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Walmart (WMT)
NASDAQ:WMT
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WMT
Walmart
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Walmart (WMT) Risk Analysis

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Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.

Walmart disclosed 11 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Walmart reported the most risks in the “Ability to Sell” category.

Risk Overview Q3, 2023

Risk Distribution
11Risks
27% Ability to Sell
18% Finance & Corporate
18% Legal & Regulatory
18% Macro & Political
9% Tech & Innovation
9% Production
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.

Risk Change Over Time

2022
Q4
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Walmart Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.

The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.

Risk Highlights Q3, 2023

Main Risk Category
Ability to Sell
With 3 Risks
Ability to Sell
With 3 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
11
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
11
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Oct 2023
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Oct 2023
Number of Risk Changed
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 1
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 1
See the risk highlights of Walmart in the last period.

Risk Word Cloud

The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 11

Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 3/11 (27%)Above Sector Average
Sales & Marketing1 | 9.1%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
Changes in type or scope of offerings of our health and wellness business or the Walmart Health business could adversely affect our overall results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.
Walmart has retail pharmacy operations in our Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club segments across the U.S. and in various of our international markets such as Canada and Mexico. We also provide management services to Walmart Health centers that offer medical, dental, behavioral health and other health services in a number of states, as well as a national telehealth service provider. In addition, Walmart's 10-year collaboration with UnitedHealth Group includes agreements for Walmart Health to provide value-based care to patients in certain areas of the U.S., among other initiatives. A large majority of our retail pharmacy net sales are generated by filling prescriptions for which we receive payment through established contractual relationships with third-party payers and payment administrators, such as private insurers, governmental agencies and pharmacy benefit managers ("PBMs"). Our retail pharmacy operations are subject to numerous risks, including: reductions in the third-party reimbursement rates for drugs; changes in our payer mix (i.e., shifts in the relative distribution of our pharmacy customers across drug insurance plans and programs toward plans and programs with less favorable reimbursement terms); changes in third-party payer drug formularies (i.e., the schedule of prescription drugs approved for reimbursement or which otherwise receive preferential coverage treatment); growth in, and our participation in or exclusion from, pharmacy payer network arrangements including exclusive and preferred pharmacy network arrangements operated by PBMs and/or any insurance plan or program; increases in the prices we pay for brand name and generic prescription drugs we sell; increases in the administrative burdens associated with seeking third-party reimbursement; changes in the frequency with which new brand name pharmaceuticals become available to consumers; introduction of lower cost generic drugs as substitutes for existing brand name drugs for which there was no prior generic drug competition; changes in drug mix (i.e., the relative distribution of drugs customers purchase at our pharmacies between brands and generics); changes in the health insurance market generally; changes in the scope of or the elimination of Medicare Part D or Medicaid drug programs; increased competition from other retail pharmacy operations including competitors offering online retail pharmacy options and/or home delivery options; further consolidation and strategic alliances among third-party payers, PBMs or purchasers of drugs; overall economic conditions and the ability of our pharmacy customers to pay for drugs prescribed for them to the extent the costs are not reimbursed by a third-party; failure to meet any performance or incentive thresholds to which our level of third-party reimbursement may be subject; changes in laws or regulations or the practices of third-party payers and PBMs related to the use of third-party financial assistance to assist our pharmacy customers with paying for drugs prescribed for them; and any additional changes in the state or federal regulatory environment for the retail pharmacy industry and the pharmaceutical industry, including as a result of health reform efforts, and other changes to or novel interpretations of existing state or federal laws, rules and regulations that affect our retail pharmacy business. If the supply of certain pharmaceuticals provided by one or more of our vendors were to be disrupted for any reason, our pharmacy operations could be severely affected until at least such time as we could obtain a new supplier for such pharmaceuticals. Any such disruption could cause reputational damage and result in a significant number of our pharmacy customers transferring their prescriptions to other pharmacies. Walmart Health clinical operations are also subject to numerous risks, including but not limited to: reductions in the third-party reimbursement rates for services; changes in our payer mix; changes in the health insurance market generally; our inability to retain and negotiate favorable contracts with private third-party payers, including managed care plans; competition for patients from other healthcare providers, including those that offer telehealth services; changes to healthcare provider utilization practices and treatment methodologies; trends toward value-based purchasing and price transparency; overall economic conditions and the ability of patients to pay for services; staffing challenges, including retention of a sufficient number and quality of healthcare professionals; compliance with the complex and extensive laws and regulations governing the healthcare industry; changes in laws and regulations, including as a result of health reform efforts; and healthcare technology initiatives, including those related to patient data and interoperability; and public health conditions. One or a combination of the factors above may adversely affect the volumes of brand name and generic pharmaceuticals we sell, our cost of sales associated with our retail pharmacy operations, and the net sales and gross margin of those operations or result in the loss of cross-store or cross-club selling opportunities. In addition, these and other factors may adversely affect the type, volume and mix of services we provide, the reimbursement we receive for health and wellness services rendered, and the scope and pace of expansion of Walmart Health and related offerings. Any of these developments could, in turn, adversely affect our overall net sales, other results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.
