Business Analysis Part I
Beverly Mahone
MGT/521
November 19, 2012
Robert d'Alessio

Business Analysis Part I
Making the decision to invest in a company requires an individual to research every aspect of the company before investing. As a mutual fund manager, I will make the decision if I would invest in the Wal-Mart company. Before making my decision to invest in the Wal-Mart company I will research the history of Wal-Mart and perform a SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis will analyze Wal-Marts strength, weaknesses, the opportunities and threats the company faces.
Wal-Mart History Sam Walton was a man who believed in leadership through service. After gaining experience in retail through his own small variety store Sam Walton open the first Wal-Mart in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas (Walmart, 2012). Within five years Sam Walton and his wife owned 24 stores, ringing up $12.7 million in sales (Walmart, 2012). Two years later the Walmart stores Inc was officially incorporated. In 1970 Walmart became a publicly traded company, 1971 the first distribution center was opened, and in 1972 Walmart was listed on the New York Stock Exchange with 51 stores and sales of $78 million (Walmart, 2012). In the 80s the first Sam’s Club opened, the first Walmart super center opened, cash registers were replaced with computerized point–of–sale systems, and the company installed the largest private satellite communication system in the United States, linking the company's operations through voice, data, and video communication (Walmart, 2012). In the 90s Walmart reaches $1 billion dollar a week in sales and expands internationally to Mexico City, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom. In 2002 Walmart topped the Fortune 500 ranking of America's largest companies and entered the Japanese market (Walmart, 2012). In 2005 Walmart contributes relief in the form of products and