales were the result of increased member traffic primarily coming
from our Savings Members, partially offset by severe winter storms that
occurred in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.
Gross profit rate decreased 12 basis points for fiscal 2015 and was flat for
fiscal 2014, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For fiscal 2015, the
gross profit rate decreased primarily due to the segment’s investment in
the Cash Rewards program, changes in merchandise mix, and commodity
cost inflation, partially offset by an increased gross profit rate on fuel sales.
For fiscal 2014, our gross profit was negatively impacted by an increase
to our product warranty liabilities, which was offset by a favorable impact
from merchandise mix.
Membership and other income increased 7.7% and 14.1% for fiscal 2015
and 2014, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. For
fiscal 2015, the increase was primarily the result of increased membership
upgrades, Plus Member renewals and an increase in members from the
opening of 15 new clubs. For fiscal 2014, the increase was primarily due
to improved contract terms relating to the profit sharing arrangement
with our credit card provider, increased membership fees that were
introduced on May 15, 2013, $24 million of income from the sale of two
real estate properties and an increase in members from the opening
of 12 new clubs.
Sam’s Club leveraged operating expenses for fiscal 2015, as operating
expenses as a percentage of segment net sales decreased 16 basis points
compared to the previous fiscal year. The decrease in operating expenses
as a percentage of segment net sales for fiscal 2015 was primarily due to
better expense management in a number of areas, including the opti-
mization of the new in-club staffing structure announced in fiscal 2014,
which resulted in decreases in wage expense and payroll taxes. This was
partially offset by higher health-care expenses, mostly from increased
enrollment and medical cost inflation. For fiscal 2014, Sam’s Club did not
leverage expenses, as operating expenses as a percentage of segment
net sales increased 26 basis points, when compared to the previous fiscal
year. The increase in operating expenses as a percentage of segment net
sales was primarily due to a $59 million charge for the implementation
of the new in-club staffing structure and the pending closure of one club,
as well as a state excise tax refund credit we received in the previous
fiscal year.
As a result of the factors discussed above, operating income was
$2.0 billion, $1.8 billion and $1.9 billion for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013,
respectively. Sam’s Club did grow operating income faster than
net sales in fiscal 2015, but did not grow operating income faster than
sales in fiscal 2014.
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 bor-
rowings, 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 the dividends on our common stock and share repurchases.
We believe our sources of liquidity will continue to be adequate to fund
operations, finance our global expansion activities, pay dividends and
fund our share repurchases for the foreseeable future.
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
(Amounts in millions)
2015
2014
2013
Net cash provided by
operating activities
$28,564
$23,257
$25,591
26
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Net cash provided by operating activities was $28.6 billion, $23.3 billion
and $25.6 billion for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The increase
in net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal 2015, when
compared to the previous fiscal year, was primarily due to the timing
of payments for accounts payable and accrued liabilities, as well as the
timing of income tax payments. The decrease in cash flows provided by
operating activities in fiscal 2014, when compared to the previous fiscal
year, was primarily due to the timing of income tax payments, as well as
lower income from continuing operations.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company announced a new
associate wage structure combined with comprehensive associate
training and educational programs. We anticipate cash flows provided
by operating activities will be sufficient to fund these programs.
Cash Equivalents and Working Capital
Cash and cash equivalents were $9.1 billion and $7.3 billion for fiscal 2015
and 2014, respectively. Our working capital deficit was $2.0 billion and
$8.2 billion at January 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The decrease in our
working capital deficit is primarily the result of using less of our net cash
provided by operating activities for share repurchases and capital
expenditures during fiscal 2015, which allowed us to reduce our short-
term borrowings. 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 in providing returns 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 mini-
mum cost possible. We do not believe it will be necessary to repatriate
cash and cash equivalents held outside of the U.S. and anticipate our
domestic liquidity needs will be met through cash flows provided by
operating activities, supplemented with long-term debt and short-term
borrowings. Accordingly, we intend, with only certain exceptions, to
continue to indefinitely reinvest our cash and cash equivalents held
outside of the U.S. in our foreign operations. When the income earned,
either from operations or through intercompany financing arrangements,
and indefinitely reinvested outside of the U.S. is taxed at local country tax
rates, which are generally lower than the U.S. statutory rate, we realize an
effective tax rate benefit. If our intentions with respect to reinvestment
were to change, most of the amounts held within our foreign operations
could be repatriated to the U.S., although any repatriation under current
U.S. tax laws would be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, less applicable
foreign tax credits. As of January 31, 2015 and 2014, cash and cash
equivalents of approximately $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively,
may not be freely transferable to the U.S. due to local laws or other
restrictions. We do not expect local laws, other limitations or potential
taxes on anticipated future repatriations of cash amounts held outside
of the U.S. to have a material effect on our overall liquidity, financial
condition or results of operations.
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
(Amounts in millions)
2015
2014
2013
Net cash used in
investing activities
$(11,125) $(12,526) $(12,637)
Net cash used in investing activities was $11.1 billion, $12.5 billion and
$12.6 billion for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and generally
consisted of payments to add stores, remodel numerous existing stores,
expand our digital retail capabilities and invest in other technologies.
Net cash used in investing activities decreased $1.4 billion for fiscal 2015,
when compared to the previous fiscal year, primarily due to lower
capital expenditures. The following table provides additional capital
expenditure detail:
(Amounts in millions)
Capital Expenditures
New stores and clubs, including
expansions and relocations
Information systems, distribution,
digital retail and other
Remodels
Total U.S.
Walmart International
Allocation of Capital Expenditures
Fiscal Years Ending January 31,
2015
2014
$ 4,128
$ 5,083
3,288
822
8,238
3,936
2,539
1,030
8,652
4,463
Total capital expenditures
$12,174
$13,115
Also reducing net cash used in investing activities were cash proceeds
of $671 million received from the sale of the Vips Restaurant Business in
Mexico (“Vips”) on May 12, 2014, which is further described in Note 13
to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
We continue to focus on striving to seamlessly integrate the digital and
physical shopping experience for our customers and expanded in digital
retail in each of our segments during fiscal 2015, with Walmart U.S. and
Sam’s Club focused on digital retail in the U.S. and Walmart International
focused on digital retail in countries outside of the U.S. Some of our fiscal
2015 accomplishments in this area were to successfully launch our new
web platform in the U.S., grow mobile and increase our third-party
marketplace offering.
27
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Growth Activities
In fiscal 2016, we plan to add between 26 and 30 million square feet,
which will include a continued investment in Neighborhood Markets
and a moderation of Supercenter growth in the U.S. compared to recent
fiscal years. In addition, we plan to accelerate the growth of our digital
retail capabilities by investing $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion in e-commerce
websites and mobile commerce applications that will include technol-
ogy, infrastructure and other areas to better serve our customers and
support our stores and clubs. We anticipate financing these growth
activities through cash flows provided by operating activities and future
debt financings.
The following table provides our estimated range for fiscal 2016 capital
expenditures, as well as our estimated range for growth in retail square
feet. Our anticipated digital retail expenditures are included in our esti-
mated range for fiscal 2016 capital expenditures. The amounts in the
table do not include capital expenditures or growth in retail square feet
from any pending or future acquisitions.
Fiscal 2016
Projected Capital
Expenditures
(in billions)
Fiscal 2016
Projected Growth in
Retail Square Feet
(in thousands)
$ 6.1 to $ 6.6
3.7 to 4.2
0.8 to 0.8
1.0 to 1.3
15,000 to 16,000
10,000 to 13,000
1,000 to 1,000
—
— to
$11.6 to $12.9
26,000 to 30,000
Walmart U.S.
Walmart International
Sam’s Club
Corporate and support
Total
Net Cash Used in Financing Activities
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
(Amounts in millions)
2015
2014
2013
Net cash used in
financing activities
$(15,071) $(10,789)
$(11,946)
Cash flows used in financing activities generally consist of transactions
related to our short-term and long-term debt, as well as dividends paid and
the repurchase of Company stock. Transactions with noncontrolling interest
shareholders are also classified as cash flows from financing activities.
Short-term Borrowings
Short-term borrowings decreased $6.3 billion for fiscal 2015 and
increased $0.9 billion for fiscal 2014, when compared to the previous
fiscal year. We generally utilize the liquidity provided by short-term
borrowings to provide funding used for our operations, dividend
payments, share repurchases, capital expenditures and other cash
requirements. However, more cash provided from operating activities
combined with less cash used for share repurchases and capital
expenditures during fiscal 2015, allowed us to minimize our short-term
borrowings at January 31, 2015. In addition to our short-term borrowings,
we also have various undrawn committed lines of credit that provide
$15.0 billion of additional liquidity, if needed.
Long-term Debt
The following table provides the changes in our long-term debt for
fiscal 2015:
(Amounts in millions)
Balances as of February 1, 2014
Proceeds from issuance
of long-term debt
Payments of long-term debt
Reclassifications of
long-term debt
Other
Long-term
debt due
within
one year
Long-term
debt
Total
$ 4,103
$41,771
$45,874
—
(3,904)
5,174
—
4,267
344
(4,267)
(1,592)
5,174
(3,904)
—
(1,248)
Balances as of January 31, 2015 $ 4,810 $41,086
$45,896
Our total outstanding long-term debt balance was relatively flat as of
January 31, 2015 compared to the balance as of January 31, 2014. During
fiscal 2015, we used the proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt to
pay down and refinance existing debt and for other corporate purposes.
Dividends
Our total dividend payments were $6.2 billion, $6.1 billion and $5.4 billion
for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and on February 19, 2015,
the Board of Directors approved the fiscal 2016 annual dividend of
$1.96 per share, an increase compared to the fiscal 2015 annual dividend
of $1.92 per share. For fiscal 2016, the annual dividend will be paid in
four quarterly installments of $0.49 per share, according to the following
record and payable dates:
Record Date
March 13, 2015
May 8, 2015
August 7, 2015
December 4, 2015
Payable Date
April 6, 2015
June 1, 2015
September 8, 2015
January 4, 2016
28
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Company Share Repurchase Program
From time to time, we repurchase shares of our common stock under
share repurchase programs authorized by the Board of Directors. The
current $15.0 billion share repurchase program has no expiration date or
other restrictions limiting the period over which we can make share
repurchases. At January 31, 2015, authorization for $10.3 billion of share
repurchases remained under the current share repurchase program.
Any repurchased shares are constructively retired and returned to an
unissued status.
We regularly review share repurchase activity and consider several factors
in determining when to execute share repurchases, including, among
other things, current cash needs, capacity for leverage, cost of borrowings,
our results of operations and the market price of our common stock.
The following table provides, on a settlement date basis, the number of
shares repurchased, average price paid per share and total cash paid for
share repurchases for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013:
Capital Resources
We believe cash flows from continuing operations, our current cash
position and access to capital markets will continue to be sufficient to
meet our anticipated operating cash needs, including to fund seasonal
buildups in merchandise inventories, and to fund our capital expenditures,
dividend payments and share repurchases.
We have strong commercial paper and long-term debt ratings that have
enabled and should continue to enable us to refinance our debt as it
becomes due at favorable rates in capital markets. At January 31, 2015,
the ratings assigned to our commercial paper and rated series of our
outstanding long-term debt were as follows:
Rating agency
Commercial paper
Long-term debt
Standard & Poor’s
Moody’s Investors Service
Fitch Ratings
A-1+
P-1
F1+
AA
Aa2
AA
(Amounts in millions,
except per share data)
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
Total number of shares repurchased
Average price paid per share
Total cash paid for share repurchases
13.4
$75.82
$1,015
89.1
$74.99
$6,683
113.2
$67.15
$7,600
We decreased the total cash paid for share repurchases by $5.7 billion
for fiscal 2015, compared to the previous fiscal year, as a result of current
cash needs, capacity for leverage and increased cash used in transactions
with noncontrolling interests described further below. In addition, our
results of operations influenced our share repurchase activity.
Transactions with Noncontrolling Interests
As described in Note 13 to our Consolidated Financial Statements,
during fiscal 2015, we completed the purchase of substantially all of the
remaining noncontrolling interest in Walmart Chile for approximately
$1.5 billion, using existing cash to complete this transaction.
Credit rating agencies review their ratings periodically and, therefore, the
credit ratings assigned to us by each agency may be subject to revision
at any time. Accordingly, we are not able to predict whether our current
credit ratings will remain consistent over time. Factors that could affect
our credit ratings include changes in our operating performance, the
general economic environment, conditions in the retail industry, our
financial position, including our total debt and capitalization, and
changes in our business strategy. Any downgrade of our credit ratings
by a credit rating agency could increase our future borrowing costs or
impair our ability to access capital and credit markets on terms com-
mercially acceptable to us. In addition, any downgrade of our current
short-term credit ratings could impair our ability to access the commer-
cial paper markets with the same flexibility that we have experienced
historically, potentially requiring us to rely more heavily on more
expensive types of debt financing. The credit rating agency ratings are
not recommendations to buy, sell or hold our commercial paper or debt
securities. Each rating may be subject to revision or withdrawal at
any time by the assigning rating organization and should be evaluated
independently of any other rating. Moreover, each credit rating is
specific to the security to which it applies.
We monitor our credit rating and our capacity for long-term financing
using various qualitative and quantitative factors, including our debt-to-
total capitalization, as support for our long-term financing decisions. For
the purpose of the debt-to-total capitalization calculation, debt is defined
as the sum of short-term borrowings, long-term debt due within one year,
obligations under capital leases due within one year, long-term debt and
long-term obligations under capital leases. Total capitalization is defined as
debt plus total Walmart shareholders’ equity. At January 31, 2015 and 2014,
the ratio of our debt-to-total capitalization was 38.2% and 42.6%, respec-
tively. The decrease in our debt-to-total capitalization ratio was the result
of using less cash for share repurchases and capital expenditures during
fiscal 2015, which allowed us to minimize our short-term borrowings at
January 31, 2015. The reduced share repurchases also resulted in increased
growth in retained earnings. These impacts were partially offset by
additional currency translation losses recorded in accumulated other
comprehensive income (loss).
29
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Contractual Obligations and Other Commercial Commitments
The following table sets forth certain information concerning our obligations and commitments to make contractual future payments, such as debt
and lease agreements, and certain contingent commitments:
(Amounts in millions)
Recorded contractual obligations:
Long-term debt (1)
Short-term borrowings
Capital lease obligations (2)
Unrecorded contractual obligations:
Non-cancelable operating leases
Estimated interest on long-term debt
Trade letters of credit
Stand-by letters of credit
Purchase obligations
Total commercial commitments
Payments Due During Fiscal Years Ending January 31,
Total
2016
2017-2018
2019-2020
Thereafter
$ 45,896
1,592
5,454
$ 4,810
1,592
504
$ 3,835
—
920
$ 4,032
—
778
$33,219
—
3,252
17,910
32,910
2,723
1,898
10,712
1,759
1,950
2,723
1,898
6,548
3,097
3,690
—
—
3,428
2,590
3,399
—
—
652
10,464
23,871
—
—
84
$119,095
$21,784
$14,970
$11,451
$70,890
(1) “Long-term debt” includes the fair value of our derivatives classified as fair value hedges.
(2) “ Capital lease obligations” includes executory costs and imputed interest related to capital lease obligations that are not yet recorded. Refer to Note 11 in the “Notes to the
Consolidated Financial Statements” for more information.
Additionally, the Company has $15.0 billion in undrawn committed lines
of credit which, if drawn upon, would be included in the current liabilities
section of the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
“Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional discussion
of unrecognized tax benefits.
Estimated interest payments are based on our principal amounts
and expected maturities of all debt outstanding at January 31, 2015,
and management’s forecasted market rates for our variable rate debt.
Purchase obligations include legally binding contracts, such as firm
commitments for inventory and utility purchases, as well as commitments
to make capital expenditures, software acquisition and license
commitments and legally binding service contracts. Purchase orders for
inventory and other services are not included in the table above.
Purchase orders represent authorizations to purchase rather than binding
agreements. For the purposes of this table, contractual obligations for
the purchase of goods or services are defined as agreements that are
enforceable and legally binding and that specify all significant terms,
including: fixed or minimum quantities to be purchased; fixed, minimum
or variable price provisions; and the approximate timing of the transac-
tion. Our purchase orders are based on our current inventory needs and
are fulfilled by our suppliers within short time periods. We also enter into
contracts for outsourced services; however, the obligations under these
contracts are not significant and the contracts generally contain clauses
allowing for cancellation without significant penalty.
The expected timing for payment of the obligations discussed above is
estimated based on current information. Timing of payments and actual
amounts paid with respect to some unrecorded contractual commit-
ments may be different depending on the timing of receipt of goods or
services or changes to agreed-upon amounts for some obligations.
