Data Analysis of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. BUSINESS BACKGROUND Wal-Mart began operations in 1945, when Sam Walton leased a store franchised varieties "Ben Franklin" in Newport, Arkansas. After moving to Rogers, Arkansas in the early 1950s, Sam Walton's "Ben Franklin" became "Walton's 5 & 10". By 1962, Walton found himself owning a chain of 11 different Walton's stores across Arkansas. He then decided to rename the chain “Wal-Mart” in his name. On October 31, 1969, after further expansion across the state, the chain was incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Three years later, Wal-Mart was approved and listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In April 1983, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. opened its first Sam's Club store, a membership-based discount warehouse club, in Midwest City, Oklahoma. In 1985, their shares were traded on the Pacific Stock Exchange (PSE). By the company's 25th anniversary, in 1987, there were 1,198 stores nationwide, employing 200,000 associates, with sales of $15.9 billion. In February 1988, Sam Walton resigned as CEO of Wal-Mart and was replaced by David Glass. The same year, the first Wal-Mart Supercenter was opened in Washington, Missouri. The supercenter contained everything found in a regular Wal-Mart discount store, plus a tire and oil change shop; optical center; photo processing laboratory and portrait studio; and many small retail outlets like banks, cell phone stores, hair and nail salons, video rental stores, and several fast food restaurants. Wal-Mart was able to enter the international market by opening Club Aurrera in Mexico City in 1991 and a Wal-Mart store in Puerto Rico the following year. On April 5, 1992, Sam Walton died and his eldest son, S. Robson Walton, succeeded him as chairman of the company's board of directors. In 1996, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE). The following year, the company replaced Woolworth on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Additionally, that same year, the company achieved its first year of revenue of $100 billion, with revenue totaling $118.1 billion. In 1997, the company was the largest employer in the United States, employing 680,000 associates. In 1998, Wal-Mart launched its Wal-Mart Television Network – an in-store advertising network broadcasting advertisements for products sold in stores, trailers for upcoming movie releases, and updates. In 1999, Wal-Mart employed 1,140,000 associates; making it the largest private employer in the world. Wal-Mart now operates retail stores worldwide under three different facets: Wal-Mart Stores, Sam's Club and International.