Brand / Reputation2 | 18.2%
Brand / Reputation - Risk 1
Our reputation may be adversely affected if we are not able to achieve our ESG goals.
We strive to deliver shared value through our business and our diverse stakeholders expect us to make significant progress in certain ESG priority issue areas. From time to time, we announce certain aspirations and goals relevant to our priority ESG issues. We periodically publish information about our ESG priorities, strategies, and progress on our corporate website and update our ESG reporting from time to time. Achievement of these aspirations and goals is subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, and it is possible that we may fail, or be perceived to have failed, in the achievement of our ESG goals or that certain of our customers, associates, shareholders, investors, suppliers, business partners, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations might not be satisfied with our goals or our efforts toward achieving those goals. Certain challenges we face in the achievement of our ESG objectives are also captured within our ESG reporting, which is not incorporated by reference into and does not form any part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. A failure or perceived failure to meet our goals could adversely affect public perception of our business, associate morale or customer or shareholder support.
Brand / Reputation - Risk 2
could materially adversely affect our reputation, market position, or our business and financial performance.
We operate in complex regulated environments in the U.S. and in other countries in which we operate and could be materially adversely affected by changes to existing legal requirements including the related interpretations and enforcement practices, new legal requirements and/or any failure to comply with applicable regulations. In addition, the degree of regulatory, political, and media scrutiny we face increases the likelihood that our efforts to adhere our practices and procedures to comply with these laws and legal requirements may be subject to frequent or increasing challenges. Our health and wellness operations in the U.S. and the operations of the Walmart Health locations are subject to numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations including, but not limited to, those related to: licensing, reimbursement arrangements, and other requirements and restrictions; registration and regulation of pharmacies; dispensing and sale of controlled substances and products containing pseudoephedrine; governmental and commercial reimbursement (including Medicare and Medicaid); data privacy and security and the sharing and interoperability of data, including obligations and restrictions related to health information (such as those imposed under HIPAA); billing and coding for healthcare services and properly handling overpayments; debt collection; necessity and adequacy of healthcare services; relationships with referral sources and referral recipients and other fraud and abuse issues, such as those addressed by anti-kickback and false claims laws and patient inducement regulations; qualification of healthcare practitioners; quality and standards of medical services and equipment; and the practice of the professions of pharmacy, medical, dental, and behavioral healthcare services, including limitations on the corporate practice of medicine in certain states. Health-related legislation at the federal and state level may have an adverse effect on our business or require us to modify certain aspects of our operations. For example, in the U.S., the Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA") and various other regulatory authorities regulate the purchase, distribution, maintenance and dispensing of pharmaceuticals and controlled substances. We are required to hold valid DEA and state-level licenses, meet various security and operating standards and comply with the federal and various state controlled substance acts and related regulations governing the sale, dispensing, disposal and holding of controlled substances. The DEA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and state regulatory authorities have broad enforcement powers, including the ability to seize or recall products and impose significant criminal, civil and administrative sanctions for violations of these laws and regulations. In addition, there has been recent heightened governmental and public scrutiny of pharmaceutical product pricing, which has resulted in federal and state legislation and regulations, executive orders and other initiatives and proposals designed to increase transparency in pharmaceutical product pricing and reform government program reimbursement methodologies (for example, the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes, among other matters, policies designed to impact drug prices and reduce drug spending by the federal government). Other health reform efforts at the federal and state levels may also impact our business or require us to modify certain aspects of our operations. We may not be able to predict the nature or success of reform initiatives, and the resulting uncertainties may have an adverse effect on our business. We are also governed by foreign, national and state laws and regulations of general applicability, including laws and regulations related to competition and antitrust matters; protection of the environment and health and safety matters, including exposure to, and the management and disposal of, hazardous substances; food and drug safety, including drug supply chain security requirements; trade, consumer protection, and safety, including the availability, sale, price label accuracy, advertisement, and promotion of products we sell and the financial services we offer (including through our digital channels, stores and clubs as well as our ONE fintech joint venture); anti-money laundering prohibitions; consumer financial protection