In addition to the amounts shown in the table above, $838 million of
unrecognized tax benefits are considered uncertain tax positions and
have been recorded as liabilities. The timing of the payment, if any,
associated with these liabilities is uncertain. Refer to Note 9 in the
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
In addition to the unrecorded contractual obligations presented
above, we have entered into certain arrangements, as discussed below,
for which the timing of payment, if any, is unknown.
The Company has future lease commitments for land and buildings for
approximately 282 future locations. These lease commitments have lease
terms ranging from 1 to 30 years and provide for certain minimum
rentals. If executed, payments under operating leases would increase
by $58 million for fiscal 2016, based on current estimates.
In connection with certain long-term debt issuances, we could be liable
for early termination payments if certain unlikely events were to occur.
At January 31, 2015, the aggregate termination payment would have been
$64 million. The arrangement pursuant to which this payment could be
made will expire in fiscal 2019.
Market Risk
In addition to the risks inherent in our operations, we are exposed to
certain market risks, including changes in interest rates and fluctuations
in currency exchange rates.
The analysis presented below for each of our market risk sensitive
instruments is based on a hypothetical scenario used to calibrate
potential risk and does not represent our view of future market changes.
The effect of a change in a particular assumption is calculated without
adjusting any other assumption. In reality, however, a change in one
factor could cause a change in another, which may magnify or negate
other sensitivities.
30
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Interest Rate Risk
We are exposed to changes in interest rates as a result of our short-term borrowings and long-term debt issuances. We hedge a portion of our
interest rate risk by managing the mix of fixed and variable rate debt and by entering into interest rate swaps. For fiscal 2015, the net fair value of
our interest rate swaps decreased approximately $158 million primarily due to fluctuations in market interest rates and the termination of forward
starting receive variable-rate, pay fixed-rate swaps in October and April 2014 concurrently with the issuance of debt.
The table below provides information about our financial instruments that are sensitive to changes in interest rates. For debt obligations, the table
represents the principal cash flows and related weighted-average interest rates by expected maturity dates. For interest rate swaps, the table
represents the contractual cash flows and weighted-average interest rates by the contractual maturity date, unless otherwise noted. The notional
amounts are used to calculate contractual cash flows to be exchanged under the contracts. The weighted-average variable rates are based upon
prevailing market rates at January 31, 2015.
(Amounts in millions)
Liabilities
Short-term borrowings:
Variable rate
Weighted-average interest rate
Long-term debt (1):
Fixed rate
Weighted-average interest rate
Variable rate
Weighted-average interest rate
Interest rate derivatives
Interest rate swaps:
Variable to fixed
Weighted-average pay rate
Weighted-average receive rate
Fixed to variable
Weighted-average pay rate
Weighted-average receive rate
Fiscal 2016
Fiscal 2017
Fiscal 2018
Fiscal 2019
Fiscal 2020
Thereafter
Total
Expected Maturity Date
$1,592
0.5%
$4,055
2.5%
$ 755
3.8%
$ 255
$
0.9%
0.6%
—
—%
—%
$
—
—%
$2,055
1.9%
$ 257
4.2%
$
$
—
—%
—%
—
—%
—%
$
—
—%
$
—
—%
$1,523
$3,518
$
$
$
4.0%
—
—%
—
—%
—%
—
—%
—%
$
$
$
3.1%
—
—%
—
—%
—%
—
—%
—%
$ —
—%
$514
4.3%
$ —
—%
$
—
$ 1,592
—%
0.5%
$33,219
$44,884
$
4.9%
—
—%
4.4%
$ 1,012
3.9%
$ —
$
—
$ 255
—%
—%
—%
—%
0.9%
0.6%
$ —
$ 500
$ 500
—%
—%
1.5%
3.3%
1.5%
3.3%
(1) The long-term debt amounts in the table exclude the Company’s derivatives classified as fair value hedges.
As of January 31, 2015, our variable rate borrowings, including the effect
of our commercial paper and interest rate swaps, represented 7% of our
total short-term and long-term debt. Based on January 31, 2015 debt
levels, a 100 basis point change in prevailing market rates would cause
our annual interest costs to change by approximately $23 million.
Foreign Currency Risk
We are exposed to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates as a
result of our net investments and operations in countries other than the
U.S. For fiscal 2015, movements in currency exchange rates and the
related impact on the translation of the balance sheets of the Company’s
subsidiaries in Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico and Chile
were the primary cause of the $3.6 billion net loss in the currency transla-
tion and other category of accumulated other comprehensive income
(loss). We hedge a portion of our foreign currency risk by entering into
currency swaps and designating certain foreign-currency-denominated
long-term debt as net investment hedges.
We hold currency swaps to hedge the currency exchange component of
our net investments and also to hedge the currency exchange rate fluc-
tuation exposure associated with the forecasted payments of principal
and interest of non-U.S. denominated debt. The aggregate fair value of
these swaps was in a liability position of $110 million at January 31, 2015
and in an asset position of $550 million at January 31, 2014. The change in
the fair value of these swaps was due to fluctuations in currency exchange
rates, primarily the strengthening of the U.S. dollar relative to other curren-
cies in the latter half of fiscal 2015. A hypothetical 10% increase or decrease
in the currency exchange rates underlying these swaps from the market
rate at January 31, 2015 would have resulted in a loss or gain in the value
of the swaps of $435 million. A hypothetical 10% change in interest rates
underlying these swaps from the market rates in effect at January 31, 2015
would have resulted in a loss or gain in value of the swaps of $20 million.
31
2015 Annual Report
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
In addition to currency swaps, we have designated foreign-currency-
denominated long-term debt as nonderivative hedges of net investments
of certain of our foreign operations. At January 31, 2015 and 2014, we had
£2.5 billion of outstanding long-term debt designated as a hedge of our
net investment in the United Kingdom. At January 31, 2015, a hypothetical
10% increase or decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the
British pound would have resulted in a gain or loss in the value of the
debt of $342 million. In addition, we had outstanding long-term debt of
¥100 billion at January 31, 2015 and ¥200 billion at January 31, 2014, that
was designated as a hedge of our net investment in Japan. At January 31,
2015, a hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in value of the U.S. dollar
relative to the Japanese yen would have resulted in a gain or loss in the
value of the debt of $77 million.
Other Matters
We discuss our existing FCPA investigation and related matters in the
Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2015, including certain risks arising
therefrom, in Part I, Item 1A of the Form 10-K under the caption “Risk
Factors” and in Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, which
is captioned “Contingencies,” under the sub-caption “FCPA Investigation
and Related Matters.” We also discuss various legal proceedings related
to the FCPA investigation in Item 3 of the Form 10-K under the caption
“Item 3. Legal Proceedings,” under the sub-caption “II. Certain Other
Proceedings.” We discuss our “equal value” claims against our United
Kingdom subsidiary, ASDA Stores, Ltd., in the Annual Report on
Form 10-K for fiscal 2015, including certain risks arising therefrom, in
Part I, Item 1A of the Form 10-K under the caption “Risk Factors” and
in Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, which is captioned
“Contingencies,” under the sub-caption “Legal Proceedings.”
Inventories
We value inventories at the lower of cost or market as determined primarily
by the retail method of accounting, using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”)
method for substantially all of the Walmart U.S. segment’s inventories.
The inventory at the Walmart International segment is valued primarily
by the retail inventory method of accounting, using the first-in, first-out
(“FIFO”) method. The retail method of accounting results in inventory
being valued at the lower of cost or market since permanent markdowns
are immediately recorded as a reduction of the retail value of inventory.
The inventory at the Sam’s Club segment is valued based on the
weighted-average cost using the LIFO method.
Under the retail method of accounting, inventory is valued at the lower
of cost or market, which is determined by applying a cost-to-retail ratio
to each merchandise grouping’s retail value. The FIFO cost-to-retail ratio
is generally based on the fiscal year purchase activity. The cost-to-retail
ratio for measuring any LIFO provision is based on the initial margin of
the fiscal year purchase activity less the impact of any permanent
markdowns. The retail method of accounting requires management to
make certain judgments and estimates that may significantly impact the
ending inventory valuation at cost, as well as the amount of gross profit
recognized. Judgments made include recording markdowns used to sell
inventory and shrinkage. When management determines the ability to
sell inventory has diminished, markdowns for clearance activity and the
related cost impact are recorded. Factors considered in the determina-
tion of markdowns include current and anticipated demand, customer
preferences and age of merchandise, as well as seasonal and fashion trends.
Changes in weather and customer preferences could cause material
changes in the amount and timing of markdowns from year to year.
Summary of Critical Accounting Estimates
Management strives to report our financial results in a clear and
understandable manner, although in some cases accounting and
disclosure rules are complex and require us to use technical terminology.
In preparing the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements, we fol-
low accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. These principles
require us to make certain estimates and apply judgments that affect our
financial position and results of operations as reflected in our financial
statements. These judgments and estimates are based on past events
and expectations of future outcomes. Actual results may differ from
our estimates.
When necessary, we record a LIFO provision for the estimated annual
effect of inflation, and these estimates are adjusted to actual results
determined at year-end. Our LIFO provision is calculated based on
inventory levels, markup rates and internally generated retail price
indices. At January 31, 2015 and 2014, our inventories valued at LIFO
approximated those inventories as if they were valued at FIFO.
We provide for estimated inventory losses, or shrinkage, between
physical inventory counts on the basis of a percentage of sales.
Following annual inventory counts, the provision is adjusted to reflect
updated historical results.
Management continually reviews our accounting policies, how they
are applied and how they are reported and disclosed in our financial
statements. Following is a summary of our critical accounting estimates
and how they are applied in preparation of the financial statements.
32
2015 Annual Report Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Impairment of Assets
We evaluate long-lived assets other than goodwill and assets with
indefinite lives for indicators of impairment whenever events or changes
in circumstances indicate their carrying amounts may not be recover-
able. Management’s judgments regarding the existence of impairment
indicators are based on market conditions and operational performance,
such as operating income and cash flows. The evaluation for long-lived
assets is performed at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows, which is
generally at the individual store level or, in certain markets, at the market
group level. The variability of these factors depends on a number of
conditions, including uncertainty about future events and changes in
demographics. Thus, our accounting estimates may change from period
to period. These factors could cause management to conclude that
indicators of impairment exist and require impairment tests be
performed, which could result in management determining the value
of long-lived assets is impaired, resulting in a write-down of the related
long-lived assets.
Goodwill and other indefinite-lived acquired intangible assets are
not amortized, but are evaluated for impairment annually or whenever
events or changes in circumstances indicate that the value of a certain
asset may be impaired. Generally, this evaluation begins with a qualitative
assessment to determine whether a quantitative impairment test is
necessary. If we determine, after performing an assessment based on
the qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more
likely than not less than the carrying amount, or that a fair value of the
reporting unit substantially in excess of the carrying amount cannot
be assured, then a quantitative impairment test would be performed.
The quantitative test for impairment requires management to make
judgments relating to future cash flows, growth rates and economic
and market conditions. These evaluations are based on determining the
fair value of a reporting unit or asset using a valuation method such as
discounted cash flow or a relative, market-based approach. Historically,
our reporting units have generated sufficient returns to recover the
cost of goodwill and other indefinite-lived acquired intangible assets.
Because of the nature of the factors used in these tests, if different
conditions occur in future periods, future operating results could be
materially impacted.
As of January 31, 2015, the fair value of certain recently acquired
indefinite-lived intangible assets approximated their carrying value of
$419 million. Any deterioration in the fair value of these assets would
result in a related impairment charge. Management will continue to
monitor the fair value of these assets in future periods.
Income Taxes
Income taxes have a significant effect on our net earnings. We are
subject to income taxes in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions.
Accordingly, the determination of our provision for income taxes requires
significant judgment, the use of estimates and the interpretation and
application of complex tax laws. Our effective income tax rate is affected
by many factors, including changes in our assessment of certain tax
contingencies, increases and decreases in valuation allowances, changes
in tax law, outcomes of administrative audits, the impact of discrete
items and the mix of earnings among our U.S. and international
operations where the statutory rates are generally lower than the
U.S. statutory rate, and may fluctuate as a result.
Our tax returns are routinely audited and settlements of issues raised
in these audits sometimes affect our tax provisions. The benefits of
uncertain tax positions are recorded in our financial statements only
after determining a more likely than not probability that the uncertain
tax positions will withstand challenge, if any, from taxing authorities.
When facts and circumstances change, we reassess these probabilities
and record any changes in the financial statements as appropriate.
We account for uncertain tax positions by determining the minimum
recognition threshold that a tax position is required to meet before
being recognized in the financial statements. This determination
requires the use of significant judgment in evaluating our tax positions
and assessing the timing and amounts of deductible and taxable items.
Deferred tax assets represent amounts available to reduce income taxes
payable on taxable income in future years. Such assets arise because
of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases
of assets and liabilities, as well as from net operating loss and tax credit
carryforwards. Deferred tax assets are evaluated for future realization
and reduced by a valuation allowance to the extent that a portion is not
more likely than not to be realized. Many factors are considered when
assessing whether it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets
will be realized, including recent cumulative earnings, expectations of
future taxable income, carryforward periods and other relevant quan-
titative and qualitative factors. The recoverability of the deferred tax
assets is evaluated by assessing the adequacy of future expected taxable
income from all sources, including reversal of taxable temporary
differences, forecasted operating earnings and available tax planning
strategies. This evaluation relies heavily on estimates.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report to Shareholders contains statements that we believe
are “forward-looking statements” entitled to the protection of the safe
harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended.
Forward-looking Statements
Those forward-looking statements include statements:
in our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations regarding:
• volatility of currency exchange rates possibly affecting future results of
Walmart and Walmart International;
• our objectives of growing net sales at a faster rate than operating
expenses and operating income at a faster rate than net sales and our
strategic growth investments affecting those metrics in certain ways;
• the possible fluctuation of our effective tax rate for future periods;
• volatility of fuel prices possibly affecting the operating results of our
Sam’s Club segment in the future;
• meeting our liquidity needs through sources other than cash held
outside of the U.S., intending to permanently reinvest such cash outside
of the U.S., and our ability to repatriate cash held outside of the
U.S. (which statements also appear in Note 1 to our Consolidated
Financial Statements);
• the recently announced new associate wage structure and comprehensive
associate training and educational programs adversely affecting Walmart’s
ability to leverage in the future and cash provided by operating activities
being sufficient to fund those programs;
33
2015 Annual Report Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
• our fiscal 2016 global expansion plans, continued investment in
Neighborhood Markets, moderation in U.S. supercenter growth, growing
our retail square feet and expanding our digital retail capabilities and our
plans to finance our growth activities;
• our estimated range of capital expenditures (including digital retail
capital expenditures) in fiscal 2016 for each of our reportable seg-
ments, in the “Corporate and support” category and in total;
• the estimated/projected growth in retail square feet in total and by
reportable segment in fiscal 2016;
• our cash flows from continuing operations, current cash position and
access to debt and capital markets continuing to be sufficient to meet
our cash needs for operations and other specified purposes; and
• the amount of increases in payments under operating leases if certain
leases are executed (which statement also appears in Note 11 to our
Consolidated Financial Statements);
in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements regarding:
• any portion of our net investment and cash flow instruments that is an
ineffective hedge being insignificant and the amounts related to our
derivatives expected to be reclassified from accumulated other comp-
rehensive income (loss) to net income during the next 12 months
being insignificant (Note 8);
• the realization of certain net deferred tax assets, tax audit resolutions
over fiscal 2016 reducing unrecognized tax benefits within a certain
range or beyond and the reasons for that reduction, any change not
having a significant impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements
and the possibility that the resolution of a group of related non-income
tax matters might result in a material liability to Walmart (Note 9);
• an adverse decision in, or settlement of, certain litigation possibly
resulting in material liability to us and matters relating to an FCPA
investigation not having a material adverse effect on our business
(Note 10);
in this Annual Report regarding:
• under “Our framework for growth,” our strategic plan, Walmart always
being aggressive on price and equipping customers with information
and technology to facilitate great customer service;
• in our Chief Executive Officer’s letter, driving sales growth by execut-
ing well in stores and e-commerce, our objective of running great
stores, clubs and e-commerce to grow our business, investment in
increased wages and other initiatives for our U.S. associates, our fresh
food offering and e-commerce innovations being future growth drivers
and generating increased shareholder value when we operate and grow
efficiently and our commitment to compliance, ethics and doing business
the right way;
• under “Delivering an improved shopping experience.,” in connection
with our Walmart U.S. segment, certain wage increases for U.S. associ-
ates, continuing to strengthen fresh departments, certain factors
ensuring a superior fresh offering to Walmart U.S.’s customers, addition
of items sold on walmart.com, continuing to work with supplier partners
to ensure everyday low cost and ensuring everyday low cost allowing
investment in and strengthening of the segment’s everyday low cost
pricing strategy and offering value to customers, the ranges of the num-
ber of units and amount of retail square feet to be added by Walmart
U.S. in fiscal 2016, and transparent pricing for customers occurring
through new tools and capabilities;
• under “Driving increased profitability through balanced growth.,” in
connection with our Walmart International segment, the segment stra-
tegically optimizing its global positioning across key geographies and
formats to maximize growth potential and its objective of strengthen-
ing customer trust with a focus on everyday low price, high quality fresh
food and excellent customer service;
• under “Creating a more rewarding member experience.,” in connec-
tion with our Sam’s Club segment, Sam’s Club’s goal of having a suite
of business member services making membership in Sam’s Club such
members’ most valuable business card and the range for the number
of new and relocated clubs to be opened, and the number of clubs to
be remodeled, in fiscal 2016; and
• under “A solid FY 15 performance; investing for a stronger future,”
currency exchange rates possibly continuing to be a headwind to
operating results in fiscal 2016, the range of net retail square footage
we will add in fiscal 2016, Walmart enabling customers to shop any-
time and anywhere, incremental e-commerce investment in fiscal
2016 and Walmart continuing to seek the right balance between sales
growth and profitability as we grow our e-commerce business and
the investment in wages and other initiatives for U.S. associates lead-
ing to higher sales and returns.
