Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. {{nyse|WMT}}, founded by Sam Walton in 1962, is the largest retailer and the largest company in the world based on revenue. For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2005, Wal-Mart reported net income of US $10.3 billion on US $285 billion of sales revenue (3.6% profit margin). If Wal-Mart were its own economy, it would rank 33rd in the world, with a GDP between those of Ukraine and Colombia. It is the largest private employer in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It holds an 8.9 percent retail store market share— $8.90 out of every $100 spent in U.S. retail stores is spent at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart in popular culture

Wal-Mart is satirized in The Simpsons as Sprawl-Mart. In a 2005 episode ("On A Clear Day I Can't See My Sister"), the Springfield Sprawl-Mart carries the sign "Not a parody of Wal-Mart".

Related Topics:
The Simpsons - Sprawl-Mart - On A Clear Day I Can't See My Sister - Springfield

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Wal-Mart is featured in an episode of "South Park", in which a Wal-Mart is built in town and runs all of the local stores out of business. Wal-Mart is seen as a self-aware and independent entity, building itself across the nation to take over everything, and forcing employees and managers to work there against their will. The town, unable to resist shopping there, tries to burn the Wal-Mart down, but the next day a crew comes and rebuilds it. Stan and Kyle eventually destroy the Wal-Mart by killing its heart, a mirror which represents greedy consumerism, which is located in the electronics department.

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