laws; economic, trade, and other sanctions matters; licensure, certification, and enrollment with government programs; data privacy and security and the sharing and interoperability of data; working conditions, health and safety, equal employment opportunity, employee benefit and other labor and employment matters; and health and wellness related regulations for our pharmacy operations outside of the U.S. In addition, certain financial services we offer or make available are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, including those intended to help detect and prevent money laundering, fraud and other illicit activity as well as consumer financial protections laws and U.S. sanctions. Increasing governmental and societal attention to ESG matters, including expanding mandatory and voluntary reporting diligence, and disclosure topics such as climate change, sustainability (including with respect to our supply chain), natural resources, waste reduction, energy, human capital, and risk oversight could expand the nature, scope, and complexity of matters that we are required to control, assess, and report. Moreover, we are also subject to data privacy and protection laws regulating the collection, use, retention, disclosure, transfer and processing of personal information, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA"), which was significantly modified by the California Privacy Rights Act ("CPRA"), new comprehensive privacy legislation passed in Connecticut (the Connecticut Data Protection Act), Colorado (the Colorado Privacy Act), Utah (the Utah Privacy Act) and Virginia (the Consumer Data Protection Act), each of which go into effect in 2023, as well as other laws and regulations such as the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), the United Kingdom's General Data Protection Regulation (which implements the GDPR into U.K. law), China's Personal Information Protection Act, and similar legislation in Quebec (An Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information, SQ 2021, c 25). The potential effects of these laws are far-reaching, continue to evolve, and may require us to modify our data processing practices and policies and to incur substantial costs and expenses to comply. These and other privacy and cybersecurity laws may carry significant potential penalties for noncompliance. For example, in the case of non-compliance with a material provision of the GDPR (such as non-adherence to the core principles of processing personal data), regulators have the authority to levy a fine in an amount that is up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover in the prior year. These administrative fines are discretionary and based, in each case, on a multi-factored approach. Residents in jurisdictions with comprehensive privacy laws have expanded rights to access, correct and require deletion of their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used. Laws such as those in California, Connecticut, Colorado, Illinois, Utah, and Virginia may allow civil penalties for violations, and CCPA and CPRA provide a private right of action for data breaches. Furthermore, our marketing and customer engagement activities are subject to communications privacy laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. We may be subjected to penalties and other consequences for noncompliance, including changing some portions of our business. Even an unsuccessful challenge by customer or regulatory authorities of our activities could result in adverse publicity, impact our reputation and could require a costly response from and defense by us. The impact of new laws, regulations and policies and the related interpretations, as well as changes in enforcement practices or regulatory scrutiny as to existing laws and regulations (including, but not limited to, in the U.S., shifting enforcement priorities for existing antitrust, competition, and pricing laws, as well as proposed new rules and regulations) generally cannot be predicted, and changes in applicable laws, regulations and policies and the related interpretations and enforcement practices of existing laws and regulations may require extensive system and operational changes, be difficult to implement, increase our operating costs, require significant capital expenditures, or adversely impact the cost or attractiveness of the products or services we offer, or result in adverse publicity and harm our reputation. If we fail to predict or respond adequately to changes, including by implementing strategic and operational initiatives, or do not respond as effectively as our competitors, our business, operations, and financial performance may be adversely affected. In addition, we may face audits or investigations by one or more government agencies relating to our compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The regulatory, political, and media scrutiny we face, which may continue, amplifies these risks. To the extent a regulator or court disagrees with our interpretation of these laws and determines that our practices are not in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, we could be subject to civil and criminal penalties that could adversely affect the continued operation of our businesses, including: suspension of payments from government programs; loss of required licenses and certifications; loss of authorizations to participate in or exclusion from government programs, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs in the U.S.; termination from contractual relationships, including those with our drug suppliers and third-party payers; and significant fines or monetary damages. Failure to comply with applicable legal or regulatory requirements in the U.S. or in any of the countries in which we operate could result in significant legal and financial exposure, damage to our reputation, and have a material adverse effect on our business operations, financial position and results of operations.
