BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart Inc. reached a major milestone on Tuesday, becoming the first traditional retailer in U.S. history to have a market value of $1 trillion. The achievement puts the company among some of the most valuable businesses in the world, including big technology firms.
Walmart’s stock climbed steadily after markets opened Tuesday, helping push its total worth past $1 trillion as investors grew more confident in the company’s future. This milestone is particularly significant because most companies reaching this valuation are technology firms, not traditional retailers.
Beyond its physical stores, Walmart has expanded its online shopping and delivery services, which have attracted new customers and generated revenue from new sources.
Walmart+, a membership program that offers perks like free shipping and discounts, has attracted more people, helping the company sell more goods online. That growth has been one of the reasons Wall Street likes Walmart’s future chances so much.
The company also earns money from its advertising business, which helps other brands reach Walmart shoppers. The advertising business is more profitable than many traditional store operations.
Walmart’s leaders have also used new technologies, such as tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI), to help customers shop more easily and to make the company run smarter and faster behind the scenes.
