Basic Wal-Mart Fact Sheet

• Revenue in year ended Jan. 31: $312.43 billion, making it the world's largest retailer.

• Profit: $11.23 billion.
• More than 5,700 stores, including Wal-Mart and Sam's Club warehouses.
• About 1.7 million employees, whom the company calls "associates."
• Headquarters: Bentonville, Ark.
• History: The first Wal-Mart Discount City opened in 1962, although founder Sam M. Walton had operated variety stores going back to 1945 in Arkansas. The first Sam's Club opened in 1984, and the first Supercenter, combining groceries and merchandise, opened in 1988. Since 1992, the company has ventured overseas, including Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Germany and the United Kingdom.