The forward-looking statements described above are identified by the
use in such statements of one or more of the words or phrases “aim,”
“anticipate,” “could be,” “could reduce,” “estimated,” “expansion,” “expect,”
“goal,” “grow,” “intend,” “investment,” “is expected,” “may cause,” “may
continue,” “may fluctuate,” “may impact,” “may not be,” “may result,”
“objective,” “plan,” “priority is to,” “projected,” “should continue,” “more to
come,” “we’ll,” “we’ll accomplish,” “we’ll also equip,” “we’ll always be,”
“we’ll continue,” “we’ll drive,” “we’ll generate,” “we’ll reinvent,” “will add,”
“will allow,” “will be,” “will be met,” “will be paid,” “will continue,” “will
depend,” “will ensure,” “will have,” “will impact,” “will include,” “will
increase,” “will open,” “would be,” and “would increase,” variations of
such words and phrases and other similar words or phrases.
The forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report and that
we make elsewhere are subject to certain risks, factors and uncertainties
that could materially affect our actual results and the realization of our
objectives and plans. These risks, factors and uncertainties include, but
are not limited to:
Risks, Factors and Uncertainties Relating to the Markets in which
We Operate
• economic, geo-political, financial markets, capital markets and business
conditions, changes, trends and events globally and in one or more of
the markets in which we operate;
• unemployment and underemployment levels globally and in one or
more of the markets in which we operate;
• monetary policies of the U.S. government, the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System, other governments or central banks, eco-
nomic or sovereign debt crises and disruptions in the financial markets;
• supply of and demand for particular commodities and commodity
prices, including the prices of crude oil, natural gas, refined petroleum
products and electricity;
• inflation and deflation;
• currency exchange rate fluctuations and volatility;
• fluctuations in market rates of interest;
• market labor costs in the U.S.;
• market selling prices of gasoline and diesel fuel;
• competitive initiatives of other retailers, other competitive pressures
and new competitors entering a market;
• adoption of or changes in tax, labor and other laws and regulations
and interpretations thereof that affect our business, including
changes in corporate and personal tax rates and the imposition
of new taxes and surcharges;
34
2015 Annual Report Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
• availability and the cost of acceptable building sites for new and relocated
stores, clubs and other facilities;
• real estate, zoning, land use and other laws, ordinances, legal restrictions
and initiatives that may prevent Walmart from building, or that impose
limitations on Walmart’s ability to build new units in certain locations or
relocate or expand existing units;
• availability of necessary utilities for new or expanded units; and
• availability of skilled labor and labor, material and other construction
costs in areas in which new or relocated units are proposed to be con-
structed or existing units are proposed to be expanded or remodeled.
Other Risk Factors; No Duty to Update
We discuss certain of these factors more fully, as well as certain other risk
factors that may affect the results and other matters discussed in the
forward-looking statements identified above, in our filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our Annual
Report on Form 10-K under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” We filed
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31,
2015, with the SEC on April 1, 2015. The forward-looking statements
described above are made based on knowledge of our business and the
environment in which we operate and assumptions that we believe to
be reasonable at the time such forward-looking statements are made.
However, as a consequence of the risks, factors and uncertainties we dis-
cuss above, and in the other reports 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 results discussed in or implied or contemplated by such forward-
looking statements. We cannot assure the reader 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 or our operations
in the way we expect. You are urged to consider all of these risks, factors
and uncertainties carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements
and not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The
forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report speak only as
of the date of this report, and we undertake no obligation to update these
forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances,
except as may be required by applicable law.
Risks, Factors and Uncertainties Relating to Consumers Generally
and Our Customers
• consumer confidence, disposable income, debt levels, credit availability,
spending levels, shopping patterns and demand for certain merchandise
in one or more of the markets in which we operate;
• consumer acceptance of our stores and clubs, e-commerce websites
and mobile commerce applications, our digital and physical retail initia-
tives, programs and merchandise offerings, including our fresh food
offerings, globally in one or more of the markets in which we operate;
Risks, Factors and Uncertainties Specifically Relating to Our
Operations in Any or All of the Markets in which We Operate
• our historical financial performance, including our U.S. and Walmart
International cash flows, for one or more periods or historical financial
position as of one or more dates completed or occurring after the date
the pertinent forward-looking statement is made;
• the cost of the goods we sell;
• the availability, at an acceptable cost, of adequate supplies of consistent,
high-quality produce from suppliers in the local markets in which we
operate;
• the availability of persons with the skills and abilities necessary to meet our
needs for managing and staffing our operations, including to manage and
staff new and relocated units;
• the mix of merchandise we sell globally or in one or more of the markets
in which we operate;
• the size of and turnover in our hourly workforce;
• our selling prices of gasoline and diesel fuel;
• cyberattacks on our information systems, including any of those used
to operate our e-commerce websites and our information security
costs and any costs and liabilities we would incur as a result of a
successful cyberattack;
• disruption in the availability of our e-commerce websites and mobile
commerce applications;
• the availability of attractive opportunities for investment in retail
operations in the markets in which we currently operate and in new
markets and for investment in digital retail acquisitions and initiatives;
• disruption in our supply chain, including of the availability and transport
of goods from domestic and foreign suppliers to our stores and other
facilities;
• the mix of our earnings from our U.S. and operations in one or more of
the markets in which we operate;
• the amounts of our net sales and expenses for a period denominated
in particular currencies other than the U.S. dollar;
• changes in our assessment of certain tax contingencies, increases or
decreases in valuation allowances, outcome of administrative audits,
the impact of discrete items on our effective tax rate and the resolution
of other tax matters;
• developments in and the outcome of legal and regulatory proceedings
to which we are a party or are subject and the expenses associated
therewith;
• the requirements for expenditures in connection with the FCPA-related
matters;
• unanticipated changes in operating philosophy, plans and objectives;
35
2015 Annual Report Consolidated Statements of Income
(Amounts in millions, except per share data)
Revenues:
Net sales
Membership and other income
Total revenues
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales
Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses
Operating income
Interest:
Debt
Capital leases
Interest income
Interest, net
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
Provision for income taxes:
Current
Deferred
Total provision for income taxes
Income from continuing operations
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes
Consolidated net income
Less consolidated net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
Consolidated net income attributable to Walmart
Basic net income per common share:
Basic income per common share from continuing operations attributable to Walmart
Basic income per common share from discontinued operations attributable to Walmart
Basic net income per common share attributable to Walmart
Diluted net income per common share:
Diluted income per common share from continuing operations attributable to Walmart
Diluted income per common share from discontinued operations attributable to Walmart
Diluted net income per common share attributable to Walmart
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic
Diluted
Dividends declared per common share
See accompanying notes.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(Amounts in millions)
Consolidated net income
Less consolidated net income attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interest
Less consolidated net income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest
Consolidated net income attributable to Walmart
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes
Currency translation and other
Derivative instruments
Minimum pension liability
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes
Less other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interest
Less other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest
Other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Walmart
Comprehensive income, net of income taxes
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interest
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$482,229
3,422
$473,076
3,218
485,651
476,294
365,086
93,418
27,147
358,069
91,353
26,872
2,161
300
(113)
2,348
2,072
263
(119)
2,216
$465,604
3,047
468,651
352,297
88,629
27,725
1,977
272
(186)
2,063
24,799
24,656
25,662
8,504
(519)
7,985
16,814
285
17,099
(736)
8,619
(514)
8,105
16,551
144
16,695
(673)
7,976
(18)
7,958
17,704
52
17,756
(757)
$ 16,363
$ 16,022
$ 16,999
$ 5.01
0.06
$ 4.87
0.03
$ 5.07
$ 4.90
$ 4.99
0.06
$ 4.85
0.03
$ 5.05
$ 4.88
$ 5.03
0.01
$ 5.04
$ 5.01
0.01
$ 5.02
3,230
3,243
3,269
3,283
3,374
3,389
$ 1.92
$ 1.88
$ 1.59
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
$17,099
(736)
—
16,363
(4,179)
(470)
(69)
(4,718)
546
—
(4,172)
12,381
(190)
—
2014
$16,695
(606)
(67)
16,022
(3,146)
207
153
(2,786)
311
66
(2,409)
13,909
(295)
(1)
2013
$17,756
(684)
(73)
16,999
1,042
136
(166)
1,012
(138)
(51)
823
18,768
(822)
(124)
Comprehensive income attributable to Walmart
$12,191
$13,613
$17,822
See accompanying notes.
36
2015 Annual Report
(Amounts in millions)
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
Receivables, net
Inventories
Prepaid expenses and other
Current assets of discontinued operations
Total current assets
Property and equipment:
Property and equipment
Less accumulated depreciation
Property and equipment, net
Property under capital leases:
Property under capital leases
Less accumulated amortization
Property under capital leases, net
Goodwill
Other assets and deferred charges
Total assets
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTEREST, AND EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Short-term borrowings
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Accrued income taxes
Long-term debt due within one year
Obligations under capital leases due within one year
Current liabilities of discontinued operations
Total current liabilities
Long-term debt
Long-term obligations under capital leases
Deferred income taxes and other
Redeemable noncontrolling interest
Commitments and contingencies
Equity:
Common stock
Capital in excess of par value
Retained earnings
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Total Walmart shareholders’ equity
Nonredeemable noncontrolling interest
Total equity
Consolidated Balance Sheets
As of January 31,
2015
2014
$ 9,135
6,778
45,141
2,224
—
$ 7,281
6,677
44,858
1,909
460
63,278
61,185
177,395
(63,115)
173,089
(57,725)
114,280
115,364
5,239
(2,864)
2,375
18,102
5,671
5,589
(3,046)
2,543
19,510
6,149
$203,706
$204,751
$ 1,592
38,410
19,152
1,021
4,810
287
—
65,272
41,086
2,606
8,805
—
$ 7,670
37,415
18,793
966
4,103
309
89
69,345
41,771
2,788
8,017
1,491
323
2,462
85,777
(7,168)
81,394
4,543
85,937
323
2,362
76,566
(2,996)
76,255
5,084
81,339
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest, and equity
$203,706
$204,751
See accompanying notes.
37
2015 Annual Report
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity
and Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest
(Amounts in millions)
Balances as of February 1, 2012
Consolidated net income
Other comprehensive income,
net of income taxes
Cash dividends declared
($1.59 per share)
Purchase of Company stock
Nonredeemable noncontrolling
interest of acquired entity
Other
Balances as of January 31, 2013
Consolidated net income
Other comprehensive loss,
net of income taxes
Cash dividends declared
($1.88 per share)
Purchase of Company stock
Redemption value
adjustment of redeemable
noncontrolling interest
Other
Balances as of January 31, 2014
Consolidated net income
Other comprehensive income,
net of income taxes
Cash dividends declared
($1.92 per share)
Purchase of Company stock
Purchase of redeemable
noncontrolling interest
Other
—
(115)
—
11
3,314
—
—
—
(87)
—
6
3,233
—
—
—
(13)
—
8
Common Stock
Shares
Amount
Capital in
Excess of
Par Value
Accumulated
Other
Total
Walmart
Retained
Earnings
Comprehensive Shareholders’
Income (Loss)
Equity
Nonredeemable
Noncontrolling
Interest
Redeemable
Noncontrolling
Interest
Total
Equity
3,418
—
$342 $ 3,692
—
—
$68,691
16,999
$(1,410)
—
$71,315
16,999
$4,446
684
$75,761
17,683
$
404
73
—
—
—
—
823
823
—
(11)
—
(357)
(5,361)
(7,341)
—
285
3,620
—
—
(10)
72,978
16,022
—
—
—
—
(587)
—
(5,361)
(7,709)
—
276
76,343
16,022
138
—
—
469
(342)
5,395
595
961
(5,361)
(7,709)
469
(66)
81,738
16,617
—
—
(2,409)
(2,409)
(311)
(2,720)
—
(294)
(6,139)
(6,254)
(6,139)
(6,557)
—
—
(6,139)
(6,557)
—
1
332
—
—
—
(9)
—
—
—
—
—
—
323
—
(1,019)
55
2,362
—
—
—
(1)
—
1
—
—
(29)
—
129
—
(41)
76,566
16,363
(2,996)
—
(1,019)
14
76,255
16,363
—
(595)
5,084
736
(1,019)
(581)
81,339
17,099
1,019
(59)
1,491
—
—
(4,172)
(4,172)
(546)
(4,718)
(6,185)
(950)
—
(17)
—
—
—
—
(6,185)
(980)
—
113
—
—
—
(731)
(6,185)
(980)
—
(618)
(1,491)
—
51
—
—
—
(9)
519
78
(66)
—
—
—
—
—
Balances as of January 31, 2015
3,228
$323 $ 2,462
$85,777
$(7,168)
$81,394
$4,543
$85,937
$
—
See accompanying notes.
38
2015 Annual Report
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Amounts in millions)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Consolidated net income
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes
Income from continuing operations
Adjustments to reconcile income from continuing operations to net cash
provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
Deferred income taxes
Other operating activities
Changes in certain assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions:
Receivables, net
Inventories
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Accrued income taxes
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$ 17,099
(285)
$ 16,695
(144)
$ 17,756
(52)
16,814
16,551
17,704
9,173
(503)
785
(569)
(1,229)
2,678
1,249
166
8,870
(279)
938
(566)
(1,667)
531
103
(1,224)
8,478
(133)
602
(614)
(2,759)
1,061
271
981
Net cash provided by operating activities
28,564
23,257
25,591
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for property and equipment
Proceeds from the disposal of property and equipment
Proceeds from the disposal of certain operations
Other investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in short-term borrowings
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt
Payments of long-term debt
Dividends paid
Purchase of Company stock
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest
Purchase of noncontrolling interest
Other financing activities
Net cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Income taxes paid
Interest paid
See accompanying notes.
(12,174)
570
671
(192)
(11,125)
(6,288)
5,174
(3,904)
(6,185)
(1,015)
(600)
(1,844)
(409)
(13,115)
727
—
(138)
(12,526)
911
7,072
(4,968)
(6,139)
(6,683)
(426)
(296)
(260)
(12,898)
532
—
(271)
(12,637)
2,754
211
(1,478)
(5,361)
(7,600)
(282)
(132)
(58)
(15,071)
(10,789)
(11,946)
(514)
1,854
7,281
(442)
(500)
7,781
223
1,231
6,550
$ 9,135
$ 7,281
$ 7,781
8,169
2,433
8,641
2,362
7,304
2,262
39
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
1 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
General
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (“Walmart” or the “Company”) helps people around
the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail
stores or through the Company’s e-commerce and mobile capabilities.
Through innovation, the Company is striving to create a customer-centric
experience that seamlessly integrates digital and physical shopping. Each
week, the Company serves nearly 260 million customers who visit its over
11,000 stores under 72 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in
11 countries. The Company’s strategy is to lead on price, invest to differenti-
ate on access, be competitive on assortment and deliver a great experience.
The Company’s operations comprise three reportable segments:
Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam’s Club.
Principles of Consolidation
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of
Walmart and its subsidiaries as of and for the fiscal years ended January 31,
2015 (“fiscal 2015”), January 31, 2014 (“fiscal 2014”) and January 31, 2013
(“fiscal 2013”). All material intercompany accounts and transactions have
been eliminated in consolidation. Investments in unconsolidated affiliates,
which are 50% or less owned and do not otherwise meet consolidation
requirements, are accounted for primarily using the equity method.
