Wal-Mart offers dividend growth and value

Article Excerpt

WAL-MART STORES INC. $67 (New York symbol WMT; Conservative Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 3.1 billion; Market cap: $207.7 billion; Dividend yield: 3.0%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.walmart.com) is the world’s biggest retailer, with 11,633 outlets in 28 countries. These stores serve a total of 260 million customers each week. The company’s 4,664 locations in the U.S. supply 64% of its overall sales. In 1991, Wal-Mart opened its first store outside of the U.S. through a joint venture with a Mexican retailer. Its international division (24% of total sales) now operates 6,313 stores in 27 countries. The remaining 12% of the company’s sales comes from its Sam’s Club warehouse stores; they sell a variety of goods at wholesale prices. There are currently 656 Sam’s Club locations in the U.S. and other countries. 42 years of rising dividends Wal-Mart has increased its annual dividend rate every year since 1974. It last raised its quarterly dividend by 2.0% with the April 2016 payment…