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 2/11 (18%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights1 | 9.1%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
limit our shareholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, associates or shareholders in such capacity.
Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for claims, including derivative claims that are based upon a violation of a duty by a current or former director, officer, associate or shareholder in such capacity or as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction upon the Court of Chancery. The exclusive forum provision may increase the costs for a shareholder to bring a claim or limit a shareholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that the shareholder finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, associates or shareholders in such capacity, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our bylaws inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, the claims as to which they are intended to apply, then we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial position or results of operations. While the exclusive forum provision applies to state and federal law claims, our shareholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with, and the exclusive forum provision will not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for actions brought under, the federal securities laws, including the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Accounting & Financial Operations1 | 9.1%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
Failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance could adversely affect the market price and volatility of our stock.
We believe that the price of our stock generally reflects high market expectations for our future operating results. Any failure to meet or delay in meeting these expectations, including our consolidated net sales, consolidated operating income, capital expenditures, comparable store and club sales growth rates, eCommerce growth rates, gross margin, or earnings and adjusted earnings per share could cause the market price of our stock to decline, as could changes in our dividend or stock repurchase programs or policies, changes in our effective tax rates, changes in our financial estimates and recommendations by securities analysts or, failure of Walmart's performance to compare favorably to that of other retailers may have a negative effect on the price of our stock.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 2/11 (18%)Below Sector Average
Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 9.1%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We are subject to risks related to litigation and other legal proceedings that may materially adversely affect our results of operations, financial position and liquidity.
We operate in a highly regulated and litigious environment. We are involved in legal proceedings, including litigation, arbitration and other claims, and investigations, inspections, audits, claims, inquiries and similar actions by pharmacy, healthcare, tax, environmental and other governmental authorities. We may also have indemnification obligations for legal commitments of certain businesses we have divested. Legal proceedings, in general, and securities, derivative action and class action and multi-district litigation, in particular, can be expensive and disruptive. Some of these suits may purport or may be determined to be class actions and/or involve parties seeking large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages, and may remain unresolved for several years. For example, we are currently a defendant in a number of cases containing class or collective-action allegations, or both, in which the plaintiffs have brought claims under federal and state wage and hour laws, as well as a number of cases containing class-action allegations in which the plaintiffs have brought claims under federal and state consumer laws. The Company has been responding to subpoenas, information requests and investigations from governmental entities related to nationwide controlled substance dispensing and distribution practices involving opioids and also is a defendant in numerous litigation proceedings related to opioids, including the consolidated multidistrict litigation entitled In re National Prescription Opiate Litigation (MDL No. 2804) currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Similar cases that name the Company also have been filed in state courts by state, local and tribal governments, healthcare providers and other plaintiffs. Plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief including abatement. The Company cannot predict the number of such claims that may be filed, and cannot reasonably estimate any loss or range of loss that may arise from such claims and the related opioid matters. In addition, in July 2021, the Directorate of Enforcement in India issued a show cause notice to Flipkart and other parties requesting the recipients show cause as to why further proceedings under India's Foreign Direct Investment rules and regulations should not be initiated against them based on alleged violations that related to a period prior to the Company's acquisition of a majority stake in Flipkart in 2018. The Company can provide no assurance as to the scope or outcome of any proceeding that might result from the notice, the amount of proceeds the Company may receive in indemnification, and can provide no assurance as to whether there will be a material adverse effect to its business or its consolidated financial statements. The Company is also a defendant in litigation with the Federal Trade Commission regarding the Company's money transfer agent services and is also cooperating with and responding to subpoenas issued by the U.S Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the Company's consumer fraud prevention program and anti-money laundering compliance related to the Company's money transfer services, where Walmart is an agent. