Walmart

==== Setbacks ====
<!-- Courtesy note per [[MOS:LINK2SECT]]: [[Walmart Brasil]] and others link here. -->
In the 1990s, Walmart tried with a large financial investment to get a foothold in both German and Indonesian retail markets.

Walmart entered Indonesia with the opening of stores in [[Lippo Karawaci|Lippo]] Supermall (now known as Supermal Karawaci) and Megamall Pluit (now known as [[Pluit Village]]) respectively, under a joint-venture agreement with local conglomerate [[Lippo Group]]. Both stores closed down due to the [[1997 Asian financial crisis]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 9, 2021|title=5 brand terkenal di dunia yang gagal ekspansi di Indonesia!|url=https://bisnika.hops.id/4-brand-terkenal-di-dunia-yang-gagal-ekspansi-di-indonesia/|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Info Bisnis dan Keuangan|language=en-US|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719061856/https://bisnika.hops.id/4-brand-terkenal-di-dunia-yang-gagal-ekspansi-di-indonesia/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Profil – Walmart|url=https://www.merdeka.com/walmart/profil/|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=merdeka.com|language=en|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719061851/https://www.merdeka.com/walmart/profil/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Pintak|first=Lawrence|date=March 13, 1998|title=Lippo Group sues Wal-Mart over Indonesia pullout (Washington Times)|url=https://pintak.com/1998/03/12/lippo-group-sues-wal-mart-over-indonesia-pullout-washington-times/|access-date=July 30, 2021|website=Lawrence Pintak|language=en|archive-date=July 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730073131/https://pintak.com/1998/03/12/lippo-group-sues-wal-mart-over-indonesia-pullout-washington-times/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1997, Walmart took over the supermarket chain Wertkauf with its 21 stores for [[Deutsche Mark|DM]]750&nbsp;million<ref>[http://www.ka-news.de/wirtschaft/karlsruhe/Karlsruhe;art127,52059 "Metro takes over Walmart"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618032055/http://www.ka-news.de/wirtschaft/karlsruhe/Karlsruhe;art127,52059 |date=June 18, 2009 }}. (in German). ka-news. August 3, 2006</ref> and the following year Walmart acquired 74 Interspar stores for DM1.3&nbsp;billion.<ref>[http://www.zeit.de/1999/40/Schnitte "Cuts"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301024822/http://www.zeit.de/1999/40/Schnitte |date=March 1, 2016 }}. (in German). ''[[Die Zeit]]''.</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20140119084037/http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/news/Walmart-in-deutschland-ein-zwerg-536713.html "A Dwarf in Germany"]. (in German). ''[[Stern (magazine)|Stern]]''. February 18, 2005.</ref> The German market at this point was an oligopoly with high competition among companies which used a similar low price strategy as Walmart. As a result, Walmart's low price strategy yielded no competitive advantage. Walmart's [[Organizational culture|corporate culture]] was not viewed positively among employees and customers, particularly Walmart's "statement of ethics", which attempted to restrict relationships between employees, a possible violation of German labor law, and led to a public discussion in the media, resulting in a bad reputation among customers.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/549609.html |title = Walmart Employees may love too |work = Stern |date = November 15, 2005 |language=de |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080530013145/http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/549609.html |archive-date = May 30, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.welt.de/print-welt/article177942/Walmart-Mitarbeiter_duerfen_flirten.html |title = Walmart Employees may flirt |language=de |newspaper = [[Die Welt]] |date = November 15, 2005 }}</ref> In July 2006, Walmart announced its withdrawal from Germany due to sustained losses. The stores were sold to the German company [[Metro AG|Metro]] during Walmart's fiscal third quarter.<ref name="Boyle 09" /><ref name="walmartgermany">{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5223432.stm |title = Walmart Abandons German Venture |work = BBC News |date = July 28, 2006 |access-date = July 31, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090115081000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5223432.stm |archive-date = January 15, 2009}}</ref> Walmart did not disclose its losses from its German investment, but they were estimated to be around {{Euro}}3&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite magazine |url = http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,429017,00.html |title = Spiegel: Why the american Titan failed |language=de |magazine = [[Der Spiegel]] |date = July 28, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120118130337/http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,429017,00.html |archive-date = January 18, 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Hiper Bompreço.JPG|thumb|A [[Bompreço|Hiper Bompreço]] in [[Natal, Brazil]] in May 2008]]