These investments are immaterial to the Company’s Consolidated
Financial Statements.
The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements are based on a fiscal
year ending on January 31, for the United States (“U.S.”) and Canadian
operations. The Company consolidates all other operations generally
using a one-month lag and based on a calendar year. There were no
significant intervening events during January 2015 that materially
affected the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Use of Estimates
The Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity
with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Those principles
require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
reported amounts of assets and liabilities. Management’s estimates and
assumptions also affect the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of
revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may
differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers investments with a maturity when purchased
of three months or less to be cash equivalents. All credit card, debit card
and electronic benefits transfer transactions that process in less than
seven days are classified as cash and cash equivalents. The amounts due
from banks for these transactions classified as cash and cash equivalents
totaled $2.9 billion and $1.6 billion at January 31, 2015 and 2014, respec-
tively. In addition, cash and cash equivalents included restricted cash of
$345 million and $654 million at January 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively,
which was primarily related to cash collateral holdings from various
counterparties, as required by certain derivative and trust agreements.
The Company’s cash balances are held in various locations around the
world. Of the Company’s $9.1 billion and $7.3 billion of cash and cash
equivalents at January 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, $6.3 billion and
$5.8 billion, respectively, were held outside of the U.S. and were generally
utilized to support liquidity needs in the Company’s non-U.S. operations.
The Company uses 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. Management does not believe it will
be necessary to repatriate cash and cash equivalents held outside of the
U.S. and anticipates the Company’s domestic liquidity needs will be met
through cash flows provided by operating activities, supplemented with
long-term debt and short-term borrowings. Accordingly, the Company
intends, with only certain exceptions, to continue to indefinitely reinvest
the Company’s cash and cash equivalents held outside of the U.S. in our
foreign operations. When the income earned, either from operations
or through intercompany financing arrangements, and indefinitely
reinvested outside of the U.S. is taxed at local country tax rates, which are
generally lower than the U.S. statutory rate, the Company realizes an
effective tax rate benefit. If the Company’s intentions with respect to
reinvestment were to change, most of the amounts held within the
Company’s foreign operations could be repatriated to the U.S., although
any repatriation under current U.S. tax laws would be subject to U.S.
federal income taxes, less applicable foreign tax credits. As of January 31,
2015 and 2014, cash and cash equivalents of approximately $1.7 billion
and $1.9 billion, respectively, may not be freely transferable to the U.S.
due to local laws or other restrictions. The Company does not expect
local laws, other limitations or potential taxes on anticipated future
repatriations of cash amounts held outside of the U.S. to have a material
effect on the Company’s overall liquidity, financial condition or results
of operations.
Receivables
Receivables are stated at their carrying values, net of a reserve for
doubtful accounts. Receivables consist primarily of amounts due from:
• insurance companies resulting from pharmacy sales;
• banks for customer credit and debit cards and electronic bank transfers
that take in excess of seven days to process;
• consumer financing programs in certain international operations;
• suppliers for marketing or incentive programs; and
• real estate transactions.
The Walmart International segment offers a limited number of consumer
credit products, primarily through its financial institutions in select
markets. The receivable balance from consumer credit products was
$1.2 billion, net of a reserve for doubtful accounts of $114 million at
January 31, 2015, compared to a receivable balance of $1.3 billion, net
of a reserve for doubtful accounts of $119 million at January 31, 2014.
These balances are included in receivables, net, in the Company’s
Consolidated Balance Sheets.
40
2015 Annual Report Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Inventories
The Company values inventories at the lower of cost or market as
determined primarily by the retail inventory method of accounting,
using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method for substantially all of the
Walmart U.S. segment’s inventories. The inventory at the Walmart
International segment is valued primarily by the retail inventory method
of accounting, using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method. The retail
inventory method of accounting results in inventory being valued at the
lower of cost or market since permanent markdowns are immediately
recorded as a reduction of the retail value of inventory. The inventory at
the Sam’s Club segment is valued based on the weighted-average cost
using the LIFO method. At January 31, 2015 and January 31, 2014, the
Company’s inventories valued at LIFO approximated those inventories
as if they were valued at FIFO.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost. Gains or losses on disposition
are recognized as earned or incurred. Costs of major improvements are
capitalized, while costs of normal repairs and maintenance are charged
to expense as incurred. The following table summarizes the Company’s
property and equipment balances and includes the estimated useful lives
that are generally used to depreciate the assets on a straight-line basis:
Estimated
Useful Lives
Fiscal Years Ended
January 31,
2015
2014
N/A
3-40 years
2-30 years
3-15 years
N/A
$ 26,261 $ 26,184
95,488
42,971
2,785
5,661
97,496
45,044
2,807
5,787
(Amounts in millions)
Land
Buildings and improvements
Fixtures and equipment
Transportation equipment
Construction in progress
Property and equipment
Accumulated depreciation
Goodwill and Other Acquired Intangible Assets
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value
of net assets acquired in business combinations and is allocated to the
appropriate reporting unit when acquired. Other acquired intangible
assets are stated at the fair value acquired as determined by a valuation
technique commensurate with the intended use of the related asset.
Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized; rather,
they are evaluated for impairment annually and whenever events or
changes in circumstances indicate that the value of the asset may be
impaired. Definite-lived intangible assets are considered long-lived
assets and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the periods that
expected economic benefits will be provided.
Goodwill is evaluated for impairment using either a qualitative or
quantitative approach for each of the Company’s reporting units.
Generally, a qualitative assessment is first performed to determine
whether a quantitative goodwill impairment test is necessary. If man-
agement determines, after performing an assessment based on the
qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely
than not less than the carrying amount, or that a fair value of the
reporting unit substantially in excess of the carrying amount cannot be
assured, then a quantitative goodwill impairment test would be required.
The quantitative test for goodwill impairment is performed by
determining the fair value of the related reporting units. Fair value is
measured based on the discounted cash flow method and relative
market-based approaches.
The Company’s reporting units were evaluated using a quantitative
impairment test. Management determined the fair value of each reporting
unit is greater than the carrying amount and, accordingly, the Company
has not recorded any impairment charges related to goodwill.
$177,395 $173,089
(57,725)
(63,115)
The following table reflects goodwill activity, by reportable segment,
for fiscal 2015 and 2014:
Property and equipment, net
$114,280 $115,364
(Amounts in millions)
Walmart U.S.
International Sam’s Club
Total
Walmart
Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated
useful life of the asset or the remaining expected lease term. Depreciation
expense for property and equipment, including amortization of property
under capital leases, for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $9.1 billion,
$8.8 billion and $8.4 billion, respectively. Interest costs capitalized on
construction projects were $59 million, $78 million and $74 million
in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Long-Lived Assets
Long-lived assets are stated at cost. Management reviews long-lived
assets for indicators of impairment whenever events or changes in
circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.
The evaluation is performed at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows,
which is at the individual store or club level or, in certain circumstances,
a market group of stores. Undiscounted cash flows expected to be
generated by the related assets are estimated over the assets’ useful lives
based on updated projections. If the evaluation indicates that the carrying
amount of the assets may not be recoverable, any potential impairment
is measured based upon the fair value of the related asset or asset group
as determined by an appropriate market appraisal or other valuation
technique. Impairment charges of long-lived assets for fiscal 2015, 2014
and 2013 were not significant.
Balances as of
February 1, 2013
Changes in currency
$443
$19,741
$313
$20,497
translation and other —
8
Acquisitions (1)
(1,000)
5
—
—
(1,000)
13
Balances as of
January 31, 2014
Changes in currency
451
18,746
313
19,510
translation and other —
10
Acquisitions (1)
(1,418)
—
—
—
(1,418)
10
Balances as of
January 31, 2015
$461
$17,328
$313
$18,102
(1) Goodwill recorded for fiscal 2015 and 2014 acquisitions relates to acquisitions that
are not significant, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company’s Consolidated
Financial Statements.
41
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Revenue Recognition
Sales
The Company recognizes sales revenue, net of sales taxes and estimated
sales returns, at the time it sells merchandise to the customer.
Membership Fee Revenue
The Company recognizes membership fee revenue both in the U.S.
and internationally over the term of the membership, which is typically
12 months. The following table summarizes membership fee activity
for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013:
(Amounts in millions)
2015
2014
2013
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
Deferred membership fee revenue,
beginning of year
Cash received from members
Membership fee revenue recognized
$ 641 $ 575 $ 559
1,133
(1,117)
1,410
(1,292)
1,249
(1,183)
Deferred membership fee revenue,
end of year
$ 759 $ 641 $ 575
Membership fee revenue is included in membership and other income
in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. The deferred
membership fee is included in accrued liabilities in the Company’s
Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Shopping Cards
Customer purchases of shopping cards are not recognized as revenue
until the card is redeemed and the customer purchases merchandise
using the shopping card. Shopping cards in the U.S. do not carry an
expiration date; therefore, customers and members can redeem their
shopping cards for merchandise indefinitely. Shopping cards in certain
foreign countries where the Company does business may have expiration
dates. A certain number of shopping cards, both with and without
expiration dates, will not be fully redeemed. Management estimates
unredeemed shopping cards and recognizes revenue for these
amounts over shopping card historical usage periods based on historical
redemption rates. Management periodically reviews and updates its
estimates of usage periods and redemption rates.
Financial and Other Services
The Company recognizes revenue from service transactions at the time
the service is performed. Generally, revenue from services is classified
as a component of net sales in the Company’s Consolidated Statements
of Income.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales includes actual product cost, the cost of transportation to
the Company’s distribution facilities, stores and clubs from suppliers, the
cost of transportation from the Company’s distribution facilities to the
stores, clubs and customers and the cost of warehousing for the Sam’s
Club segment and import distribution centers. Cost of sales is reduced
by supplier payments that are not a reimbursement of specific,
incremental and identifiable costs.
Indefinite-lived intangible assets are included in other assets and
deferred charges in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. These
assets are evaluated for impairment based on their fair values using valu-
ation techniques which are updated annually based on the most recent
variables and assumptions. There were no impairment charges related to
indefinite-lived intangible assets recorded for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013.
Self Insurance Reserves
The Company uses a combination of insurance and self insurance for a
number of risks, including, but not limited to, workers’ compensation,
general liability, auto liability, product liability and the Company’s obliga-
tion for employee-related health care benefits. Liabilities relating to the
claims associated with these risks are estimated by considering historical
claims experience, frequency, severity, demographic factors and other
actuarial assumptions, including incurred but not reported claims. In
estimating its liability for such claims, the Company periodically analyzes
its historical trends, including loss development, and applies appropriate
loss development factors to the incurred costs associated with the
claims. To limit exposure to certain risks, the Company maintains
stop-loss insurance coverage for workers’ compensation of $5 million
per occurrence, and in most instances, $15 million per occurrence for
general liability.
Income Taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the balance sheet method.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future
tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial
statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their
respective tax bases (“temporary differences”). Deferred tax assets and
liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in
which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or set-
tled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rate
is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
Deferred tax assets are evaluated for future realization and reduced by
a valuation allowance to the extent that a portion is not more likely than
not to be realized. Many factors are considered when assessing whether
it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized,
including recent cumulative earnings, expectations of future taxable
income, carryforward periods, and other relevant quantitative and quali-
tative factors. The recoverability of the deferred tax assets is evaluated
by assessing the adequacy of future expected taxable income from all
sources, including reversal of taxable temporary differences, forecasted
operating earnings and available tax planning strategies. These sources
of income rely heavily on estimates.
In determining the provision for income taxes, an annual effective
income tax rate is used based on annual income, permanent differences
between book and tax income, and statutory income tax rates. Discrete
events such as audit settlements or changes in tax laws are recognized
in the period in which they occur.
The Company records a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting
from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.
The Company records interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax
benefits in interest expense and operating, selling, general and administra-
tive expenses, respectively, in the Company’s Consolidated Statements
of Income. Refer to Note 9 for additional income tax disclosures.
42
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Payments from Suppliers
The Company receives consideration from suppliers for various programs,
primarily volume incentives, warehouse allowances and reimbursements
for specific programs such as markdowns, margin protection, advertising
and supplier-specific fixtures. Payments from suppliers are accounted
for as a reduction of cost of sales and are recognized in the Company’s
Consolidated Statements of Income when the related inventory is sold,
except when the payment is a reimbursement of specific, incremental
and identifiable costs.
Operating, Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses include all
operating costs of the Company, except cost of sales, as described above.
As a result, the majority of the cost of warehousing and occupancy for
the Walmart U.S. and Walmart International segments’ distribution
facilities is included in operating, selling, general and administrative
expenses. Because the Company does not include most of the cost of its
Walmart U.S. and Walmart International segments’ distribution facilities
in cost of sales, its gross profit and gross profit as a percentage of net
sales may not be comparable to those of other retailers that may include
all costs related to their distribution facilities in cost of sales and in the
calculation of gross profit.
Advertising Costs
Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and were $2.4 billion for both
fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 and $2.3 billion for fiscal 2013. Advertising costs
consist primarily of print, television and digital advertisements and are
recorded in operating, selling, general and administrative expenses in
the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. Reimbursements
from suppliers that are for specific, incremental and identifiable advertis-
ing costs are recognized as a reduction of advertising costs in operating,
selling, general and administrative expenses.
Leases
The Company estimates the expected term of a lease by assuming the
exercise of renewal options where an economic penalty exists that
would preclude the abandonment of the lease at the end of the initial
non-cancelable term and the exercise of such renewal is at the sole dis-
cretion of the Company. The expected term is used in the determination
of whether a store or club lease is a capital or operating lease and in the
calculation of straight-line rent expense. Additionally, the useful life of
leasehold improvements is limited by the expected lease term or the
economic life of the asset, whichever is shorter. If significant expenditures
are made for leasehold improvements late in the expected term of a
lease and renewal is reasonably assured, the useful life of the leasehold
improvement is limited to the end of the renewal period or economic
life of the asset, whichever is shorter.
Rent abatements and escalations are considered in the calculation of
minimum lease payments in the Company’s capital lease tests and in
determining straight-line rent expense for operating leases.
Pre-Opening Costs
The cost of start-up activities, including organization costs, related to new
store openings, store remodels, relocations, expansions and conversions
are expensed as incurred and included in operating, selling, general
and administrative expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Statements
of Income. Pre-opening costs totaled $317 million, $338 million and
$316 million for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Currency Translation
The assets and liabilities of all international subsidiaries are translated
from the respective local currency to the U.S. dollar using exchange rates
at the balance sheet date. Related translation adjustments are recorded
as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The
income statements of all international subsidiaries are translated from
the respective local currencies to the U.S. dollar using average exchange
rates for the period covered by the income statements.
Reclassifications
Certain reclassifications have been made to previous fiscal year amounts
and balances to conform to the presentation in the current fiscal year.
These reclassifications did not impact consolidated operating income or
net income. Additionally, certain segment asset and expense allocations
have been reclassified among segments in the current period. See
Note 14 for further discussion of the Company’s segments.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued
Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-08, Reporting Discontinued
Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity, which
provides guidance for the recognition of discontinued operations,
changes the requirements for reporting discontinued operations and
requires additional disclosures about discontinued operations. This ASU
applies to prospective transactions beginning on or after December 15,
2014, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this ASU for
the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015 and adoption did not materially
impact the Company’s consolidated net income, financial position or
cash flows.
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU 2014-09,
Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This ASU is a comprehensive
new revenue recognition model that requires a company to recognize
revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an
amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive in exchange
for those goods or services. This ASU is effective for annual reporting
periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is not
permitted. Accordingly, the Company will adopt this ASU on February 1,
2017. Companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified
retrospective approach to adopt this ASU. Management is currently
evaluating this standard, including which transition approach to use,
and does not expect this ASU to materially impact the Company’s
consolidated net income, financial position or cash flows.
43
2015 Annual Report Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2 Net Income Per Common Share
Basic income per common share from continuing operations
attributable to Walmart is based on the weighted-average common
shares outstanding during the relevant period. Diluted income per
common share from continuing operations attributable to Walmart is
based on the weighted-average common shares outstanding during the
relevant period adjusted for the dilutive effect of share-based awards.
The Company did not have significant share-based awards outstanding
that were antidilutive and not included in the calculation of diluted
income per common share from continuing operations attributable to
Walmart for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013.