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of the litigation or investigations or any other related actions by governmental entities regarding these matters and can provide no assurance as to the scope and outcome of these matters and whether its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows will not be materially adversely affected. We discuss in more detail these cases and other litigation to which we are party below under the caption "Item 3. Legal Proceedings" and in in the "Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements," which are part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 9.1%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Changes in tax and trade laws and regulations could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
In fiscal 2023, our Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club operating segments generated approximately 83% of our consolidated net sales. Significant changes in tax and trade policies, including tariffs and government regulations affecting trade between the U.S. and other countries where we source many of the products we sell in our stores and clubs could have an adverse effect on our business and financial performance. A significant portion of the general merchandise we sell in our U.S. stores and clubs is manufactured in other countries. Any such actions including the imposition of further tariffs on imports could increase the cost to us of such merchandise (whether imported directly or indirectly) and cause increases in the prices at which we sell such merchandise to our customers, which could materially adversely affect the financial performance of our U.S. and international operations as well as our business. We are subject to income taxes and other taxes in both the U.S. and the foreign jurisdictions in which we currently operate or have historically operated. The determination of our worldwide provision for income taxes and current and deferred tax assets and liabilities requires judgment and estimation. Our income taxes could be materially adversely affected by earnings being lower than anticipated in jurisdictions that have lower statutory tax rates and higher than anticipated in jurisdictions that have higher statutory tax rates, by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, or by changes in worldwide tax laws, tax rates, regulations or accounting principles. We are also exposed to future tax legislation, as well as the issuance of future regulations and changes in administrative interpretations of existing tax laws, any of which can impact our current and future years' tax provision. The effect of such changes in tax law could have a material effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. In the U.S., the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "Tax Act") significantly changed federal income tax laws that affect U.S. corporations. As further guidance is issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS, and other standard-setting bodies, any resulting changes in our estimates will be treated in accordance with the relevant accounting guidance. Compliance with the Tax Act and any other new tax rules, regulations, guidance, and interpretations, including collecting information not regularly produced by the Company or unexpected changes in our estimates, may require us to incur additional costs and could affect our results of operations. In addition, legislatures and taxing authorities in many jurisdictions in which we operate may enact changes to or seek to enforce novel interpretations of their tax rules. These changes could include modifications that have temporary effect and more permanent changes. For example, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the "OECD"), the European Union and other countries (including countries in which we operate) have committed to enacting substantial changes to numerous long-standing tax principles impacting how large multinational enterprises are taxed. In particular, the OECD's Pillar Two initiative introduces a 15% global minimum tax applied on a country-by-country basis and for which many jurisdictions have now committed to an effective enactment date starting January 1, 2024. The impact of these potential new rules as well as any other changes in domestic and international tax rules and regulations could have a material effect on our effective tax rate. Furthermore, we are subject to regular review and audit by both domestic and foreign tax authorities as well as subject to the prospective and retrospective effects of changing tax regulations and legislation. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the ultimate tax outcome may materially differ from the tax amounts recorded in our Consolidated Financial Statements and may materially affect our income tax provision, net income, or cash flows in the period or periods for which such determination and settlement is made.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 2/11 (18%)Above Sector Average
International Operations1 | 9.1%
International Operations - Risk 1
Our international operations subject us to legislative, judicial, accounting, legal, regulatory, tax, political and economic risks and conditions specific to the countries or regions in which we operate, which could materially adversely affect our business or financial performance.