In 2004, Walmart bought the 118&nbsp;stores in the [[Bompreço]] supermarket chain in northeastern Brazil. In late 2005, it took control of the Brazilian operations of [[Sonae]] Distribution Group through its new subsidiary, WMS Supermercados do Brasil, thus acquiring control of the Nacional and Mercadorama supermarket chains, the leaders in the [[Rio Grande do Sul]] and [[Paraná (state)|Paraná]] states, respectively. None of these stores were rebranded. {{As of|2014|01|df=US|post=,}} Walmart operated 61 Bompreço supermarkets, 39&nbsp;Hiper Bompreço stores. It also ran 57&nbsp;Walmart Supercenters, 27&nbsp;Sam's Clubs, and 174 Todo Dia stores. With the acquisition of Bompreço and Sonae, by 2010, Walmart was the third-largest supermarket chain in Brazil, behind [[Carrefour]] and [[GPA (company)|Pão de Açúcar]].<ref name="WalmartBrazil">{{cite web |title = Walmart Corporate: Brazil |url = http://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/locations/brazil |publisher = Walmart |access-date = January 19, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140211004203/http://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/locations/brazil |archive-date = February 11, 2014}}</ref>

Walmart Brasil, the operating company, has its head office in [[Barueri]], São Paulo State, and regional offices in [[Curitiba]], Paraná; [[Porto Alegre]], Rio Grande do Sul; [[Recife]], Pernambuco; and [[Salvador, Bahia|Salvador]], Bahia.<ref>"[http://www.walmartbrasil.com.br/sobre-o-walmart/no-brasil/ No Brasil] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510133406/http://www.walmartbrasil.com.br/sobre-o-walmart/no-brasil/ |date=May 10, 2015 }}." [[Walmart Brasil]]. Retrieved November 7, 2011.</ref> Walmart Brasil operates under the banners Todo Dia, Nacional, Bompreço, Walmart Supercenter, Maxxi Atacado, Hipermercado Big, Hiper Bompreço, Sam's Club, Mercadorama, Walmart Posto (Gas Station), Supermercado Todo Dia, and Hiper Todo Dia. Recently, the company started the conversion process of all Hiper Bompreço and Big stores into Walmart Supercenters and Bompreço, Nacional and Mercadorama stores into the Walmart Supermercado brand.

Since August 2018, Walmart Inc. only holds a minority stake in Walmart Brasil, which was renamed Grupo Big on August 12, 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Feliciano|first=Dorah|date=August 13, 2019|title=Walmart Brazil Renamed 'Grupo Big' and Plans to Expand its Stores|url=https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/brazil/walmart-brazil-gets-renamed-to-grupo-big-and-plans-to-expand-its-stores/|website=The Rio Times|access-date=August 14, 2019|archive-date=November 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127170932/https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/brazil/walmart-brazil-gets-renamed-to-grupo-big-and-plans-to-expand-its-stores/|url-status=live}}</ref> with 20% of the company's shares, and [[private equity]] firm [[Advent International]] holding 80% ownership of the company.<ref name="AdventWalmartBrazil">{{cite web |title = Advent International to acquire majority stake in Walmart Brazil |date = June 4, 2018 |url = https://www.adventinternational.com/advent-international-acquire-majority-stake-walmart-brazil/ |publisher = Advent International |access-date = October 23, 2018 |archive-date = December 16, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201216224224/https://www.adventinternational.com/advent-international-acquire-majority-stake-walmart-brazil/ |url-status = live }}</ref> On March 24, 2021, it was announced that [[Carrefour]] would be acquiring Grupo Big.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Carrefour reinforces its leading position in Brazil with the acquisition of Grupo BIG|url=https://www.carrefour.com/en/actuality/carrefour-reinforces-its-leading-position-brazil-acquisition-grupo-big|access-date=May 18, 2021|website=Carrefour Group|archive-date=May 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518195452/https://www.carrefour.com/en/actuality/carrefour-reinforces-its-leading-position-brazil-acquisition-grupo-big|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Walmart Supercenter Argentina.jpg|thumb|A Walmart Supercenter in Argentina in February 2019]]

Walmart Argentina was founded in 1995 and operates stores under the banners Walmart Supercenter, Changomas, Mi Changomas, and Punto Mayorista. On November 6, 2020, it was announced that Walmart has sold its Argentine operations to Grupo de Narváez and renamed Hiper Changomas.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Grupo de Narváez Acquires Full Ownership of Walmart Argentina|url=https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2020/11/06/grupo-de-narvaez-acquires-full-ownership-of-walmart-argentina|access-date=November 6, 2020|website=Corporate – US|archive-date=December 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214161714/https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2020/11/06/grupo-de-narvaez-acquires-full-ownership-of-walmart-argentina|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Asda, Dalgety Bay, Nov 2008 - geograph.org.uk - 1045503.jpg|thumb|ASDA Supermarket in Fife, Scotland]]