The following table provides a reconciliation of the numerators and
denominators used to determine basic and diluted income per common
share from continuing operations attributable to Walmart:
(Amounts in millions, except per share data)
2015
2014
2013
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
Numerator
Income from continuing operations
Less income from continuing
operations attributable to
noncontrolling interest
Income from continuing operations
$16,814 $16,551 $17,704
(632)
(633)
(741)
attributable to Walmart
$16,182 $15,918 $16,963
Denominator
Weighted-average common shares
outstanding, basic
3,230
3,269
3,374
Dilutive impact of stock options
and other share-based awards
13
14
15
Weighted-average common shares
outstanding, diluted
3,243
3,283
3,389
Income per common share
from continuing operations
attributable to Walmart
Basic
Diluted
$ 5.01 $ 4.87 $ 5.03
5.01
4.99
4.85
3 Shareholders’ Equity
Share-Based Compensation
The Company has awarded share-based compensation to associates and
nonemployee directors of the Company. The compensation expense
recognized for all plans was $462 million, $388 million and $378 million
for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Share-based compensation
expense is included in operating, selling, general and administrative
expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. The
44
total income tax benefit recognized for share-based compensation was
$173 million, $145 million and $142 million for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013,
respectively. The following table summarizes the Company’s share-based
compensation expense by award type:
(Amounts in millions)
Restricted stock and performance
share units
Restricted stock units
Other
Share-based compensation
expense
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$157
277
28
$141
224
23
$152
195
31
$462
$388
$378
The Company’s shareholder-approved Stock Incentive Plan of 2010
(the “Plan”) became effective June 4, 2010 and amended and restated
the Company’s Stock Incentive Plan of 2005. The Plan was established to
grant stock options, restricted (non-vested) stock, performance share
units and other equity compensation awards for which 210 million shares
of common stock issued or to be issued under the Plan have been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Company
believes that such awards serve to align the interests of its associates
with those of its shareholders.
The Plan’s award types are summarized as follows:
• Restricted Stock and Performance Share Units. Restricted stock awards are
for shares that vest based on the passage of time and include restric-
tions related to employment. Performance share units vest based on
the passage of time and achievement of performance criteria and may
range from 0% to 150% of the original award amount. Vesting periods
for these awards are generally between one and three years. Restricted
stock and performance share units may be settled or deferred in stock
and are accounted for as equity in the Company’s Consolidated Balance
Sheets. The fair value of restricted stock awards is determined on the date
of grant and is expensed ratably over the vesting period. The fair value
of performance share units is determined on the date of grant using the
Company’s stock price discounted for the expected dividend yield
through the vesting period and is recognized over the vesting period.
• Restricted Stock Units. Restricted stock units provide rights to Company
stock after a specified service period; 50% vest three years from the grant
date and the remaining 50% vest five years from the grant date. The fair
value of each restricted stock unit is determined on the date of grant
using the stock price discounted for the expected dividend yield through
the vesting period and is recognized ratably over the vesting period. The
expected dividend yield is based on the anticipated dividends over the
vesting period. The weighted-average discount for the dividend yield
used to determine the fair value of restricted stock units granted in fiscal
2015, 2014 and 2013 was 9.5%, 10.3% and 12.2%, respectively.
In addition to the Plan, the Company’s subsidiary in the United Kingdom
has stock option plans for certain colleagues which generally vest over
three years. The stock option share-based compensation expense is
included in the other line in the table above.
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The following table shows the activity for restricted stock and performance share units and restricted stock units during fiscal 2015:
(Shares in thousands)
Outstanding at February 1, 2014
Granted
Vested/exercised
Forfeited or expired
Outstanding at January 31, 2015
(1) Assumes payout rate at 100% for Performance Share Units.
The following table includes additional information related to restricted
stock and performance share units and restricted stock units:
(Amounts in millions)
Fair value of restricted stock and
performance share units vested
Fair value of restricted stock units vested
Unrecognized compensation cost
for restricted stock and
performance share units
Unrecognized compensation cost
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$156
218
$116
189
$155
168
154
200
233
for restricted stock units
570
497
437
Weighted average remaining period
to expense for restricted stock and
performance share units (years)
Weighted average remaining period
to expense for restricted stock
units (years)
1.3
2.0
2.0
1.7
2.1
1.7
Restricted Stock and
Performance Share Units (1)
Restricted Stock Units
Weighted-Average
Grant-Date
Fair Value
Per Share
$63.26
75.30
55.64
62.35
$68.89
Weighted-Average
Grant-Date
Fair Value
Per Share
$55.87
69.39
47.81
61.63
Shares
17,785
5,671
(4,554)
(1,334)
17,568
$61.00
Shares
9,951
3,328
(2,799)
(1,757)
8,723
Share Repurchase Program
From time to time, the Company repurchases shares of its common stock
under share repurchase programs authorized by the Board of Directors.
On June 6, 2013, the Company’s Board of Directors replaced the previous
$15.0 billion share repurchase program, which had approximately
$712 million of remaining authorization for share repurchases as of that
date, with a new $15.0 billion share repurchase program, which was
announced on June 7, 2013. As was the case with the replaced share
repurchase program, the current share repurchase program has no
expiration date or other restrictions limiting the period over which the
Company can make share repurchases. At January 31, 2015, authorization
for $10.3 billion of share repurchases remained under the current share
repurchase program. Any repurchased shares are constructively retired
and returned to an unissued status.
The Company considers several factors in determining when to execute
share repurchases, including, among other things, current cash needs,
capacity for leverage, cost of borrowings, its results of operations and
the market price of its common stock. The following table provides, on a
settlement date basis, the number of shares repurchased, average price
paid per share and total cash paid for share repurchases for fiscal 2015,
2014 and 2013:
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
(Amounts in millions, except per share data)
2015
2014
2013
Total number of shares repurchased
Average price paid per share
Total cash paid for share repurchases
13.4
$75.82
$1,015
89.1
$74.99
$6,683
113.2
$67.15
$7,600
45
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
4 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
The following table provides the fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013 changes in the composition of total accumulated other comprehensive income (loss),
including the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) by component for fiscal 2015 and 2014:
(Amounts in millions and net of income taxes)
Balances as of January 31, 2012
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications
Balances as of January 31, 2013
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Balances as of January 31, 2014
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Currency Translation
and Other
Derivative
Instruments
Minimum
Pension Liability
$
(806)
853
47
(2,769)
—
(2,722)
(3,633)
—
$
(7)
136
129
194
13
336
(496)
26
$(597)
(166)
(763)
149
4
(610)
(58)
(11)
Total
$(1,410)
823
(587)
(2,426)
17
(2,996)
(4,187)
15
Balances as of January 31, 2015
$(6,355)
$(134)
$(679)
$(7,168)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for derivative instruments are recorded in interest, net, in the Company’s
Consolidated Statements of Income, and the amounts for the minimum pension liability are recorded in operating, selling, general and administrative
expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income.
The Company’s unrealized net gains and losses on net investment hedges, included in the currency translation and other category of accumulated
other comprehensive income (loss), were not significant as of January 31, 2015 and January 31, 2014.
5 Accrued Liabilities
The Company’s accrued liabilities consist of the following:
(Amounts in millions)
Accrued wages and benefits (1)
Self-insurance (2)
Accrued non-income taxes (3)
Other (4)
Total accrued liabilities
As of January 31,
2015
$ 4,954
3,306
2,592
8,300
$19,152
2014
$ 4,652
3,477
2,554
8,110
$18,793
(1) Accrued wages and benefits include accrued wages, salaries, vacation, bonuses and other incentive plans.
(2) Self-insurance consists of all insurance-related liabilities, such as workers’ compensation, general liability, vehicle liability, property liability and employee-related
health care benefits.
(3) Accrued non-income taxes include accrued payroll, value added, sales and miscellaneous other taxes.
(4) Other accrued liabilities consist of various items such as maintenance, utilities, advertising and interest.
46
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
6 Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt
Short-term borrowings consist of commercial paper and lines of credit. Short-term borrowings outstanding at January 31, 2015 and 2014 were
$1.6 billion and $7.7 billion, respectively. The following table includes additional information related to the Company’s short-term borrowings for
fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013:
(Amounts in millions)
Maximum amount outstanding at any month-end
Average daily short-term borrowings
Weighted-average interest rate
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
$11,581
7,009
2014
$13,318
8,971
2013
$8,740
6,007
0.5%
0.1%
0.1%
The Company has various committed lines of credit, committed with 23 financial institutions, totaling $15.0 billion as of January 31, 2015 and with 24 financial
institutions, totaling $15.4 billion as of January 31, 2014. The committed lines of credit are summarized in the following table:
(Amounts in millions)
Five-year credit facility (1)
364-day revolving credit facility (2)
Total
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
Drawn
Undrawn
$
$
—
—
—
$ 6,000
9,000
$15,000
Available
$ 6,000
9,400
$15,400
Available
$ 6,000
9,000
$15,000
2014
Drawn
$
—
—
$
—
Undrawn
$ 6,000
9,400
$15,400
(1) In June 2014, the Company renewed and extended its existing five-year credit facility, which is used to support its commercial paper program.
(2) In June 2014, the Company renewed and extended its existing 364-day revolving credit facility, which is used to support its commercial paper program.
The committed lines of credit mature at various times between June 2015 and June 2019, carry interest rates generally ranging between LIBOR plus 10
basis points and LIBOR plus 75 basis points, and incur commitment fees ranging between 1.5 and 4.0 basis points. In conjunction with the lines of
credit listed in the table above, the Company has agreed to observe certain covenants, the most restrictive of which relates to the maximum amount
of secured debt.
Apart from the committed lines of credit, the Company has trade and stand-by letters of credit totaling $4.6 billion and $4.7 billion at January 31, 2015
and 2014, respectively. These letters of credit are utilized in normal business activities.
47
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The Company’s long-term debt, which includes the fair value instruments further discussed in Note 8, consists of the following:
January 31, 2015
January 31, 2014
(Amounts in millions)
Unsecured debt
Fixed
Variable
Total U.S. dollar denominated
Fixed
Variable
Total Euro denominated
Fixed
Variable
Total Sterling denominated
Fixed
Variable
Total Yen denominated
Total unsecured debt
Total other debt (in USD) (2)
Total debt
Less amounts due within one year
Long-term debt
Maturity Dates
By Fiscal Year
2016-2045
2019
2023-2030
2031-2039
2016-2021
2016
Amount
$36,000
500
36,500
2,821
—
2,821
5,271
—
5,271
596
255
851
45,443
453
45,896
(4,810)
$41,086
Average
Rate (1)
4.3%
5.4%
3.3%
5.3%
1.0%
0.6%
Average
Rate (1)
4.3%
5.4%
4.9%
5.3%
1.3%
0.7%
Amount
$35,500
500
36,000
1,356
—
1,356
5,770
—
5,770
1,490
457
1,947
45,073
801
45,874
(4,103)
$41,771
(1) The average rate represents the weighted-average stated rate for each corresponding debt category, based on year-end balances and year-end interest rates. Interest costs
are also impacted by certain derivative financial instruments described in Note 8.
(2) A portion of other debt at January 31, 2015 and 2014 includes secured debt in the amount of $139 million and $572 million, respectively, which was collateralized by property
that had an aggregate carrying amount of approximately $19 million and $471 million, respectively.
At January 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company had $500 million in debt with embedded put options. The issuance of money market puttable reset
securities in the amount of $500 million is structured to be remarketed in connection with the annual reset of the interest rate. If, for any reason, the
remarketing of the notes does not occur at the time of any interest rate reset, the holders of the notes must sell, and the Company must repurchase,
the notes at par. Accordingly, this issuance has been classified as long-term debt due within one year in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Annual maturities of long-term debt during the next five years and thereafter are as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
Fiscal Year
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Thereafter
Total
48
Annual
Maturities
$ 4,810
2,312
1,523
3,518
514
33,219
$45,896
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Debt Issuances
Information on significant long-term debt issued during fiscal 2015 is as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
Issue Date
April 8, 2014
April 8, 2014
April 22, 2014
April 22, 2014
April 22, 2014
October 22, 2014
Total
Principal Amount
Maturity Date
Fixed vs. Floating
Interest Rate
Proceeds
850 Euro
650 Euro
500 USD
1,000 USD
1,000 USD
500 USD
April 8, 2022
April 8, 2026
April 21, 2017
April 22, 2024
April 22, 2044
April 22, 2024
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
1.900%
2.550%
1.000%
3.300%
4.300%
3.300%
$ 1,161
885
499
992
985
508
$5,030
Information on significant long-term debt issued during fiscal 2014 is as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
Issue Date
April 11, 2013
April 11, 2013
April 11, 2013
April 11, 2013
October 2, 2013
October 2, 2013
Total
Principal Amount
Maturity Date
Fixed vs. Floating
Interest Rate
Proceeds
1,000 USD
1,250 USD
1,750 USD
1,000 USD
1,000 USD
750 USD
April 11, 2016
April 11, 2018
April 11, 2023
April 11, 2043
December 15, 2018
October 2, 2043
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
0.600%
1.130%
2.550%
4.000%
1.950%
4.750%
$ 997
1,244
1,738
988
995
738
$6,700
During fiscal 2015 and 2014, the Company also received additional proceeds from other, smaller long-term debt issuances by several of its non-U.S.
operations. The proceeds in both fiscal years were used to pay down and refinance existing debt and for other general corporate purposes.
Maturities
On February 3, 2014, $500 million of 3.000% Notes matured and were repaid; on April 14, 2014, $1.0 billion of 1.625% Notes matured and were repaid;
on May 15, 2014, $1.0 billion of 3.200% Notes matured and were repaid; and on August 6, 2014, ¥100 billion of floating rate Notes matured and were repaid.
On April 15, 2013, $1.0 billion of 4.250% Notes matured and were repaid; on May 1, 2013, $1.5 billion of 4.550% Notes matured and were repaid; on
June 1, 2013, $500 million of 7.250% Notes matured and were repaid; on August 5, 2013, ¥25 billion of 2.010% and ¥50 billion of floating rate Notes
matured and were repaid; and on October 25, 2013, $750 million of 0.750% Notes matured and were repaid.
During fiscal 2015 and 2014, the Company also repaid other, smaller long-term debt as it matured in several of its non-U.S. operations.
7 Fair Value Measurements
The Company records and discloses certain financial and non-financial assets and liabilities at fair value. The fair value of an asset is the price at which
the asset could be sold in an ordinary transaction between unrelated, knowledgeable and willing parties able to engage in the transaction. The fair
value of a liability is the amount that would be paid to transfer the liability to a new obligor in a transaction between such parties, not the amount that
would be paid to settle the liability with the creditor. Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value are measured using the fair value hierarchy, which
prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The levels of the fair value hierarchy are:
• Level 1: observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets;
• Level 2: inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and
• Level 3: unobservable inputs for which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring the Company to develop its own assumptions.
49
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Recurring Fair Value Measurements
The Company holds derivative instruments that are required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The fair values are the estimated
amounts the Company would receive or pay upon termination of the related derivative agreements as of the reporting dates. The fair values have
been measured using the income approach and Level 2 inputs, which include the relevant interest rate and foreign currency forward curves.
As of January 31, 2015 and 2014, the notional amounts and fair values of these derivatives were as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
Receive fixed-rate, pay variable-rate interest rate swaps
designated as fair value hedges
Receive fixed-rate, pay fixed-rate cross-currency interest rate swaps
designated as net investment hedges
Receive fixed-rate, pay fixed-rate cross-currency interest rate swaps
designated as cash flow hedges
Receive variable-rate, pay fixed-rate interest rate swaps
designated as cash flow hedges
Receive variable-rate, pay fixed-rate forward starting interest rate swaps
designated as cash flow hedges
Total
January 31, 2015
January 31, 2014
Notional Amount Fair Value Notional Amount
Fair Value
$ 500
$ 12
$1,000
$ 5
1,250
207
1,250
4,329
(317)
3,004
255
—
(1)
—
$6,334
$ (99)
457
2,500
$8,211
97
453
(2)
166
$719
Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements
In addition to assets and liabilities that are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis, the Company’s assets and liabilities are also subject to
nonrecurring fair value measurements. Generally, assets are recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis as a result of impairment charges.
The Company did not record any significant impairment charges to assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis during the fiscal years
ended January 31, 2015, or 2014.
Other Fair Value Disclosures
The Company records cash and cash equivalents and short-term borrowings at cost. The carrying values of these instruments approximate their
fair value due to their short-term maturities.
