BENTONVILLE, Ark.,
March 5
-- The Board of Directors of
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
(NYSE: WMT) has approved an increase in the annual dividend to
$1.09
per share, a 15-percent increase from the
$0.95
per share paid during fiscal year 2009. For this current fiscal year ending
Jan. 31, 2010
, the annual dividend of
$1.09
per share will be paid in four quarterly installments of
$0.2725
per share, according to the following record and payable dates:
Record Date Payable Date
----------- ------------
March 13, 2009
April 6, 2009
May 15, 2009
June 1, 2009
August 14, 2009
September 8, 2009
December 11, 2009
January 4, 2010
"The strength of our operations and the resulting strong financial position allow us to increase our dividend payout to shareholders again this year," said
Mike Duke
,
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
president and chief executive officer. "Our free cash flow remains strong enough to fund
Wal-Mart's
growth around the world, make strategic acquisitions and fund returns to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases."
Based upon this announced increase, the company plans to return more than
$4.2 billion
to its shareholders in the form of dividends in fiscal year 2010.
Wal-Mart
has increased its dividend every year since its first declared dividend of
$0.05
per share in
March 1974
.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
operates
Walmart
discount stores, supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and
Sam's Club
locations in the
United States
. The company also operates in
Argentina
,
Brazil
,
Canada
,
Chile
,
China
,
Costa Rica
,
El Salvador
,
Guatemala
,
Honduras
,
India
,
Japan
,
Mexico
,
Nicaragua
,
Puerto Rico
and the
United Kingdom
. The company's common stock is listed on the
New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol WMT. More information about
Wal-Mart
can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.
SOURCE
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
03/05/2009
CONTACT: Investor Relations,
Carol Schumacher
, +1-479-277-1498, or
Mike Beckstead
, +1-479-277-9558, or Media Relations,
John Simley
, 1-800-331-0085, both of
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Web Site: www.walmartstores.com