Walmart's UK subsidiary [[Asda]] (which retained its name after being acquired by Walmart) is based in [[Leeds]] and accounted for 42.7&nbsp;percent of 2006 sales of Walmart's international division. In contrast to the U.S. operations, Asda was originally and still remains primarily a grocery chain, but with a stronger focus on non-food items than most UK supermarket chains other than [[Tesco]]. In 2010 Asda acquired stores from [[Netto UK]]. In addition to small suburban Asda Supermarkets,<ref name="Unit Counts by Country"/> larger stores are branded Supercentres.<ref name="Unit Counts by Country"/><!-- Supercentres is correct; see talk page. --> Other banners include Asda Superstores, Asda Living, and Asda Petrol Fueling Station.<ref name="Unit Counts & Square Footage"/><ref name="Unit Counts by Country"/><ref>[http://www.asda.jobs/all-about/who-we-are/stores.html ASDA Careers: All about ASDA Stores]. Retrieved August 7, 2011 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110803164941/http://www.asda.jobs/all-about/who-we-are/stores.html |date=August 3, 2011 }}</ref> In July 2015, Asda updated its logo featuring the Walmart Asterisks behind the first 'A' in the Logo. In May 2018, Walmart announced plans to sell Asda to rival [[Sainsbury's]] for $10.1&nbsp;billion. Under the terms of the deal, Walmart would have received a 42% stake in the combined company and about £3&nbsp;billion in cash.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/walmart-to-merge-british-unit-asda-with-u-k-rival-sainsbury-1525070178|title=Walmart to Sell British Unit Asda to U.K. Rival Sainsbury|last=Chaudhuri|first=Saabira|date=April 30, 2018|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=May 2, 2018|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109042529/https://www.wsj.com/articles/walmart-to-merge-british-unit-asda-with-u-k-rival-sainsbury-1525070178|url-status=live}}</ref> However, in April 2019, the United Kingdom's [[Competition and Markets Authority]] blocked the proposed sale of Asda to Sainsburys.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/business/sainsburys-asda-takeover-blocked/index.html|title=Walmart's $9 billion deal to sell its UK supermarkets is dead|first1=Daniel|last1=Shane|first2=Ivana|last2=Kottasová|work=CNN|date=April 25, 2019|access-date=April 26, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108003534/https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/business/sainsburys-asda-takeover-blocked/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 2, 2020, it was announced that Walmart will sell a majority stake of Asda to a consortium of [[Zuber Issa|Zuber]] and [[Mohsin Issa]] (the owners of [[EG Group]]) and private equity firm [[TDR Capital]] for £6.8bn, pending approval from the Competition and Markets Authority.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54383131|title=Asda bought by billionaire Issa brothers in £6.8bn deal|publisher=BBC|date=October 2, 2020|access-date=October 2, 2020|archive-date=December 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221003122/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54383131|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Japan, Walmart owned 100 percent of [[Seiyu Group|Seiyu]] (西友 ''Seiyū'') {{as of|2008|df=US|lc=y|post=.}}<ref name="Boyle 09">{{cite news |title = Wal-Mart's painful lessons |last1 = Boyle |first1 = Matthew |url = http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/oct2009/ca20091013_227022.htm |magazine = Bloomberg |date = October 13, 2009 |access-date = February 28, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160307205619/http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/oct2009/ca20091013_227022.htm |archive-date = March 7, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/our-business/locations/#/japan |title = Walmart Corporate – Japan |publisher = Walmart |access-date = January 19, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140104115055/http://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/our-business/locations/#/japan |archive-date = January 4, 2014}}</ref> It operates under the Seiyu (Hypermarket), Seiyu (Supermarket), Seiyu (General Merchandise), Livin, and Sunny banners.<ref name="Unit Counts & Square Footage"/><ref name="Unit Counts by Country"/> 
On November 16, 2020, Walmart announced they would be selling 65% of their shares in the company to the private-equity firm [[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts|KKR]] in a deal valuing 329 stores and 34,600 employees at $1.6&nbsp;billion. Walmart is supposed to retain 15% and a seat on the board, while a joint-venture between KKR and Japanese company [[Rakuten|Rakuten Inc.]] will receive 20%.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Narioka|first=Peter Landers and Kosaku|date=November 16, 2020|title=Walmart Retreats Around Globe to Focus on E-Commerce|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/walmart-retreats-around-globe-to-focus-on-e-commerce-11605518960|access-date=November 17, 2020|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=December 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222213136/https://www.wsj.com/articles/walmart-retreats-around-globe-to-focus-on-e-commerce-11605518960|url-status=live}}</ref>