The Company’s long-term debt is also recorded at cost. The fair value is estimated using Level 2 inputs based on the Company’s current incremental
borrowing rate for similar types of borrowing arrangements. The carrying value and fair value of the Company’s long-term debt as of January 31, 2015
and 2014, are as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
January 31, 2015
January 31, 2014
Carrying Value
Fair Value
Carrying Value
Fair Value
Long-term debt, including amounts due within one year
$45,896
$56,237
$45,874
$50,757
8 Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company uses derivative financial instruments for hedging and
non-trading purposes to manage its exposure to changes in interest and
currency exchange rates, as well as to maintain an appropriate mix of
fixed- and variable-rate debt. Use of derivative financial instruments in
hedging programs subjects the Company to certain risks, such as market
and credit risks. Market risk represents the possibility that the value of the
derivative financial instrument will change. In a hedging relationship, the
change in the value of the derivative financial instrument is offset to a
great extent by the change in the value of the underlying hedged item.
Credit risk related to a derivative financial instrument represents the pos-
sibility that the counterparty will not fulfill the terms of the contract. The
notional, or contractual, amount of the Company’s derivative financial
instruments is used to measure interest to be paid or received and does
not represent the Company’s exposure due to credit risk. Credit risk is
monitored through established approval procedures, including setting
concentration limits by counterparty, reviewing credit ratings and requiring
collateral (generally cash) from the counterparty when appropriate.
The Company only enters into derivative transactions with counterparties
rated “A-” or better by nationally recognized credit rating agencies.
Subsequent to entering into derivative transactions, the Company regu-
larly monitors the credit ratings of its counterparties. In connection with
various derivative agreements, including master netting arrangements,
the Company held cash collateral from counterparties of $323 million
and $641 million at January 31, 2015 and January 31, 2014, respectively.
The Company records cash collateral received as amounts due to the
counterparties exclusive of any derivative asset. Furthermore, as part
of the master netting arrangements with these counterparties, the
Company is also required to post collateral if the Company’s net
derivative liability position exceeds $150 million with any counterparty.
The Company did not have any cash collateral posted with counterparties
at January 31, 2015 or January 31, 2014. The Company records cash
collateral it posts with counterparties as amounts receivable from those
counterparties exclusive of any derivative liability.
50
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The Company uses derivative financial instruments for the purpose of
hedging its exposure to interest and currency exchange rate risks and,
accordingly, the contractual terms of a hedged instrument closely mirror
those of the hedged item, providing a high degree of risk reduction and
correlation. Contracts that are effective at meeting the risk reduction and
correlation criteria are recorded using hedge accounting. If a derivative
financial instrument is recorded using hedge accounting, depending on
the nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value of the instrument will
either be offset against the change in fair value of the hedged assets,
liabilities or firm commitments through earnings or be recognized in
accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged item
is recognized in earnings. Any hedge ineffectiveness is immediately
recognized in earnings. The Company’s net investment and cash flow
instruments are highly effective hedges and the ineffective portion has
not been, and is not expected to be, significant. Instruments that do not
meet the criteria for hedge accounting, or contracts for which the
Company has not elected hedge accounting, are recorded at fair value
with unrealized gains or losses reported in earnings during the period
of the change.
Fair Value Instruments
The Company is a party to receive fixed-rate, pay variable-rate interest
rate swaps that the Company uses to hedge the fair value of fixed-rate
debt. The notional amounts are used to measure interest to be paid or
received and do not represent the Company’s exposure due to credit
loss. The Company’s interest rate swaps that receive fixed-interest rate
payments and pay variable-interest rate payments are designated as
fair value hedges. As the specific terms and notional amounts of the
derivative instruments match those of the fixed-rate debt being hedged,
the derivative instruments are assumed to be perfectly effective hedges.
Changes in the fair values of these derivative instruments are recorded
in earnings, but are offset by corresponding changes in the fair values
of the hedged items, also recorded in earnings, and, accordingly, do not
impact the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. These fair
value instruments will mature in October 2020.
Net Investment Instruments
The Company is a party to cross-currency interest rate swaps that the
Company uses to hedge its net investments. The agreements are con-
tracts to exchange fixed-rate payments in one currency for fixed-rate
payments in another currency. All changes in the fair value of these
instruments are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income
(loss), offsetting the currency translation adjustment of the related
investment that is also recorded in accumulated other comprehensive
income (loss). These instruments will mature on dates ranging from
October 2023 to February 2030.
The Company has issued foreign-currency-denominated long-term debt
as hedges of net investments of certain of its foreign operations. These
foreign-currency-denominated long-term debt issuances are designated
and qualify as nonderivative hedging instruments. Accordingly, the
foreign currency translation of these debt instruments is recorded in
accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), offsetting the foreign
currency translation adjustment of the related net investments that is
also recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
At January 31, 2015 and January 31, 2014, the Company had ¥100 billion
and ¥200 billion, respectively, of outstanding long-term debt designated
as a hedge of its net investment in Japan, as well as outstanding long-term
debt of £2.5 billion at January 31, 2015 and 2014 that was designated as a
hedge of its net investment in the United Kingdom. These nonderivative
net investment hedges will mature on dates ranging from July 2015 to
January 2039.
Cash Flow Instruments
The Company is a party to receive variable-rate, pay fixed-rate interest
rate swaps that the Company uses to hedge the interest rate risk of certain
non-U.S. denominated debt. The swaps are designated as cash flow
hedges of interest expense risk. Amounts reported in accumulated other
comprehensive income (loss) related to these derivatives are reclassified
from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to earnings as
interest is expensed for the Company’s variable-rate debt, converting
the variable-rate interest expense into fixed-rate interest expense.
These cash flow instruments will mature in July 2015.
The Company is also a party to receive fixed-rate, pay fixed-rate
cross-currency interest rate swaps to hedge the currency exposure
associated with the forecasted payments of principal and interest of
certain non-U.S. denominated debt. The swaps are designated as cash
flow hedges of the currency risk related to payments on the non-U.S.
denominated debt. The effective portion of changes in the fair value of
derivatives designated as cash flow hedges of foreign exchange risk is
recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and is
subsequently reclassified into earnings in the period that the hedged
forecasted transaction affects earnings. The hedged items are recog-
nized foreign currency-denominated liabilities that are remeasured at
spot exchange rates each period, and the assessment of effectiveness
(and measurement of any ineffectiveness) is based on total changes in
the related derivative’s cash flows. As a result, the amount reclassified
into earnings each period includes an amount that offsets the related
transaction gain or loss arising from that remeasurement and the
adjustment to earnings for the period’s allocable portion of the initial
spot-forward difference associated with the hedging instrument. These
cash flow instruments will mature on dates ranging from April 2022
to March 2034.
The Company used forward starting receive variable-rate, pay fixed-rate
swaps (“forward starting swaps”) to hedge its exposure to the variability
in future cash flows due to changes in the LIBOR swap rate for debt
issuances forecasted to occur in the future. These forward starting swaps
were terminated in October 2014, April 2014 and April 2013 concurrently
with the issuance of the hedged debt. Upon termination of the forward
starting swaps, the Company received net cash payments from the
related counterparties of $96 million in fiscal 2015 and made net cash
payments to the related counterparties of $74 million in fiscal 2014. The
payments were recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income
(loss) and will be reclassified to earnings over the life of the related debt
through May 2044, effectively adjusting interest expense to reflect the
fixed interest rates entered into by the forward starting swaps.
51
2015 Annual Report Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Financial Statement Presentation
Although subject to master netting arrangements, the Company does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities in its Consolidated Balance
Sheets. Derivative instruments with an unrealized gain are recorded in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets as either current or non-current
assets, based on maturity date, and those hedging instruments with an unrealized loss are recorded as either current or non-current liabilities, based
on maturity date.
The Company’s derivative instruments, as well as its nonderivative debt instruments designated and qualifying as net investment hedges, were classified
as follows in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets:
(Amounts in millions)
Derivative instruments
Prepaid expenses and other
Other assets and deferred charges
Derivative asset subtotals
Accrued liabilities
Deferred income taxes and other
Derivative liability subtotals
Nonderivative hedging instruments
Long-term debt due within one year
Long-term debt
Nonderivative hedge
liability subtotals
January 31, 2015
January 31, 2014
Fair Value
Instruments
Net Investment
Instruments
Cash Flow
Instruments
Fair Value
Instruments
Net Investment
Instruments
Cash Flow
Instruments
$—
12
$12
$—
—
$—
$—
—
$—
$
—
207
$ 207
$
—
—
$
—
$ 766
3,850
$ —
293
$293
$ 1
610
$611
$ —
—
$4,616
$ —
$ 5
—
$ 5
$—
—
$—
$—
—
$—
$
—
97
$
97
$
—
—
$
—
$ 973
5,095
$6,068
$ —
619
$619
$ 1
1
$ 2
$ —
—
$ —
Gains and losses related to the Company’s derivatives primarily relate to interest rate hedges, which are recorded in interest, net, in the
Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. Amounts related to the Company’s derivatives expected to be reclassified from accumulated
other comprehensive income (loss) to net income during the next 12 months are not significant.
9 Taxes
Income from Continuing Operations
The components of income from continuing operations before income
taxes are as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
U.S.
Non-U.S.
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$18,610 $19,412 $19,352
6,310
6,189
5,244
A summary of the provision for income taxes is as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
Current:
U.S. federal
U.S. state and local
International
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$6,165
810
1,529
$6,377
719
1,523
$5,611
622
1,743
Total income from continuing
Total current tax provision
8,504
8,619
7,976
operations before income taxes
$24,799 $24,656 $25,662
Deferred:
U.S. federal
U.S. state and local
International
Total deferred tax expense (benefit)
(387)
(55)
(77)
(519)
(72)
37
(479)
(514)
38
(8)
(48)
(18)
Total provision for income taxes
$7,985
$8,105
$7,958
52
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation
The Company’s effective income tax rate is typically lower than the U.S.
statutory tax rate primarily because of benefits from lower-taxed global
operations, including the use of global funding structures and certain
U.S. tax credits as further discussed in the “Cash and Cash Equivalents”
section of the Company’s significant accounting policies in Note 1. The
Company’s non-U.S. income is generally subject to local country tax rates
that are below the 35% U.S. statutory tax rate. Certain non-U.S. earnings
have been indefinitely reinvested outside the U.S. and are not subject to
current U.S. income tax. A reconciliation of the significant differences
between the U.S. statutory tax rate and the effective income tax rate on
pretax income from continuing operations is as follows:
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
The deferred taxes are classified as follows in the Company’s
Consolidated Balance Sheets:
(Amounts in millions)
Balance Sheet classification:
Assets:
Prepaid expenses and other
Other assets and deferred charges
Asset subtotals
Liabilities:
Accrued liabilities
Deferred income taxes and other
Liability subtotals
January 31,
2015
2014
$ 728
1,033
$ 822
1,151
1,761
1,973
56
4,671
4,727
176
5,110
5,286
35.0%
35.0%
35.0%
Net deferred tax liabilities
$2,966
$3,313
U.S. statutory tax rate
U.S. state income taxes, net of
federal income tax benefit
Income taxed outside the U.S.
Net impact of repatriated
international earnings
Other, net
1.8%
(2.7)%
2.0%
(2.8)%
1.7%
(2.6)%
(1.5)%
(0.4)%
(1.4)%
0.1%
(2.5)%
(0.6)%
Effective income tax rate
32.2%
32.9%
31.0%
Deferred Taxes
The significant components of the Company’s deferred tax account
balances are as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
Deferred tax assets:
Loss and tax credit carryforwards
Accrued liabilities
Share-based compensation
Other
Total deferred tax assets
Valuation allowances
Deferred tax assets, net of
valuation allowance
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment
Inventories
Other
Total deferred tax liabilities
Net deferred tax liabilities
January 31,
2015
2014
$ 3,255 $ 3,566
2,986
126
1,573
3,395
184
1,119
7,953
(1,504)
8,251
(1,801)
6,449
6,450
5,972
1,825
1,618
9,415
6,295
1,641
1,827
9,763
$ 2,966 $ 3,313
Unremitted Earnings
U.S. income taxes have not been provided on accumulated but
undistributed earnings of the Company’s international subsidiaries of
approximately $23.3 billion and $21.4 billion as of January 31, 2015 and
2014, respectively, as the Company intends to permanently reinvest
these amounts outside of the U.S. However, if any portion were to be
distributed, the related U.S. tax liability may be reduced by foreign
income taxes paid on those earnings. Determination of the unrecog-
nized deferred tax liability related to these undistributed earnings is not
practicable because of the complexities with its hypothetical calculation.
The Company provides deferred or current income taxes on earnings of
international subsidiaries in the period that the Company determines it
will remit those earnings.
Net Operating Losses, Tax Credit Carryforwards
and Valuation Allowances
At January 31, 2015, the Company had net operating loss and capital loss
carryforwards totaling approximately $5.6 billion. Of these carryforwards,
approximately $2.9 billion will expire, if not utilized, in various years
through 2033. The remaining carryforwards have no expiration. At
January 31, 2015, the Company had foreign tax credit carryforwards of
$2.0 billion, which will expire in various years through 2025, if not utilized.
The recoverability of these future tax deductions and credits is evaluated
by assessing the adequacy of future expected taxable income from all
sources, including taxable income in prior carryback years, reversal of
taxable temporary differences, forecasted operating earnings and available
tax planning strategies. To the extent management does not consider it
more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will be realized, a valuation
allowance is established. If a valuation allowance has been established
and management subsequently determines that it is more likely than
not that the deferred tax assets will be realized, the valuation allowance
is released.
53
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
As of January 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company had valuation allowances
recorded of approximately $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively,
on deferred tax assets associated primarily with net operating loss
carryforwards for which management has determined it is more likely
than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized. The $0.3 billion
net decrease in the valuation allowance during fiscal 2015 related to
releases arising from the use of deferred tax assets, changes in judgment
regarding the future realization of deferred tax assets, increases from
certain net operating losses and deductible temporary differences
arising in fiscal 2015, decreases due to operating loss expirations and
fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Management believes that it
is more likely than not that the remaining net deferred tax assets will
be fully realized.
Uncertain Tax Positions
The benefits of uncertain tax positions are recorded in the Company’s
Consolidated Financial Statements only after determining a more likely
than not probability that the uncertain tax positions will withstand
challenge, if any, from taxing authorities.
As of January 31, 2015 and 2014, the amount of unrecognized tax benefits
related to continuing operations was $838 million and $763 million,
respectively. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would affect
the Company’s effective income tax rate was $763 million and $698 million
for January 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
A reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits from continuing operations
was as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
Unrecognized tax benefits,
beginning of year
Increases related to prior year
tax positions
Decreases related to prior year
tax positions
Increases related to current year
tax positions
Settlements during the period
Lapse in statutes of limitations
Unrecognized tax benefits,
end of year
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$763
$ 818
$ 611
7
41
88
(17)
(112)
(232)
174
(89)
—
133
(117)
—
431
(80)
—
$838
$ 763
$ 818
The Company classifies interest and penalties related to uncertain
tax benefits as interest expense and as operating, selling, general and
administrative expenses, respectively. During fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013,
the Company recognized interest and penalty expense (benefit) related
to uncertain tax positions of $18 million, $(7) million and $2 million,
respectively. As of January 31, 2015 and 2014, accrued interest related to
uncertain tax positions of $57 million and $40 million, respectively, was
recorded in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company
did not have any accrued penalties recorded for income taxes as of
January 31, 2015 or 2014.
During the next twelve months, it is reasonably possible that tax audit
resolutions could reduce unrecognized tax benefits by between $50 million
and $350 million, either because the tax positions are sustained on audit
or because the Company agrees to their disallowance. The Company is
focused on resolving tax audits as expeditiously as possible. As a result
of these efforts, unrecognized tax benefits could potentially be reduced
beyond the provided range during the next twelve months. The Company
does not expect any change to have a significant impact to its
Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Company remains subject to income tax examinations for its
U.S. federal income taxes generally for fiscal 2013 through 2015.
The Company also remains subject to income tax examinations for
international income taxes for fiscal 2000 through 2015, and for
U.S. state and local income taxes generally for the fiscal years ended
2006 through 2015.
Other Taxes
The Company is subject to tax examinations for payroll, value added,
sales-based and other non-income taxes. A number of these examinations
are ongoing in various jurisdictions, including Brazil. In certain cases, the
Company has received assessments from the respective taxing authorities
in connection with these examinations. Where a probable loss has
occurred, the Company has made accruals, which are reflected in the
Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. While the possible losses
or range of possible losses associated with these matters are individually
immaterial, a group of related matters, if decided adversely to the Company,
could result in a liability material to the Company’s Consolidated
Financial Statements.
10 Contingencies
Legal Proceedings
The Company is involved in a number of legal proceedings. The Company
has made accruals with respect to these matters, where appropriate,
which are reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
For some matters, a liability is not probable or the amount cannot be
reasonably estimated and therefore an accrual has not been made.