In addition to our U.S. operations, we operate retail and eCommerce businesses in Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India and Mexico. During fiscal 2023, our Walmart International operations generated approximately 17% of our consolidated net sales. Walmart International's operations in various countries also source goods and services from other countries. Our future operating results in these countries could be negatively affected by a variety of factors, most of which are beyond our control. These factors include political conditions, including political instability, local and global economic conditions, legal and regulatory constraints (such as regulation of product and service offerings including regulatory restrictions (such as foreign ownership restrictions) on eCommerce and retail operations in international markets, such as India), restrictive governmental actions (such as trade protection measures or nationalization), antitrust and competition law regulatory matters (such as the competition investigations currently underway in Mexico related to our subsidiary Wal-Mart de Mexico, in Canada related to our subsidiary Wal-Mart Canada and competition proceedings in India related to our Flipkart subsidiary),local product safety and environmental laws, tax regulations, local labor laws, anti-money laundering laws and regulations, trade policies, foreign exchange or currency regulations, laws and regulations regarding consumer and data protection, and other matters in any of the countries or regions in which we operate, now or in the future. The economies of some of the countries in which we have operations have in the past suffered from high rates of inflation and currency devaluations, which, if they occurred again, could adversely affect our financial performance. Other factors which may impact our international operations include foreign trade, monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. and of other countries, laws, regulations and other activities of foreign governments, agencies and similar organizations, and risks associated with having numerous facilities located in countries that have historically been less stable than the U.S. Additional risks inherent in our international operations generally include, among others, the costs and difficulties of managing international operations, adverse tax consequences and greater difficulty in enforcing intellectual property rights in countries other than the U.S. The various risks inherent in doing business in the U.S. generally also exist when doing business outside of the U.S., and may be exaggerated by the difficulty of doing business in numerous sovereign jurisdictions due to differences in culture, geopolitical tensions or events, laws and regulations. In foreign countries in which we have operations, a risk exists that our associates, contractors or agents could, in contravention of our policies, engage in business practices prohibited by U.S. laws and regulations applicable to us, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or the laws and regulations of other countries. We maintain a global policy prohibiting such business practices and have in place a global anti-corruption compliance program designed to ensure compliance with these laws and regulations. Nevertheless, we remain subject to the risk that one or more of our associates, contractors or agents, including those based in or from countries where practices that violate such U.S. laws and regulations or the laws and regulations of other countries may be customary, will engage in business practices that are prohibited by our policies, circumvent our compliance programs and, by doing so, violate such laws and regulations. Any such violations, even if prohibited by our internal policies, could adversely affect our business or financial performance and our reputation.
Capital Markets1 | 9.1%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates may materially adversely affect our financial performance and our reported results of operations.
Our operations in countries other than the U.S. are conducted primarily in the local currencies of those countries. Our Consolidated Financial Statements are denominated in U.S. dollars, and to prepare those financial statements we must translate the amounts of the assets, liabilities, net sales, other revenues and expenses of our operations outside of the U.S. from local currencies into U.S. dollars using exchange rates for the current period. In recent years, fluctuations in currency exchange rates that were unfavorable have had adverse effects on our reported results of operations. As a result of such translations, fluctuations in currency exchange rates from period-to-period that are unfavorable to us may also result in our Consolidated Financial Statements reflecting significant adverse period-over-period changes in our financial performance or reflecting a period-over-period improvement in our financial performance that is not as robust as it would be without such fluctuations in the currency exchange rates. Such unfavorable currency exchange rate fluctuations will adversely affect the reported performance of our Walmart International operating segment and have a corresponding adverse effect on our reported consolidated results of operations. We may pay for products we purchase for sale in our stores and clubs around the world with a currency other than the local currency of the country in which the goods will be sold. When we must acquire the currency to pay for such products and the exchange rates for the payment currency fluctuate in a manner unfavorable to us, our cost of sales may increase and we may be unable or unwilling to change the prices at which we sell those goods to address that increase in our costs, with a corresponding adverse effect on our gross profit. Consequently, unfavorable fluctuations in currency exchange rates have and may continue to adversely affect our results of operations.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 1/11 (9%)Below Sector Average
Cyber Security1 | 9.1%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Any failure to maintain the privacy or security of the information relating to our company, customers, members, associates, business partners and vendors, whether as a result of cyberattacks on our information systems or otherwise, could damage our reputation, result in litigation or other legal actions against us, result in fines, penalties, and liability, cause us to incur substantial additional costs, and materially adversely affect our business and operating results.
