Is Walmart considered a private company?
Daniel Santos
Updated on January 18, 2026
Walmart becomes a publicly traded company. The first stock is sold at $16.50 per share.
Who owns Walmart stock?
Top 10 Owners of Walmart Inc
| Stockholder | Stake | Shares owned |
|---|---|---|
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | 4.45% | 124,686,988 |
| SSgA Funds Management, Inc. | 2.21% | 61,820,260 |
| BlackRock Fund Advisors | 2.15% | 60,274,618 |
| Geode Capital Management LLC | 0.80% | 22,297,352 |
Are walmarts franchised?
Walmart is not a franchise organization. All of the stores are owned and operated by the parent company. Franchise organizations allow investors and entrepreneurs to open a store using their brand and processes.
Does China own any stock in Walmart?
No, China does not own Walmart. Walmart is founded and owned by the Walton family. They hold 50% of total shares through Walton Enterprises LLC and Walton Family Holdings Trust. Other top investors are American-based companies, including Vanguard Group Inc.
How much do Walmart franchise owners make?
The average retail store owner makes an average of $49,924/year according to Payscale. That’s based on a range of annual salaries that falls to $24,000 on the low end and $149,000 on the high end. As I mentioned above in the Walmart example, the location of your store will make a huge difference in pay.
Why is Wal-Mart not a private company?
I recently learned that Wal-Mart is not a private company because anyone from the public can buy stocks from it. This is new to me because I did not know that having stocks sold to the public makes a company turn from private to publicly owned.
Who are the owners of Wal-Mart stock?
The Walton Family still has a majority of the shares issued I believe which while others may also own stock, they own enough to control what the company actually does. Public company simply means stock is traded on an exchange that anyone can own it.
How many employees does Walmart have in the world?
Walmart. Walmart is the world’s largest company by revenue —over US$ 500 billion, according to Fortune Global 500 list in 2018—as well as the largest private employer in the world with 2.3 million employees. It is a publicly traded family-owned business, as the company is controlled by the Walton family.
Are there any other companies that are part of Walmart?
Although the Walmart brand is well-known, the company has expanded into many areas and acquired many other companies that still operate under their own names. Therefore, there are many companies that people are not aware are part of Walmart.
