Walmart 2013 Annual Report Download - page 8

6 || Walmart 2013 Annual Report
International
A global portfolio that
drives growth and returns
Walmart International serves more than 105 million customers per week
in 26 countries. Our portfolio provides a balance of growth with improved
protability and higher returns. In scal 2013, International contributed
almost 30 percent of the company’s net sales, with an increase of
7.4 percent from the prior year to $135.2 billion. Operating income grew
8.3 percent to $6.7 billion. We ended the year with 497 more new stores,
totaling approximately 19 million square feet.
Disciplined growth through new stores and e-commerce. We’re
focused on disciplined investment in high potential markets, as we
strengthen our presence in mature markets. This past year, we moderated new
store growth in a few markets to ensure that we open highly productive
stores through more disciplined real estate development processes.
We’re focused on driving comparable sales growth, opening new stores
and investing in e-commerce. Our majority stake in China’s Yihaodian
allows us to quickly penetrate one of the world’s fastest-growing
e-commerce markets.
Extending our EDLP advantage. The diversity of our formats ensures
we’re relevant to our customers and we’re focused on delivering our EDLP
advantage across formats. Most of our markets use EDLP as a foundation,
and the remaining are in the process of deploying this strategy. Brazil’s
conversion to EDLP is progressing well, and China is in the early stages
of its transition. Massmart in sub-Saharan Africa is continuing to make
progress on implementing EDLP into their stores as well.
Local relevance, world-class capability. We stay close to our customers
in every market to understand their unique preferences. With these insights,
our merchants and operators leverage Walmart’s global sourcing capabilities
to provide locally relevant merchandise at the lowest prices. Our country
and Home Oce teams share best practices and drive EDLC through
improved productivity in store operations, purchasing practices,
information technology, logistics and back office support functions.
Deeper talent enables growth. We’re investing in our outstanding group
of Walmart International associates. The secret to our continued success
lies in the strength and consistency of our culture that Walmart associates
embody every day. We recruit energetic and capable leaders. In addition,
we focus on developing merchant capabilities through merchant
academies in all markets.
Building world-class compliance. We have built our business on a
foundation of integrity. We’re using that foundation to create an even
stronger, comprehensive compliance organization in every market to
give our associates the support they need to always do the right thing.
We hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards around the world.
Leading on social and environmental issues. We’re a catalyst for change
on issues that make a dierence in our communities, such as women’s
economic empowerment, sustainable agriculture and environmental
sustainability. Through our work on energy eciency and zero-waste
goals, we not only benet the environment, but also drive cost savings.
Top: Locally relevant formats like Mexico’s Bodega
Aurrera help ensure success across our global portfolio.
Middle: Walmart Canada’s broad selection of
Canadian-sourced beef demonstrates our focus
on locally grown food.
Bottom: Attracting and developing top talent is central
to ASDA’s strategy for continued growth in the U.K.
Right: Our EDLP strategy appeals to customers from
Canada to Brazil.