Does Walmart Own Land & Buildings? (Read This First)
Walmart, the world’s largest retail company, has several physical stores and buildings in many countries across the globe.
Walmart Realty, its real estate arm, confirms that 90% of Americans can find a Walmart store within a 20-mile radius.
Therefore, you may wonder, does Walmart own the lands and buildings?
Walmart owns land and buildings. Walmart has 10,585 physical stores in 24 countries under 46 different names as of July 31, 2022. Of these, Walmart owns close to about 6700 properties of total properties globally, boasting ownership of 5335 locations in the United States.
Does Walmart Own Its Real Estate?
Yes, Walmart owns its real estate. As of 1995, Walmart looked into upgrading its resources in the real estate aspect.
Thus, on October 21, 1996, they incorporated Walmart Realty, a real estate agency under the company.
Walmart, having almost 12,000 properties worldwide, would have spent a lot of money on acquiring the services of third-party real estate firms.
Instead, Walmart created Walmart Realty to help the company spend less and save more.
Walmart Realty handles the maintenance, acquisition, and sale of Walmart’s properties.
It helps to build wealth through these properties, excluding profit from sales in the various Walmart stores.
As of July 31, 2022, Walmart owns 10,585 units, including 4,735 Walmart US stores, 600 Sam’s Clubs, and 5,250 Walmart International stores.
Walmart Realty, its real estate arm, manages all these properties. The following table(s) shows confirmed figures for the number of Walmart-owned stores in countries across the globe:
| Country | Date of Initial Acquisition | Number of properties owned |
|---|---|---|
| Botswana | 2011 | 11 |
| Canada | 1994 | 402 |
| Chile | 2009 | 385 |
| China | 1996 | 372 |
| Costa Rica | 2005 | 289 |
| El Salvador | 2005 | 102 |
| Guatemala | 2005 | 263 |
| Honduras | 2005 | 111 |
| India | 2009 | 28 |
| Kenya | 2015 | 4 |
| Lesotho | 2011 | 3 |
| Malawi | 2011 | 2 |
| Mexico | 1991 | 2784 |
| Mozambique | 2011 | 6 |
| Namibia | 2011 | 5 |
| Nicaragua | 2011 | 102 |
| Nigeria | 2011 | 5 |
| South Africa | 2011 | 362 |
| Swaziland | 2011 | 1 |
| Tanzania | 2011 | 1 |
| Uganda | 2011 | 1 |
| United States | 1962 | 5335 |
| Zambia | 2011 | 7 |
The following table shows Walmart’s formerly-owned stores bought over by certain people/groups.
| Country | Year of Initial Acquisition | Current Owners |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 1995 | Bought by Francisco De Narvaez in 2020. |
| Brazil | 1995 | Presently owned by Carrefour. |
| Germany | 1998 | Handed over to Metro AG. |
| Japan | 2002 | KKR owns 65%, 20% by Rakuten DX Solutions, and 15% by Walmart. |
| South Korea | 1988 | Purchased by Shinsegae Co in 2006. |
| Mauritius | 2011 | Closed in January 2012. |
| United Kingdom | 1995 | Bought by the Issa brothers in 2021. |
What Company Owns Walmart Buildings?
The Walton family owns and controls 50 percent of Walmart buildings, while certain people/groups worldwide have acquired ownership of the other 50 percent.
Here are some Walmart divisions where certain people/groups have bought out ownership:
#1. Walmart Brazil
On June 4, 2018, Walmart announced a finalized deal to sell 80 percent of its business in Brazil to Advent International.
Neither Walmart nor Advent International disclosed details of the deal, but Walmart said it would record a non-cash net loss of $4.5 billion globally.
An announcement was made in April 2021 that a transaction occurred for the acquisition of Advent International and Walmart Inc’s former Brazil unit by Carrefour SA.
Carrefour agreed to buy the company’s Brazil operations from Walmart with a value of R$7 billion.
Carrefour, Walmart, and Advent International confirmed the transaction on June 7, 2022.
#2. Walmart Argentina
In 2020, Francisco De Narvaez bought Walmart Argentina for about $44 Million. He renamed it Híper Changomás after claiming ownership.
#3. Walmart Japan
Walmart announced that Rakuten DX solution and KKR bought shares from Walmart in Seiyu as of March 1, 2021. The deal held a value of 172.5 billion yen ($1.65 billion) to Seiyu.
After sealing the deal for Walmart shares to be sold out, 20% stake ownership went to Rakuten DX Solution and 65% stake ownership to KKR. Walmart retains a 15% stake ownership.
#4. Walmart United Kingdom
On February 16, 2021, the Issa brothers and TDR Capital closed a deal of £6.8 billion to acquire Asda, Walmart’s UK business, with Walmart retaining an equity investment.
#5. Walmart Germany
In 2006, Walmart announced the handover of its business in Germany to Metro AG, putting it at a loss of $1 billion.
#6. Walmart South Korea
On May 22, 2006, it was announced by Mike Duke, Vice chairman of Walmart Stores Inc, that it had been agreed for Shinsegae Co to purchase Walmart’s business in South Korea for Won 825 billion, which is US$882 million.
As of April 6, 2022, there was an announcement disclosing the plans for Walmart’s new Walton Family Whole Health & Fitness and the Child Care Center to become part of its new home office.
During that announcement, Steuart Walton, a director of Walmart and grandson to Helen and Sam Walton, and Tom Walton, his brother, revealed they would purchase the current home office buildings and parcels of land.
Further, Walmart agreed with ABN Holdings, LLC on April 5, 2022, for Walmart’s currently existing home office buildings and certain parcels of land to be sold for about $60 million.
$9 million for certain parcels of land and $51 million for Walmart home office buildings.
The closing for the parcels of land and home office buildings will occur in fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2025, respectively.
Currently, it is a publicly traded family-owned business. Sam Walton’s heirs own 50% of Walmart through their company and individual holdings.
How Much Land Does Walmart Own?
As of 2005, Walmart owned about 75,000 acres of land (117 square miles) in the United States.
Although there are no exact figures at present, it is safe to say that as of 2022, Walmart’s land ownership has doubled over the past 17 years.
Walmart occupies up to 1.1 billion feet of space, buying off acres of land from states like Alabama and Colorado.
Does Walmart Sell Houses?
Yes, Walmart sells old store spaces, properties, and lands and leases some of its properties.
They are all part of Walmart Realty’s functions. Between 2002-2006 Walmart Realty maximized the efficiency of fifty million square feet of space.
Walmart Realty set a record of selling 20 million square feet in just a year.
Further, many Walmart buildings and properties are suitable for multiple uses and are available to be sold to individuals.
But remember, Walmart Realty handles all activities involving selling/leasing.
Summary
Walton’s family’s Walmart has almost 12,000 buildings worldwide, owning almost 6700.
Walmart Realty, a real estate agency, was created by Walmart to oversee the affairs of selling, acquiring, and leasing lands and building in Walmart’s real estate while ensuring profit making.
Therefore, you can accurately describe Walmart, the largest retail company, as a real estate company because Walmart Realty, one of its arms, functions as such.
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