Walmart de México y Centroamérica

Wal-Mart de México S.A.B. de C.V.
Sociedad Anónima Bursátil de Capital Variable
Traded as BMV: WALMEX V
OTCQX: WMMVY
Industry Retail
Founded 1952
Headquarters Mexico City, Mexico
Key people
 Jerónimo Arango, co-founder
Scot Rank, (CEO)
Eduardo Solórzano Morales, (Chairman)
Revenue Increase US$31.7 billion (2012)
Increase US$1.7 billion (2012)
Owner Walmart (70.5%)[1]
Number of employees
 219,767
Subsidiaries Bodega Aurrerá
Website www.walmartmexico.com.mx

Walmart's Mexico division, the largest outside the U.S. as of October 31, 2016, consists of 2,379[2] stores around the country, including 256 Walmart Supercenters stores and 160 Sam's Club stores. It has been traded in the Mexican Stock Exchange since 1977 (as Cifra).[3] Wal-Mart de México y Centroamérica is the biggest retailer in Latin America.

The company was founded in 1952 as Cifra by Jerónimo Arango. In 1991, Cifra and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. signed a joint venture agreement. This agreement allowed cooperation between the two companies and the opening of Walmart stores and Sam's Clubs in Mexico. In 1997, Walmart increased its stake by acquiring 51% of Cifra. Cifra was renamed Wal-Mart de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. Walmart again increased its stake in Wal-Mart de Mexico to 60% in April 2000.[4] After completing the acquisition of Walmart's operations in Central America in January 2010, Walmart Mexico changed its name to Walmart de Mexico y Centroamérica.

In 1999 they continued expressing their aggressive position: Following the implementation of NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement]; Grupo CIFRA initiates Mexico's first duty-free importation of fresh Canadian Beef from Biological Farm Management Systems (BFMS) Inc., an Alberta, CANADA export company.

As of October 31, 2016, Walmart operated 2,379 retail outlets in Mexico, under the Walmart Supercenter, Superama, Suburbia, Zona Suburbia, Sam's Club, Bodega Aurrerá, Mi Bodega Aurrera, Bodega Aurrera Express, and Farmacia de Walmart banners. As of 2012, the company was Mexico's largest private sector employer with 209,000 employees. Approximately one-fifth of Walmart stores in the world are in Mexico.[5] It competes with Soriana, Comercial Mexicana, Chedraui, H-E-B, Casa Ley, and S-Mart.

Walmex's restaurant division, Vips, was acquired by the Mexican restaurant company, Alsea, in September 2013 for around $626 million.[6]

International expansion

Walmart Centroamérica

In 2005, Walmart entered the Central American market by acquiring 33% of Central American Retail Holding Company (CARHCO) from Dutch retailer Royal Ahold NV. CARHCO operated stores in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua. In 2006, Walmart increased its stake to 51% and changed the name to Walmart Centroamérica.

Walmart de Mexico y Centroamérica

In December 2009, Walmart de México acquired 43% of Walmart Centroamérica from Walmart Stores Inc and 40% from two minority partners, paying over $1.4 billion pesos (approximately $110 million USD) in cash and shares. In early 2010, the transaction was completed and Walmart de México was renamed Walmart de México y Centroamérica. In Mexico, WalMart has 2,369 stores, including 256 Walmart Supercenter stores, and 161 Sam's Club stores.

Labor relations

In 2008, a Mexican court ruled that Wal-Mart de Mexico could not pay its employees in vouchers redeemable only at the store,[7] as it violated an article of the country's Constitution.

Bribery investigations

An April 2012 investigative report in The New York Times reported that a former executive of Walmart de Mexico alleged that, in September 2005, Walmart de Mexico had paid bribes via local fixers called gestores to officials throughout Mexico in order to obtain construction permits, information, and other favors. Walmart investigators found credible evidence that Mexican and American laws had been broken. Concerns were raised that Walmart executives in the United States "hushed up" the allegations.[8] Reportedly, bribes were given to rapidly obtain construction permits, which gave Walmart a substantial advantage over its business competitors.[5] A follow-up investigation by The New York Times, published December 17, 2012, revealed evidence that regulatory permission for siting, construction, and operation of nineteen stores had been obtained through bribery. There was evidence that a bribe of $52,000 was paid to change a zoning map, which enabled the opening of a Walmart store a mile from a historical site in San Juan Teotihuacán.[9] After the initial article was released, Walmart released a statement denying the allegations and describing its anti-corruption policy. While an official Walmart report states that they found no evidence of corruption, the article alleges that previous internal reports had indeed turned up such evidence before the story became public.[10] Forbes magazine contributor, Adam Hartung, also alluded that the bribery scandal was a reflection of Walmart’s “serious management and strategy troubles,” stating, “[s]candals are now commonplace… [e]ach scandal points out that Walmart’s strategy is harder to navigate and is running into big problems."[8]

As of December 2012, internal investigations ongoing into possible violations of the Federal Corrupt Practices Act.[11] Walmart has invested $99 million in the internal investigations, which have expanded beyond Mexico to implicate operations in China, Brazil, and India.[12][13] The case has added fuel to the debate as to whether foreign investment will result in increased prosperity, or if it merely allows local retail trade and economic policy to be taken over by "foreign financial and corporate interests."[14][15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.4-traders.com/WAL-MART-STORES-INC-4841/company/. Retrieved 2016-10-25. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ "Information for Walmart Investors: Unit Counts & Square Footage". November 17, 2016.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Wal-Mart de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. History" listing on Funding Universe.Com
  5. 1 2 David Barstow (April 21, 2012). "Vast Mexican Bribery Case Hushed Up by Wal-Mart After High-Level Struggle". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  6. ↑ Elinor Comlay (10 September 2013). "Mexico's Alsea to buy Walmex restaurant chain for 8.2 billion pesos". Reuters.
  7. ↑ http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/09/mexico-supreme-court-orders-wal-mart-to.php
  8. 1 2 Hartung, Adam. "WalMart's Mexican Bribery Scandal Will Sink It Like an Iceberg Sank the Titanic". Forbes. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  9. ↑ James C. McKinley, Jr. (September 28, 2004). "No, the Conquistadors Are Not Back. It's Just Wal-Mart.". The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  10. ↑ Lydia Dishman (April 22, 2012). "What Walmart Might Do With Allegations of Bribery in Mexico". Forbes.com. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  11. ↑ David Barstow; Alejandra Xanic von Bertrab (December 17, 2012). "The Bribery Aisle: How Wal-Mart Used Payoffs to Get Its Way in Mexico". The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  12. ↑ Brown, Abram (15 November 2012). "Wal-Mart Bribery Probe Expands Past Mexico To Brazil, China And India". Forbes. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  13. ↑ Cilfford, Stephanie; Barstow, David (15 November 2012). "Wal-Mart Inquiry Reflects Alarm on Corruption". New York Times. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  14. ↑ Sharma, Malavika (5 December 2012). "India Government Agency Proves Wal-Mart Investments". Bloomberg. Retrieved 28 December. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  15. ↑ Thirani, Neha; Kumar, Hari (7 December 2012). "Fact-Checking the F.D.I. Debates". New York Times / International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
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