Wal-Mart Opens 81 Stores and Clubs in March Providing Jobs and Savings NationwideGrand Openings across 30 States Provide Over 16,500 Additional Jobs;
Retailer Gives over $1.5 million to Local Charities and Organizations BENTONVILLE, Ark., March 5, 2008 – This month, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) will open 81 new stores and clubs across the country, providing jobs for 26,000 associates. More than 16,500 associates have been hired to fill new positions at the new, expanded and relocated stores, demonstrating the economic opportunities the company provides individuals and communities – even in tougher economic times. Seventy-three of the 81 stores are celebrating their grand openings this week. “With these new store locations, we’re strengthening our commitment to helping our customers nationwide save money so they can live better,” said Bill Simon, chief operating officer, Wal-Mart Stores, U.S. The 81 stores and clubs are opening in 30 states including seven openings in North Carolina, six in Illinois, five each in Michigan and Florida, four in Ohio and three each in Wisconsin, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, New York, Nevada, Indiana and Iowa. Included among these stores are two additional new High-Efficiency (HE.2) prototypes designed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use 25 percent less energy than a standard Wal-Mart Supercenter. Wal-Mart plans to open a total of four HE.2 prototypes. The first opened in January in Romeoville, Ill., and the remaining three will open by the end of the year. Wal-Mart will also open its ninth Jobs and Opportunity Zone (JOZ) store in Decatur, Ga. on March 7. Decatur is one of ten locations where Wal-Mart is partnering with local organizations to spur job creation and economic development in the community. In the two months since the hiring site opened, Wal-Mart has received more than 12,000 applications for the 450 jobs available at the Decatur store. 80 Supercenters Opening in First Quarter Wal-Mart is executing the plan it unveiled at its shareholders meeting in June 2007 to moderate its U.S. supercenter growth. The Company opened 195 supercenters in the United States in the last fiscal year -- 30 percent fewer than in the previous year. These include relocations and expansions. Wal-Mart projected that it will open 170 supercenters in the current fiscal year ending Jan, 31, 2009 and 140 supercenters in the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2010. “As we told investors last year, we’re focused on expansions and relocations of existing discount stores to supercenters, because the supercenter concept provides the greatest return,” said Simon. “This will result in building fewer new stores.” Giving locally and helping to provide opportunities As part of its commitment to operate globally and give back locally, Wal-Mart has a long history of supporting the charitable organizations in the communities where it operates. With the opening of 81 stores during the month of March, Wal-Mart is giving more than $1.5 million to food banks, local schools, police and fire departments, chambers of commerce and other organizations. This includes a Wal-Mart Foundation grant from each store to local agencies to support after-school programs that promote learning and fight illiteracy for a total of $395,500. The 81 stores and clubs opening in March 2008 include: Mobile, Ala. Morehead, Ky. Massena, N.Y. North Little Rock, Ark. Mansfield, La. Cortland, Ohio San Luis, Ariz. Severn, Md. Bedford, Ohio Tucson, Ariz. Chesterfield, Mich. Lancaster, Ohio Hudson, Fla. Dearborn, Mich. Perrysburg, Ohio Jacksonville, Fla. Fowlerville, Mich. Chandler, Okla. Orange Park, Fla. Ironwood, Mich. Checotah, Okla. Orlando, Fla. Kalamazoo, Mich. Coweta, Okla. Punta Gorda, Fla. Dilworth, Minn. East Freedom, Pa. Alpharetta, Ga. Hazlehurst, Miss. Natrona Heights, Pa. Columbus, Ga. (2) West Point, Miss. Uniontown, Penn. Decatur, Ga. Denver, N.C. Blythewood, S.C. Ames, Iowa Granite Falls, N.C. Dillon, S.C. Carroll, Iowa Havelock, N.C. Tega Cay, S.C. Osceola, Iowa Nashville, N.C. Carthage, Tenn. Aurora, Ill. Williamston, N.C. Oakland, Tenn. Bradley, Ill. Winterville, N.C. White House, Tenn. Jacksonville, Ill. Zebulon, N.C Brady, Texas Kankakee, Ill. Bottineau, N.D. San Antonio, Texas Murphysboro, Ill. Woodsville, N.H. The Woodlands, Texas Silvis, Ill. Bernalillo, N.M. Danville, Va. Michigan City, Ind. Edgewood, N.M. Hartford, Wis. Elkhart, Ind. Fernley, Nevada Medford, Wis. Wabash, Ind. Las Vegas, Nevada (2) Sheboygan, Wis. Wichita, Kan. Fulton, N.Y. Hurricane, W.Va. Louisville, Ky. (2) Horseheads, N.Y. Martinsburg, W.Va. To view the news releases for these store openings, please visit www.walmartfacts.com. For more information on Wal-Mart’s impact in each state, visit the Live Better Index at www.livebetterindex.com. About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount stores, supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Club locations in the United States. The Company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. Wal-Mart serves more than 176 million customers weekly in 14 markets. The company’s securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT. For more information: www.walmartfacts.com. ###
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