However, where a liability is reasonably possible and may be material,
such matters have been disclosed. The Company may enter into
discussions regarding settlement of these matters, and may enter into
settlement agreements, if it believes settlement is in the best interest
of the Company’s shareholders.
Unless stated otherwise, the matters, or groups of related matters,
discussed below, if decided adversely to or settled by the Company,
individually or in the aggregate, may result in a liability material to the
Company’s financial condition or results of operations.
Wage-and-Hour Class Action: The Company is a defendant in
Braun/Hummel v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., a class-action lawsuit commenced
in March 2002 in the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs allege that the Company failed to pay class
members for all hours worked and prevented class members from taking
their full meal and rest breaks. On October 13, 2006, a jury awarded
back-pay damages to the plaintiffs of approximately $78 million on
their claims for off-the-clock work and missed rest breaks. The jury
found in favor of the Company on the plaintiffs’ meal-period claims.
54
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
On November 14, 2007, the trial judge entered a final judgment in the
approximate amount of $188 million, which included the jury’s back-pay
award plus statutory penalties, prejudgment interest and attorneys’ fees.
By operation of law, post-judgment interest accrues on the judgment
amount at the rate of six percent per annum from the date of entry of the
judgment, which was November 14, 2007, until the judgment is paid,
unless the judgment is set aside on appeal. On December 7, 2007, the
Company filed its Notice of Appeal. On June 10, 2011, the Pennsylvania
Superior Court of Appeals issued an opinion upholding the trial court’s
certification of the class, the jury’s back pay award, and the awards of
statutory penalties and prejudgment interest, but reversing the award of
attorneys’ fees. On September 9, 2011, the Company filed a Petition for
Allowance of Appeal with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. On July 2,
2012, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted the Company’s Petition.
On December 15, 2014, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued its
opinion affirming the Superior Court of Appeals’ decision. At that time,
the Company recorded expenses of $249 million for the judgment amount
and post-judgment interest incurred to date. The Company will continue
to accrue for the post-judgment interest until final resolution. However, the
Company continues to believe it has substantial factual and legal defenses
to the claims at issue and, on March 13, 2015, the Company filed a petition
for writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court.
ASDA Equal Value Claims: ASDA Stores, Ltd. (“ASDA”), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company, is a defendant in over 4,000 “equal value”
claims that are proceeding before an Employment Tribunal in
Manchester (the “Employment Tribunal”) in the United Kingdom (“UK”)
on behalf of current and former ASDA store employees, who allege that
the work performed by female employees in ASDA’s retail stores is of
equal value in terms of, among other things, the demands of their jobs to
that of male employees working in ASDA’s warehouse and distribution
facilities, and that the disparity in pay between these different job positions
is not objectively justified. Claimants are requesting differential back pay
based on higher wage rates in the warehouse and distribution facilities and
those higher wage rates on a prospective basis as part of these equal value
proceedings. ASDA believes that further claims may be asserted in the near
future. On March 23, 2015, ASDA asked the Employment Tribunal to stay all
proceedings, contending that the High Court, which is the superior first
instance civil court in the UK that is headquartered in the Royal Courts of
Justice in the City of London, is the more convenient and appropriate forum
to hear these claims. On March 23, 2015, ASDA also asked the Employment
Tribunal to “strike out” substantially all of the claims for failing to comply
with Employment Tribunal rules. At present, the Company cannot predict
the number of such claims that may be filed, and cannot reasonably esti-
mate any loss or range of loss that may arise from these proceedings. The
Company believes it has substantial factual and legal defenses to these
claims, and intends to defend the claims vigorously
FCPA Investigation and Related Matters
The Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board of Directors
of the Company, which is composed solely of independent directors, is
conducting an internal investigation into, among other things, alleged
violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and other
alleged crimes or misconduct in connection with foreign subsidiaries,
including Wal-Mart de México, S.A.B. de C.V. (“Walmex”), and whether
prior allegations of such violations and/or misconduct were appropriately
handled by the Company. The Audit Committee and the Company have
engaged outside counsel from a number of law firms and other advisors
who are assisting in the on-going investigation of these matters.
The Company is also conducting a voluntary global review of its policies,
practices and internal controls for FCPA compliance. The Company is
engaged in strengthening its global anti-corruption compliance program
through appropriate remedial anti-corruption measures. In November 2011,
the Company voluntarily disclosed that investigative activity to the
U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) and the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”). Since the implementation of the global review
and the enhanced anti-corruption compliance program, the Audit
Committee and the Company have identified or been made aware of
additional allegations regarding potential violations of the FCPA. When
such allegations are reported or identified, the Audit Committee and the
Company, together with their third party advisors, conduct inquiries and
when warranted based on those inquiries, open investigations. Inquiries
or investigations regarding allegations of potential FCPA violations have
been commenced in a number of foreign markets where the Company
operates, including, but not limited to, Brazil, China and India.
The Company has been informed by the DOJ and the SEC that it is also
the subject of their respective investigations into possible violations of
the FCPA. The Company is cooperating with the investigations by the
DOJ and the SEC. A number of federal and local government agencies
in Mexico have also initiated investigations of these matters. Walmex is
cooperating with the Mexican governmental agencies conducting
these investigations. Furthermore, lawsuits relating to the matters under
investigation have been filed by several of the Company’s shareholders
against it, certain of its current directors, certain of its former directors,
certain of its current and former officers and certain of Walmex’s current
and former officers.
The Company could be exposed to a variety of negative consequences
as a result of the matters noted above. There could be one or more
enforcement actions in respect of the matters that are the subject of
some or all of the on-going government investigations, and such
actions, if brought, may result in judgments, settlements, fines, penalties,
injunctions, cease and desist orders, debarment or other relief, criminal
convictions and/or penalties. The shareholder lawsuits may result in
judgments against the Company and its current and former directors
and officers named in those proceedings. The Company cannot predict
at this time the outcome or impact of the government investigations,
the shareholder lawsuits, or its own internal investigations and review.
In addition, the Company has incurred and expects to continue to incur
costs in responding to requests for information or subpoenas seeking
documents, testimony and other information in connection with the
government investigations, in defending the shareholder lawsuits, and in
conducting the review and investigations. These costs will be expensed
as incurred. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013,
the Company incurred the following third-party expenses in connection
with the FCPA investigation and related matters:
(Amounts in millions)
Ongoing inquiries and investigations
Global compliance program and
organizational enhancements
Total
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
2015
2014
2013
$121
$173
$100
52
109
57
$173
$282
$157
55
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
These matters may require the involvement of certain members of the
Company’s senior management that could impinge on the time they
have available to devote to other matters relating to the business. The
Company expects that there will be on-going media and governmental
interest, including additional news articles from media publications on
these matters, which could impact the perception among certain
audiences of the Company’s role as a corporate citizen.
The Company’s process of assessing and responding to the governmental
investigations and the shareholder lawsuits continues. While the Company
believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss from these matters,
given the on-going nature and complexity of the review, inquiries and
investigations, the Company cannot reasonably estimate any loss or
range of loss that may arise from these matters. Although the Company
does not presently believe that these matters will have a material adverse
effect on its business, given the inherent uncertainties in such situations,
the Company can provide no assurance that these matters will not be
material to its business in the future.
11 Commitments
The Company has long-term leases for stores and equipment. Rentals
(including amounts applicable to taxes, insurance, maintenance, other
operating expenses and contingent rentals) under operating leases and
other short-term rental arrangements were $2.8 billion in both fiscal 2015
and 2014 and $2.6 billion in fiscal 2013.
Aggregate minimum annual rentals at January 31, 2015, under
non-cancelable leases are as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
Fiscal Year
Operating
Leases
Capital
Leases
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Thereafter
Total minimum rentals
Less estimated executory costs
Net minimum lease payments
Less imputed interest
$ 1,759
1,615
1,482
1,354
1,236
10,464
$17,910
Present value of minimum lease payments
$ 504
476
444
408
370
3,252
$5,454
49
5,405
2,512
$2,893
Certain of the Company’s leases provide for the payment of contingent
rentals based on a percentage of sales. Such contingent rentals were not
material for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013. Substantially all of the Company’s
store leases have renewal options, some of which may trigger an escalation
in rentals.
The Company has future lease commitments for land and buildings for
approximately 282 future locations. These lease commitments have lease
terms ranging from 1 to 30 years and provide for certain minimum
rentals. If executed, payments under operating leases would increase
by $58 million for fiscal 2016, based on current cost estimates.
In connection with certain long-term debt issuances, the Company
could be liable for early termination payments if certain unlikely events
were to occur. At January 31, 2015, the aggregate termination payment
would have been $64 million. The arrangement pursuant to which this
payment could be made will expire in fiscal 2019.
12 Retirement-Related Benefits
The Company offers a 401(k) plan for associates in the U.S. under which
eligible associates can begin contributing to the plan immediately upon
hire. The Company also offers a 401(k) type plan for associates in Puerto
Rico under which associates can begin to contribute generally after one
year of employment. Under these plans, after one year of employment,
the Company matches 100% of participant contributions up to 6% of
annual eligible earnings. The matching contributions immediately vest at
100% for each associate. Participants can contribute up to 50% of their
pretax earnings, but not more than the statutory limits. Participants age
50 or older may defer additional earnings in catch-up contributions
up to the maximum statutory limits.
Associates in international countries who are not U.S. citizens are covered
by various defined contribution post-employment benefit arrangements.
These plans are administered based upon the legislative and tax
requirements in the countries in which they are established.
Additionally, the Company’s subsidiaries in the United Kingdom and
Japan have sponsored defined benefit pension plans. The plan in the
United Kingdom was underfunded by $85 million and $69 million at
January 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The plan in Japan was under-
funded by $223 million and $281 million at January 31, 2015 and 2014,
respectively. These underfunded amounts are recorded as liabilities in
the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets in deferred income taxes
and other. Certain other international operations also have defined
benefit arrangements that are not significant.
The following table summarizes the contribution expense related to the
Company’s retirement-related benefits for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013:
(Amounts in millions)
2015
2014
2013
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
Defined contribution plans:
U.S.
International
Defined benefit plans:
International
Total contribution expense for
retirement-related benefits
$ 898
167
$ 877
165
$ 818
166
5
20
26
$1,070
$1,062
$1,010
56
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
13 Acquisitions, Disposals and Related Items
14 Segments
In fiscal 2015, the Company completed the following transactions that
impact the operations of Walmart International:
Walmart Chile
In fiscal 2014, the redeemable noncontrolling interest shareholders
exercised put options that required the Company to purchase their
shares in Walmart Chile. At that time, the Company recorded an
increase to redeemable noncontrolling interest of $1.0 billion, with a
corresponding decrease to capital in excess of par value, to reflect
the redemption value of the redeemable noncontrolling interest at
$1.5 billion. In February 2014, the Company completed this transaction
using existing cash of the Company, increasing its ownership interest in
Walmart Chile to 99.7 percent. In March 2014, the Company completed a
tender offer for most of the remaining noncontrolling interest shares at
the same value per share as was paid to the redeemable noncontrolling
interest shareholders. As a result of completing these transactions, the
Company owns substantially all of Walmart Chile.
Vips Restaurant Business in Mexico
In September 2013, Walmex, a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company,
entered into a definitive agreement with Alsea S.A.B. de C.V. to sell the
Vips restaurant business (“Vips”) in Mexico. The sale of Vips was completed
on May 12, 2014. Upon completion of the sale, the Company received
$671 million of cash and recognized a net gain of $262 million, which is
recorded in discontinued operations in the Company’s Consolidated
Statements of Income for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015.
The Company is engaged in the operation of retail, wholesale and
other units located in the U.S., Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Central
America, Chile, China, India, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
The Company’s operations are conducted in three business segments:
Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam’s Club. The Company
defines its segments as those operations whose results its chief operating
decision maker (“CODM”) regularly reviews to analyze performance and
allocate resources. The Company sells similar individual products and
services in each of its segments. It is impractical to segregate and identify
revenues for each of these individual products and services.
The Walmart U.S. segment includes the Company’s mass merchant
concept in the U.S. operating under the “Walmart” or “Wal-Mart” brands,
as well as walmart.com. The Walmart International segment consists of
the Company’s operations outside of the U.S., including various retail
websites. The Sam’s Club segment includes the warehouse membership
clubs in the U.S., as well as samsclub.com. Corporate and support con-
sists of corporate overhead and other items not allocated to any of the
Company’s segments.
The Company measures the results of its segments using, among other
measures, each segment’s net sales and operating income, which
includes certain corporate overhead allocations. From time to time, the
Company revises the measurement of each segment’s operating
income, including any corporate overhead allocations, as determined by
the information regularly reviewed by its CODM. When the measure-
ment of a segment changes, previous period amounts and balances are
reclassified to be comparable to the current period’s presentation.
57
2015 Annual Report Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Information for the Company’s segments, as well as for Corporate and support, including the reconciliation to income from continuing operations
before income taxes, is provided in the following table:
Walmart U.S.
Walmart
International
Sam’s Club
Corporate and
support
Consolidated
$288,049
21,336
$136,160
6,171
$58,020
1,976
$
—
(2,336)
101,381
2,665
6,286
80,505
2,665
3,936
13,995
473
753
7,825
3,370
1,199
$279,406
21,787
$136,513
5,153
$57,157
1,843
$
—
(1,911)
$ 98,745
2,640
6,378
$ 85,370
2,658
4,463
$14,053
437
1,071
$ 6,583
3,135
1,203
$274,433
21,103
$134,748
6,365
$56,423
1,859
$
—
(1,602)
$ 96,234
2,644
5,994
$ 85,695
2,605
4,640
$13,479
410
868
$ 7,697
2,819
1,396
$482,229
27,147
(2,348)
$ 24,799
$203,706
9,173
12,174
$473,076
26,872
(2,216)
$ 24,656
$204,751
8,870
13,115
$465,604
27,725
(2,063)
$ 25,662
$203,105
8,478
12,898
15 Subsequent Event
Dividends Declared
On February 19, 2015, the Board of Directors approved the fiscal 2016
annual dividend at $1.96 per share, an increase from the fiscal 2015
dividend of $1.92 per share. For fiscal 2016, the annual dividend will be
paid in four quarterly installments of $0.49 per share, according to the
following record and payable dates:
Record Date
March 13, 2015
May 8, 2015
August 7, 2015
December 4, 2015
Payable Date
April 6, 2015
June 1, 2015
September 8, 2015
January 4, 2016
(Amounts in millions)
Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2015
Net sales
Operating income (loss)
Interest expense, net
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
Total assets
Depreciation and amortization
Capital expenditures
Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2014
Net sales
Operating income (loss)
Interest expense, net
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
Total assets
Depreciation and amortization
Capital expenditures
Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2013
Net sales
Operating income (loss)
Interest expense, net
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
Total assets
Depreciation and amortization
Capital expenditures
Total revenues, consisting of net sales and membership and other income,
and long-lived assets, consisting primarily of property and equipment,
net, aggregated by the Company’s U.S. and non-U.S. operations for fiscal
2015, 2014 and 2013, are as follows:
(Amounts in millions)
2015
2014
2013
Fiscal Years Ended January 31,
Total revenues
U.S. operations
Non-U.S. operations
$348,227
137,424
$338,681
137,613
$332,788
135,863
Total revenues
$485,651
$476,294
$468,651
Long-lived assets
U.S. operations
Non-U.S. operations
$ 80,879
35,776
$ 79,644
38,263
$ 77,692
38,989
Total long-lived assets
$116,655
$117,907
$116,681
No individual country outside of the U.S. had total revenues or
long-lived assets that were material to the consolidated totals.
Additionally, the Company did not generate material total revenues
from any single customer.
