Walmart's Stock Soars: A Look at the Numbers

Walmart's stock has seen a remarkable rise since Doug McMillon took the helm in 2014. It has more than quadrupled in value, outperforming many of its competitors. Only Amazon and Costco have seen better returns in that time. Target, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Kroger, and Albertsons have all lagged behind. McMillon's tenure has been marked by significant growth. He has overseen a transformation of Walmart into a major e-commerce player, while also navigating challenges like the global pandemic, inflation, and higher tariffs. Sales have steadily increased, with a notable jump in recent years due to the shift to online shopping and inflation driving more shoppers to seek value. Walmart is on track to post annual revenues of over $700 billion for the first time. However, it may soon lose its crown as the largest retailer to Amazon. Amazon's business mix, which includes cloud computing, advertising, and seller services, gives it an edge. Costco has also seen impressive gains, with shares up over 700% during McMillon's tenure. In contrast, Walmart's supermarket competitors, Kroger and Albertsons, have lagged behind. Kroger's shares have climbed 265%, while Albertsons' have only risen by 16%. Albertsons went public later, and a proposed merger with Kroger was blocked by a U. S. judge. McMillon will step down as CEO but will remain as executive chairman and advisor. His successor, John Furner, faces a tough task in maintaining Walmart's impressive performance. Furner has been a key player in the company's success as CEO of Walmart's U. S. business.