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Analyzing Success

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Wal-Mart: Analyzing Success
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Wal-Mart: Analyzing Success Wal-Mart has come a long way from when they first opened their doors in 1962. Just as the Company’s logo has changed over the years so has the company itself. The company has grown from a small town store to a well-known name globally. The company’s five year financial summary shows Wal-Mart being financially secure in which a large amount of companies are just struggling to stay afloat. Review of where Wal-Mart came from and where they are today along with the company’s financial success will help shed some light on why they are so successful today. History of Wal-Mart According to Wal-Mart.com (n.d.), Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart discount store in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962. The purpose behind opening Wal-Mart was to help people save money and live better lives. Seven years later on October 31, 1969 the company incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Company shares originally began trading on the OTC markets in 1970 and two years later was listed on the New York Stock Exchange ticker as WMT. In 1983 the company opened their first membership warehouse style store, Sam’s Club, and five year later opened the first supercenter Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart’s mission statement has continued to this day and has played out in every aspect of the Company, from the customers, to the employees and shareholders, and on to the communities. In March, 2009, Ernst and Young, LLP released in their Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on Internal Control over Financial Reporting for Wal-Mart. This reported stated in their opinion that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had effective internal control over their

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