58
2015 Annual Report
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
16 Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
(Amounts in millions, except per share data)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Total
Total revenues
Net sales
Cost of sales
Income from continuing operations
Consolidated net income
Consolidated net income attributable to Walmart
$114,960
114,167
86,714
3,711
3,726
3,593
$120,125
119,336
90,010
4,089
4,359
4,093
$119,001
118,076
89,247
3,826
3,826
3,711
$131,565
130,650
99,115
5,188
5,188
4,966
$485,651
482,229
365,086
16,814
17,099
16,363
Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2015
Basic net income per common share (1):
Basic income per common share from continuing
operations attributable to Walmart
Basic income (loss) per common share from discontinued
operations attributable to Walmart
Basic net income per common share attributable to Walmart
Diluted net income per common share (1):
Diluted income per common share from continuing
operations attributable to Walmart
Diluted income (loss) per common share from discontinued
operations attributable to Walmart
Diluted net income per common share attributable to Walmart
Total revenues
Net sales
Cost of sales
Income from continuing operations
Consolidated net income
Consolidated net income attributable to Walmart
Basic net income per common share (1):
Basic income per common share from continuing
operations attributable to Walmart
Basic income (loss) per common share from discontinued
operations attributable to Walmart
Basic net income per common share attributable to Walmart
Diluted net income per common share (1):
Diluted income per common share from continuing
operations attributable to Walmart
Diluted income (loss) per common share from discontinued
operations attributable to Walmart
Diluted net income per common share attributable to Walmart
1.10
0.01
1.11
1.10
0.01
1.11
1.22
0.05
1.27
1.21
0.05
1.26
1.15
—
1.15
1.15
—
1.15
1.54
—
1.54
1.53
—
1.53
5.01
0.06
5.07
4.99
0.06
5.05
Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2014
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Total
$114,071
113,313
85,991
3,932
3,944
3,784
$116,829
116,101
87,420
4,205
4,216
4,069
$115,688
114,876
86,687
3,870
3,885
3,738
$129,706
128,786
97,971
4,544
4,650
4,431
$476,294
473,076
358,069
16,551
16,695
16,022
1.14
0.01
1.15
1.14
—
1.14
1.24
—
1.24
1.23
0.01
1.24
1.14
0.01
1.15
1.14
—
1.14
1.35
0.02
1.37
1.34
0.02
1.36
4.87
0.03
4.90
4.85
0.03
4.88
(1) The sum of quarterly income per common share attributable to Walmart data may not agree to annual amounts due to rounding.
59
2015 Annual Report
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Shareholders
of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. as of January 31, 2015 and 2014, and the related
consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders’
equity and redeemable noncontrolling interest, and cash flows for each
of the three years in the period ended January 31, 2015. These financial
statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements
based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards
require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance
about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement.
An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the
amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made
by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for
our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly,
in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Wal-Mart
Stores, Inc. at January 31, 2015 and 2014, and the consolidated results of
its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period
ended January 31, 2015, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Wal-Mart Stores,
Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2015, based
on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued
by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated April 1, 2015
expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Rogers, Arkansas
April 1, 2015
60
2015 Annual Report Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
We have audited Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.’s internal control over financial
reporting as of January 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal
Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO
criteria). Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.’s management is responsible for maintaining
effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment
of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included
in the accompanying “Management’s Report to Our Shareholders.” Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards
require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assur-
ance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting
was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an
understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the
risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design
and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed
risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary
in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable
basis for our opinion.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process
designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external
purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those
policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records
that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions
and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable
assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit prep-
aration of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the
company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of
management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable
assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized
acquisition, use or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a
material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial
reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections
of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the
risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in
conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or
procedures may deteriorate.
In our opinion, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. maintained, in all material respects,
effective internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2015,
based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated
balance sheets of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. as of January 31, 2015 and 2014,
and related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income,
shareholders’ equity and redeemable noncontrolling interest and cash
flows for each of the three years in the period ended January 31, 2015
and our report dated April 1, 2015 expressed an unqualified opinion
thereon.
Rogers, Arkansas
April 1, 2015
61
2015 Annual Report Management’s Report to Our Shareholders
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Management of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (“Walmart,” the “company” or “we”)
is responsible for the preparation, integrity and objectivity of Walmart’s
Consolidated Financial Statements and other financial information con-
tained in this Annual Report to Shareholders. Those Consolidated Financial
Statements were prepared in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States. In preparing those Consolidated
Financial Statements, management is required to make certain estimates
and judgments, which are based upon currently available information
and management’s view of current conditions and circumstances.
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, which consists solely
of independent directors, oversees our process of reporting financial
information and the audit of our Consolidated Financial Statements. The
Audit Committee stays informed of the financial condition of Walmart
and regularly reviews management’s financial policies and procedures,
the independence of our independent auditors, our internal control over
financial reporting and the objectivity of our financial reporting. Both the
independent auditors and the internal auditors have free access to the
Audit Committee and meet with the Audit Committee periodically, both
with and without management present.
Acting through our Audit Committee, we have retained Ernst & Young
LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, to audit our
Consolidated Financial Statements found in this Annual Report to
Shareholders. We have made available to Ernst & Young LLP all of our
financial records and related data in connection with their audit of our
Consolidated Financial Statements. We have filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) the required certifications related to
our Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the year ended
January 31, 2015. These certifications are attached as exhibits to our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2015.
Additionally, we have also provided to the New York Stock Exchange
the required annual certification of our Chief Executive Officer regarding
our compliance with the New York Stock Exchange’s corporate
governance listing standards.
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Management has responsibility for establishing and maintaining
adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over
financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of
financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may
not prevent or detect misstatements. Management has assessed the
effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting
as of January 31, 2015. In making its assessment, management has utilized
the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations
(“COSO”) of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control-Integrated
Framework (2013). Management concluded that based on its assessment,
Walmart’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of
January 31, 2015. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting
as of January 31, 2015, has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP as stated in
their report which appears in this Annual Report to Shareholders.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures designed to provide
reasonable assurance that information required to be timely disclosed is
accumulated and communicated to management in a timely fashion.
Management has assessed the effectiveness of these disclosure controls
and procedures as of January 31, 2015, and determined they were effec-
tive as of that date to provide reasonable assurance that information
required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, was accumulated and
communicated to management, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure and were effective to provide reasonable
assurance that such information is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified by the SEC’s rules and forms.
Report on Ethical Standards
Our Company was founded on the belief that open communications
and the highest standards of ethics are necessary to be successful. Our
long-standing “Open Door” communication policy helps management
be aware of and address issues in a timely and effective manner. Through
the open door policy all associates are encouraged to inform management
at the appropriate level when they are concerned about any matter
pertaining to Walmart.
Walmart has adopted a Statement of Ethics to guide our associates in the
continued observance of high ethical standards such as honesty, integrity
and compliance with the law in the conduct of Walmart’s business.
Familiarity and compliance with the Statement of Ethics is required of all
associates who are part of management. The Company also maintains a
separate Code of Ethics for our senior financial officers. Walmart also has in
place a Related-Party Transaction Policy. This policy applies to Walmart’s
senior officers and directors and requires material related-party trans-
actions to be reviewed by the Audit Committee. The senior officers
and directors are required to report material related-party transactions
to Walmart. We maintain a global ethics office which oversees and
administers an ethics helpline. The ethics helpline provides a channel for
associates to make confidential and anonymous complaints regarding
potential violations of our statements of ethics, including violations
related to financial or accounting matters.
C. Douglas McMillon
President and Chief Executive Officer
Charles M. Holley, Jr.
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
62
2015 Annual Report Unit Counts as of January 31, 2015
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
United States
The Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club segments comprise the Company’s
operations in the U.S. As of January 31, 2015, unit counts for Walmart U.S.
and Sam’s Club are summarized by format for each state and territory
as follows:
Washington
Washington D.C.
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Puerto Rico
51
2
38
80
11
12
10
—
—
8
—
6
5
—
1
5
—
26
3
—
5
12
2
11
69
2
44
105
13
55
Walmart U.S.
Sam’s Club
U.S. Total
3,407
470
639
647 5,163
International
The Walmart International segment comprises the Company’s
operations outside of the U.S. and is represented in three major brand
categories. Unit counts (1) as of January 31, 2015 for Walmart International
are summarized by brand category for each geographic market as follows:
Geographic Market
Retail
Wholesale
Other (2)
Total
Africa (3)
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Central America (4)
Chile
China
India
Japan
Mexico
United Kingdom
International total
302
105
468
394
689
377
400
—
372
2,120
589
5,816
94
—
76
—
1
3
11
20
—
160
—
365
—
—
13
—
—
24
—
—
59
10
3
396
105
557
394
690
404
411
20
431
2,290
592
109
6,290
(1) Walmart International unit counts, with the exception of Canada, are stated
as of December 31, 2014, to correspond with the balance sheet date of the related
geographic market. Canada unit counts are stated as of January 31, 2015.
(2) “Other” includes restaurants, drug stores, convenience stores and banks operating
under varying banners.
(3) Africa unit counts by country are Botswana (11), Ghana (1), Lesotho (3), Malawi (2),
Mozambique (5), Namibia (4), Nigeria (6), South Africa (360), Swaziland (1),
Tanzania (1), Uganda (1) and Zambia (1).
(4) Central America unit counts by country are Costa Rica (217), El Salvador (89),
Guatemala (217), Honduras (81) and Nicaragua (86).
State or Territory
Supercenters
Neighborhood
Markets and
other small
formats
Discount
Stores
Grand
Total
Clubs
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
99
8
79
75
117
67
12
6
216
150
—
22
133
92
57
57
76
87
19
26
26
89
64
62
109
13
35
30
17
25
35
77
138
14
139
79
28
114
5
81
14
113
363
40
1
104
1
2
3
8
92
5
22
3
13
3
10
1
23
9
3
4
8
2
3
21
23
5
6
4
11
—
—
2
10
34
2
22
6
—
7
9
7
22
4
—
—
2
24
—
4
6
24
—
26
38
64
18
2
—
65
29
—
2
8
9
—
18
8
23
—
—
—
—
—
9
16
—
7
11
—
—
6
2
43
—
—
30
10
—
—
11
—
10
91
10
—
12
14
3
16
7
33
15
3
1
46
23
2
1
33
16
8
9
9
15
3
12
3
26
14
7
18
2
5
7
4
10
7
16
23
3
29
11
—
24
1
12
2
16
81
8
—
16
138
13
124
128
306
105
39
10
340
205
12
26
197
126
68
88
101
127
25
59
52
120
84
82
154
15
47
50
31
69
50
117
210
17
175
129
45
160
10
104
16
141
559
58
5
138
63
2015 Annual Report
Corporate and Stock Information
Listing
New York Stock Exchange
Stock Symbol: WMT
Corporate information
Stock Registrar and Transfer Agent:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
P.O. Box 43069
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3069
1-800-438-6278
TDD for hearing-impaired inside the U.S. 1-800-952-9245
Internet: http://www.computershare.com
Annual meeting
Our Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Friday, June 5, 2015,
at 7:30 a.m. (Central Time) in the Bud Walton Arena on the University of
Arkansas campus, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Communication with shareholders
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. periodically communicates with its shareholders
and other members of the investment community about our operations.
For further information regarding our policy on shareholder and investor
communications refer to our website, www.stock.walmart.com.
The following reports are available without charge upon request by
writing the Company c/o Investor Relations or by calling (479) 273-8446.
These reports are also available via the corporate website.
• Annual Report on Form 10-K
• Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
• Earnings Releases
• Current Reports on Form 8-K
• Annual Shareholders’ Meeting Proxy Statement
• Global Responsibility Report
• Diversity and Inclusion Report (Includes the content previously
reported in the “Workforce Diversity Report”)
Independent registered public accounting firm
Ernst & Young LLP
5417 Pinnacle Point Dr., Suite 501
Rogers, AR 72758
Market price of common stock
The high and low market price per share for the Company’s common
stock in fiscal 2015 and 2014 were as follows:
2015
2014
High
Low
High
Low
$79.99
79.76
79.37
90.97
$72.27
73.54
72.61
75.59
$79.50
79.96
79.00
81.37
$68.13
72.90
71.51
73.64
1st Quarter
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
Dividends payable per share
For fiscal 2016, dividends will be paid based on the following schedule:
April 6, 2015
June 1, 2015
September 8, 2015
January 4, 2016
$0.49
$0.49
$0.49
$0.49
Dividends paid per share
For fiscal 2015, dividends were paid based on the following schedule:
April 1, 2014
$0.48
June 2, 2014
$0.48
$0.48
September 3, 2014
$0.48
January 5, 2015
For fiscal 2014, dividends were paid based on the following schedule:
$0.47
April 1, 2013
$0.47
June 3, 2013
$0.47
September 3, 2013
$0.47
January 2, 2014
Stock Performance Chart
This graph compares the cumulative total shareholder return on
Walmart’s common stock during the five fiscal years ending with fiscal
2015 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, 2010, in shares of our common stock and in each of the
indices shown and assumes that all of the dividends were reinvested.
Comparison of 5-Year Cumulative Total Return*
Among Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the S&P 500 Index, and S&P 500 Retailing Index
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
S&P 500 Index
S&P 500 Retailing Index
$350
$300
$250
$200
$150
$100
$ 50
$ 0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Fiscal Years
*Assumes $100 Invested on February 1, 2010
Assumes Dividends Reinvested
Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 2015
The high and low market price per share for the Company’s common
stock for the first quarter of fiscal 2016, were as follows:
Shareholders
As of March 30, 2015, there were 249,876 holders of record of Walmart’s
common stock.
2016
High
Low
$88.00
$80.43
1st Quarter (1)
(1) Through April 1, 2015.
64
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2015 Annual Report
Walmart shoppers are driven by value. We continue to
expand everyday low prices to more markets globally.
“Technology-driven savers” are a fast growing segment of our
customer base. Globally, we’re investing to improve mobile
capabilities and to test alternative access points. For example,
Asda now has Click & Collect at all stores.
Walmart’s investor relations app:
our company at your fingertips
PRIC E
A
C
C
E
S
S
Walmart’s IR app gives shareholders anytime and
anywhere access to financial and company news from
their mobile devices. Find presentations, quarterly
results, global footprint map and the stock price on
your iPad, iPhone or Android device. Download the
free app from iTunes or Google Play.
Customer
Proposition
E
X
P
E
R
I
E
N
CE
S
A S
T
N
O RTME
Customers want to save time and money, and have an
enjoyable shopping experience. We’re investing to
increase associate wages and training to improve the
service in our stores and clubs.
Customers want more choice, more items than they ever did
before. Walmart.com increased assortment by 60% in fiscal
2015, and we’ll surpass 10 million items this year.
Global Responsibility Report:
Every day, we offer affordable food, apparel and
other merchandise to customers in 27 countries
globally. We believe it is our responsibility to
operate in a way that is sustainable for the planet
and people who work all along our supply chains,
that creates economic opportunity for our
associates while growing our suppliers and the
economy more broadly, and that strengthens
the communities where we operate. To learn
more, read our GRR at corporate.walmart.com/
microsites/globalresponsibility-report-2015.
Walmart’s enhanced digital annual
report has expanded content.
We’re driving innovation and sustainability –
and reducing costs – with our enhanced digital
annual report. Visit www.stock.walmart.com to
hear directly from our leaders, associates and
customers. Also, visit this website to enroll to
receive future materials electronically for our
Annual Shareholders’ Meetings.
Our sustainable, next-generation report
The minimized environmental footprint of this report is the result of an extensive,
collaborative effort of Walmart and our supply chain partners. The environmental and
social impact continues to be an important consideration. It is printed on paper from
well-managed forests containing recycled PCW fiber that is Elementally Chlorine Free
(ECF). It is printed using 100 percent renewable wind power (RECs), along with
environmental manufacturing principles that were utilized in the printing process.
These practices include environmentally responsible procurement, lean manufacturing,
green chemistry principles, the recycling of residual materials and reduced volatile
organic compound inks and coatings.
4.65 acre
894 fewer
117,618 kWh
of forestland preserved via
managed forestry
trees consumed
via recycling
less energy – the same
used by 4.4 homes for a year
426 metric tons
45,573 kWh
417,714 fewer
of greenhouse gas offset –
the equivalent of taking 85.5
cars off the road for a year
converted to clean renewable
sources (printing plant
using RECs)
gallons of water
consumed
Savings baselines were developed using the
national averages of similar coated papers and
printing practices by EarthColor Printing. FSC®
is not responsible for any calculations on saving
resources by choosing this paper.
P R I N T ED USI
N
1
0
0
%
WIND E N E
G
Y
G
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Supplied by Community Energy
Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM
SmartWood Program Labeling Guidelines
9:00 p.m.
China
With 24 new stores
in FY 15, Walmart
customers have more
access to quality food
they can trust.
9:00 a.m. ET
Canada
A broad assortment
that is locally relevant
makes Walmart a
favorite in Canada.
7:00 a.m. MT
United States
By using Easy Reorder on SamsClub.com,
business members conveniently
order online and use Club Pickup
to access merchandise.
8:00 a.m.
Mexico
Bodega Aurerra Express
shoppers find low prices on
favorite brands close to
where they live and work.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716 USA
479-273-4000
walmart.com
2015 Annual Report
2:00 p.m.
United Kingdom
Click & Collect lets Asda
shoppers order online and
collect their groceries at
various pickup points.
8:00 a.m. CT
United States
Supercenter customers
enjoy low prices and
fast, friendly checkout.
2
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5
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t
10:00 a.m.
Brazil
Walmartbrasil.com’s
expanded assortment
puts a million items
within reach.
Winning the future of retail
One customer at a time