Like most retailers, we receive and store in our information systems personal information and/or payment information about our customers and members, and we also receive and store information concerning our associates and vendors. In addition, our health and wellness business operations, the Walmart Health locations, and third-party service providers who handle information on our behalf, store and maintain personal health information. Some of this information is stored digitally in connection with the digital platforms and technologies that we use to conduct and facilitate our various businesses. We utilize third-party service providers for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, for digital storage technology, content delivery to customers and members, back-office support, and other functions. Such providers may have access to information we hold about our customers, members, associates, business partners or vendors. In addition, our eCommerce operations depend upon the secure transmission of confidential information over public networks, including information permitting cashless payments. Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and those threats and the means for obtaining access to information in digital and other storage media are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent. Attacks against information systems and devices, whether our own or those of our third-party service providers, create risk of cybersecurity incidents, including ransomware, malware, or phishing incidents. We expect to continue to experience such attempted attacks in the future. Cyberattacks and threat actors can be sponsored by particular countries or sophisticated criminal organizations or be the work of hackers with a wide range of motives and expertise. We and the businesses with which we interact have experienced and continue to experience threats to data and systems, including by perpetrators of random or targeted malicious cyberattacks, computer viruses, phishing incidents, worms, bot attacks, ransomware or other destructive or disruptive software and attempts to misappropriate customer information, including credit card and payment information, and cause system failures and disruptions. Mitigation and remediation recommendations continue to evolve, and addressing vulnerabilities is a priority for us. The increased use of remote work infrastructure in recent years has also increased the possible attack surfaces. Some of our systems and third-party service providers' systems have experienced security incidents or breaches and although they have not had a material adverse effect on our operating results, there can be no assurance of a similar result in the future. Associate error or malfeasance, faulty password management, social engineering or other vulnerabilities and irregularities may also result in a defeat of our or our third-party service providers' security measures and a compromise or breach of our or their information systems. Moreover, hardware, software or applications we use may have inherent vulnerabilities or defects of design, manufacture or operations or could be inadvertently or intentionally implemented or used in a manner that could compromise information security. Any compromise of our data security systems or of those of businesses with which we interact, which results in confidential information being accessed, obtained, damaged, disclosed, destroyed, modified, lost or used by unauthorized persons could harm our reputation and expose us to regulatory actions (including, with respect to health information, liability under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or "HIPAA"), customer attrition, remediation expenses, and claims from customers, members, associates, vendors, financial institutions, payment card networks and other persons, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business operations, financial position and results of operations. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently and may not immediately produce signs of a compromise, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures and we or our third-party service providers may not discover any security event, breach, vulnerability or compromise of information for a significant period of time after the security incident occurs. To the extent that any cyberattack, ransomware or incursion in our or one of our third-party service provider's information systems results in the loss, damage, misappropriation or other compromise of information, we may be materially adversely affected by claims from customers, members, financial institutions, regulatory authorities, payment card networks and others. Our compliance programs, information technology, and enterprise risk management efforts cannot eliminate all systemic risk. Disruptions in our systems caused by security incidents, breaches or cyberattacks – including attacks on those parties we do business with (such as strategic partners, suppliers, banks, or utility companies) – could harm our ability to conduct our operations, which may have a material effect on us, may result in losses that could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations, or may have a cascading effect that adversely impacts our partners, third-party service providers, customers, members, financial services firms, and other third parties that we interact with on a regular basis. Our reputation with our customers and members is important to the success of our enterprise strategy, which combines traditional retail, membership models, marketplaces, financial services, healthcare, and other customer and business services into a series of interconnected assets to make it seamless for customers to interact with us. Security-related events could be widely publicized and could materially adversely affect our reputation with our customers, members, associates, vendors and shareholders, could harm our competitive position particularly with respect to our eCommerce operations, and could result in a material reduction in our net sales in our eCommerce operations, as well as in our stores thereby materially adversely affecting our operations, net sales, results of operations, financial position, cash flows and liquidity. Such events could also result in the release to the public of confidential information about our operations and financial position and performance and could result in litigation or other legal actions against us or the imposition of penalties, fines, fees or liabilities, which may not be covered by our insurance policies. Moreover, a security compromise or ransomware event could require us to devote significant management resources to address the problems created by the issue and to expend significant additional resources to upgrade further the security measures we employ to guard personal and confidential information against cyberattacks and other attempts to access or otherwise compromise such information and could result in a disruption of our operations, particularly our digital operations. We accept payments using a variety of methods, including cash, checks, credit and debit cards, electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, mobile payments, and our private label credit cards and gift cards, and we may offer new payment options over time, which may have information security risk implications. As a retailer accepting debit and credit cards for payment, we are subject to various industry data protection standards and protocols, such as payment network security operating guidelines and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. We cannot be certain that the security measures