Walmart's Transformative Ways Spark a 100,000% Stock Return
Walmart's strategic store expansion and relentless cost-cutting have catapulted its share price over the years.


Editor's note: This is part 12 of a 13-part series about companies whose shares have amassed 100,000% returns for investors and the path taken to generate such impressive gains over the long term. See below for links to the other stocks in this series.
From its humble beginnings as a small discount store in Rogers, Arkansas, Walmart (WMT) has grown into a global retail powerhouse, transforming the way the world shops.
How did a single store become the largest retailer in the world, with over $600 billion in annual revenue? The answer lies in Walmart's unique approach to expansion and its relentless focus on cost control.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
By strategically opening thousands of stores and mastering supply chain management, Walmart has consistently outperformed its competitors and reshaped the retail landscape.
To truly understand Walmart's success, we must examine these key areas: its aggressive store expansion and improvements in gross margins through cost-effective procurement. Together, these factors reveal the secrets behind Walmart's sustained growth and its ability to dominate the global market.
A major driver of Walmart's growth has been its aggressive expansion strategy. In 2000, Walmart operated 3,662 stores worldwide including Supercenters, discount stores, and Sam's Clubs.
By 2023, the number of stores had grown to 10,130. This rapid expansion allowed Walmart to capture a broad customer base across both urban and rural areas.
Looking at sales per store over time provides insights into Walmart's growth strategy.
In 2000, Walmart reported a revenue of approximately $167 billion. Dividing this by its 3,662 stores results in an average sales per store of around $45.6 million.
By 2023, Walmart's revenue had surged to nearly $611 billion. With over 10,623 stores, the average sales per store had risen to approximately $57.5 million. Over time, Walmart's methods allowed it to increase the productivity of each store by 26%.
Improving and maintaining gross margins has also been crucial to Walmart's ability to offer low prices and sustain profitability.
Walmart's massive scale allows it to negotiate better prices with suppliers, driving down the cost of goods sold and enhancing/maintaining gross margins. For a decade, Walmart has been able to keep its gross margin in the range of 24% to 26%.
You could almost say that Walmart is impervious to inflation, and that's one reason shoppers come back to Walmart again and again.
Amazingly, during the peak inflation of 2022, when the rate in the U.S. peaked at 9.1%, Walmart was able to maintain its gross margin at 24.1% that year, only 4% lower than the previous year's gross margin of 25.1%.
And when inflation abated in 2023, Walmart's gross margin was able to bounce back to 26.2%.
The company has leveraged its buying power to source goods at lower prices and invested in technology to enhance inventory management. These efforts have allowed Walmart to reduce the cost of goods sold and maintain its "Everyday Low Price" strategy, attracting price-sensitive customers and driving sales volume.
Despite economic fluctuations and changing market conditions, Walmart's ability to adapt and leverage its massive scale has enabled it to thrive.
As the largest retailer in the world, Walmart continues to shape the retail industry, demonstrating that a well-executed growth strategy and a relentless focus on cost control works.
The formula is still valid, and Walmart likely has more growth to deliver to shareholders.
Note: This content first appeared in Louis Navellier's latest book, The Sacred Truths of Investing: Finding Growth Stocks that Will Make You Rich, which was published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Other 100,000% return stocks
- McDonald's Stock: How Small Changes Have Led to 100,000% Returns
- How Amazon Stock Became a Member of the 100,000% Return Club
- M&A Is Why UnitedHealth Group Stock Is a Member of the 100,000% Return Club
- Sherwin-Williams Is a Sleeper of the 100,000% Return Club
- Dealmaking Drives HEICO Stock's 100,000% Return
- Adobe Stock's Path to a 100,000% Return Is Impressive
- Apple's 100,000% Return Is a Result of Innovation, Brand Loyalty and Buybacks
- Home Depot's Winning Ways Fueled Its 100,000% Return
- It's No Surprise That Berkshire Hathaway's in the 100,000% Return Club
- Nvidia Stock's Been Growing for Years. Just Look At Its 100,000% Return
- Relentless Leadership Drives Oracle Stock's 100,000% Return
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

-
The Most Popular Apps for Retirement Planning in 2025
A J.D. Power survey ranks retirement planning apps based on customer service and satisfaction. Does your financial app make the cut?
-
Don't Disinherit Your Grandchildren: The Hidden Risks of Retirement Account Beneficiary Forms
Standard retirement account beneficiary forms may not be flexible enough to ensure your money passes to family members according to your wishes. Naming a trust as the contingent beneficiary can help avoid these issues. Here's how.
-
Don't Disinherit Your Grandchildren: The Hidden Risks of Retirement Account Beneficiary Forms
Standard retirement account beneficiary forms may not be flexible enough to ensure your money passes to family members according to your wishes. Naming a trust as the contingent beneficiary can help avoid these issues. Here's how.
-
This Is How Life Insurance Can Fund Your Dreams Now
Beyond a death benefit, life insurance can provide significant financial value and flexibility through 'living benefits' while you are still alive, helping with expenses like education, business ventures or retirement.
-
Potential Trouble for Retirees: A Wealth Adviser's Guide to the OBBB's Impact on Retirement
While some provisions might help, others could push you into a higher tax bracket and raise your costs. Be strategic about Roth conversions, charitable donations, estate tax plans and health care expenditures.
-
One Small Step for Your Money, One Giant Leap for Retirement
Saving enough for retirement can sound as daunting as walking on the moon. But what would your future look like if you took one small step toward it this year?
-
This Is What You Really Need to Know About Medicare, From a Financial Expert
Health care costs are a significant retirement expense, and Medicare offers essential but complex coverage that requires careful planning. Here's how to navigate Medicare's various parts, enrollment periods and income-based costs.
-
I'm a Financial Planner: Could Partial Retirement Be the Right Move for You?
Many Americans close to retirement are questioning whether they should take the full leap into retirement or continue to work part-time.
-
From Mortgages to Taxes to Estates: How to Prepare for Falling Interest Rates
As speculation grows that the Federal Reserve will soon start lowering interest rates, now is a good time to review your financial plans for housing, estate, taxes, investing and retirement to make the most of potential changes.
-
This Is How Lottery Winners Build Lasting Legacies, From a Financial Professional
Winning a massive lottery jackpot, like the recent $1.4 billion Powerball, requires seeking immediate legal and financial counsel, protecting your identity and winnings and planning your legacy.