BENTONVILLE, Ark., Oct. 24 -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) announced its plans to continue unit growth for the fiscal year beginning February 1, 2006. Globally, the company expects to add over 60 million square feet of gross retail space, which is over an 8% increase from the estimated current fiscal year-end square footage. The company will open over 555 new units as estimated below:
# of Units
Supercenters 270 to 280
Discount Stores 20 to 30
Neighborhood Markets 15 to 20
SAM'S CLUBS 30 to 40
U.S. Total 335 to 370
International 220 to 230
Global Total 555 to 600
The company expects that expansions or relocations of existing units will account for approximately 215 of the new units as estimated below:
# of Units
Discount Store to Supercenter 160
SAM'S CLUB 20
U.S. Total 180
International 35
Global Total 215
The company also plans to construct two new regional general merchandise distribution centers and three new food distribution centers during the next fiscal year. Combined, these five distribution centers are expected to add over five million square feet of distribution space.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart 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, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company's securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartfacts.com . Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com .
This release contains statements that Wal-Mart believes are "forward- looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by that Act. These forward-looking statements are identified by use of the words "expected," "expects," "plans," "planned," and "estimate" in these statements. These statements discuss, among other things, the expected growth in the number of our retail units and distribution centers during our fiscal year to begin on February 1, 2006 and increases in our retail space. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, domestically and internationally, including, competitive pressures, inflation, consumer spending patterns and debt levels, currency exchange fluctuations, trade restrictions, availability of appropriate locations for new or relocated units, local real estate and other laws, ordinances and initiatives that may prevent us from building, or impose limitations on our ability to build, stores in certain locations, interest rate fluctuations and other capital market conditions, and other risks. We discuss certain of these matters more fully in our other filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year 2005; this release should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K, and together with all our other filings, including Current Reports on Form 8-K, made with the SEC through the date of this report. You are urged to consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. As a result of these matters, including changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, our actual unit growth may differ materially from the anticipated growth described in these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date of this report and we undertake no obligation to update these forward- looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
SOURCE: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
CONTACT: investor relations, +1-479-273-8446, or Jay Fitzsimmons,
+1-479-273-6445, or Pauline Tureman, +1-479-277-9558, or media relations,
Marty Heires, +1-479-273-4314, all of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
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