we maintain to protect all of our information technology systems are able to prevent, contain or detect cyberattacks, cyberterrorism, security incidents, breaches, or other compromises from known malware or ransomware or other threats that may be developed in the future. In certain circumstances, our contracts with payment card processors and payment card networks (such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover) generally require us to adhere to payment card network rules which could make us liable to payment card issuers and others if information in connection with payment cards and payment card transactions that we process is compromised, which liabilities could be substantial. Additionally, through various financial service partners and our ONE fintech joint venture, we offer various services such as money transfers, digital payment platforms, bill payment, money orders, check cashing, prepaid access, co-branded credits cards, installment lending, and earned wage access. These products and services require us to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including privacy, authentication and tokenization, global anti-money laundering and sanctions laws and regulations as well as international, federal and state consumer financial laws and regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in fines, sanctions, penalties and harm to our reputation. The Company also has compliance obligations associated with privacy laws enacted to protect and regulate the collection, use, retention, disclosure and transfer of personal information, which include liability for security and privacy breaches. Among other obligations, breaches may trigger obligations under international, federal and state laws to notify affected individuals, government agencies and the media. Consequently, cybersecurity attacks that cause a data breach could subject us to fines, sanctions and other legal liability and harm our reputation.
Production
Total Risks: 1/11 (9%)Below Sector Average
Employment / Personnel1 | 9.1%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
Our failure to attract and retain qualified associates, increases in wage and benefit costs, changes in laws and other labor issues could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
Our ability to continue to conduct and expand our operations depends on our ability to attract and retain a large and growing number of qualified associates globally. Our ability to meet our labor needs, including our ability to find qualified personnel to fill positions that become vacant at our existing stores, clubs, distribution and fulfillment centers and corporate offices, while controlling our associate wage and related labor costs, is generally subject to numerous external factors, including the availability of a sufficient number of qualified persons in the work force of the markets in which we operate, unemployment levels within those markets, prevailing wage rates, changing demographics, health and other insurance costs and adoption of new or revised employment and labor laws and regulations. Additionally, our ability to successfully execute organizational changes, including our enterprise strategy and management transitions within the Company's senior leadership, and to effectively motivate and retain associates are critical to our business success. We compete for talent with other retail and non-retail businesses, including, for example, technology, health and wellness, and fintech businesses, and invest significant resources in training and motivating our associates. Increased competition among potential employers at all levels, including senior management and executive levels, could result in increased associate costs or make it more difficult to recruit and retain associates. If we are unable to locate, attract or retain qualified personnel, or manage leadership transition successfully, the quality of service we provide to our customers may decrease and our financial performance may be adversely affected. In addition, if our costs of labor or related costs increase for other reasons or if new, revised, or novel interpretations of existing labor laws, rules or regulations or healthcare laws are adopted or implemented that further increase our labor costs, our financial performance could be materially adversely affected.
See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
    The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
      They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
        It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
          How do companies disclose their risk factors?
          Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
            Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
              Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
                According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
                  How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
                  Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
                    You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
                      Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
                        A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
                          What are all the risk factor categories?
                          TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
                          1. Financial & Corporate
                          • Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
                          • Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
                          • Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
                          • Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
                          2. Legal & Regulatory
                          • Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
                          • Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
                          • Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
                          • Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
                          3. Production
                          • Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
                          • Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
                          • Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
                          • Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
                          4. Technology & Innovation
                          • Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
                          • Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
                          • Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
                          • Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
                          5. Ability to Sell
                          • Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
                          • Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
                          • Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
                          • Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
                          6. Macro & Political
                          • Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
                          • Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
                          • International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
                          • Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.