Evaluating Financial Health

EVALUATING FINANCIAL HEALTH

Evaluating Financial Health
Brian Moriarity
Axia College

Evaluating Financial Health

      Wal-Mart Incorporated operates chain of retail stores in USA as well as outside the USA.   The first Wal-Mart store was opened by Sam Walton in Arkansas in USA in 1962.   Within a span of five years; he opened more stores and the number increased to 24 stores across Arkansas. The incorporation of Wal-Mart Stores Incorporated was done in 1969. Wal-Mart grew in the United States of America by opening of more stores in to the country. The company not only opened the stores across Arkansas but also across the United States of America (Wal-Mart Corporate, 2010).
      Wal-Mart was opposed by the unorganized retail business holders in the USA as their business was affected by opening Wal-Mart stores. The company also opened its first store outside the USA in South America in 1995. Wal-Mart wanted to spread itself not only to the USA, but in other countries as well. In 2006, the company was having 3800 stores in USA and more than 2980 stores outside USA making it one of the largest retail chains in the world. This corporation was also having a vision to establish itself in to a global entity. Wal-Mart was one of the first companies to operate in the organized retail sector (Fishman, 2006).   The modes of entry used by the company were different for different countries. Wal-Mart used the mode of entry in to various countries according to the rules and regulations prevailing in to that country (Wal-Mart Stores Inc: Financial Statement, 2010).
      The sales of the company for the financial year ending in January 2010 are 419.24 billion dollars. The quarterly sales growth for the company has been 2.60%, while the industry average is 8.60 %. The five-year annual growth in the sales of the company has been recorded at 7.50 % while five year annual growth of income is 6.58 %. By analyzing the financial statements of Wal–Mart Incorporated, we find...