Global business is back. After limping through a worldwide financial crisis and economic slowdown, the 500 largest companies ranked by revenues shattered all sorts of performance records in 2013: They racked up combined revenues of $31.1 trillion, up 2.5% from 2012, and profits soared 27% to nearly $2 trillion. China’s 95 companies (up from 89 last year) posted $5.8 trillion in revenues. The U.S. has four fewer companies on the list than last year but remains (for now) the country leader, with 128 corporations on the list—including No. 1 Wal-Mart Stores—reporting $8.6 trillion in revenues.
The retailer has ramped up its international focus. With Doug McMillon’s start as CEO in 2014, the company has underscored its desire to expand further overseas. Prior to taking the helm, McMillon headed Wal-Mart International from February 2009 to February 2014.
As a whole, Wal-Mart serves more than 100 million customers in 26 countries per week. In fact, the company said that net sales overseas, which accounts for more than 6,000 stores, climbed 4.6% to $140.9 billion from 2013.
FK – Think about that while you’re buying your Chinese imports from the ‘associate’ who started out at 7 bucks an hour. They want us all poor and desperate.