Retail giant Walmart Inc WMT opened its first store in 1962 in Arkansas and has since expanded to have more than 10,500 stores across the U.S. and around the world.
The company is one of the largest retailers and companies in the world today, a move that may have been helped by going public in 1970.
Here's a look at how much an investment in Walmart at the time of its IPO could be worth today.
What Happened: Walmart opened its first store in July 1962 and in five years had 24 stores doing $12 million in annual sales. Today, the company is one of the largest retailers and constantly expanding into new areas and evolving its technology.
Incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores in 1969, the company laid out a plan to expand nationally in the 1970s. To help with expansion and financials, the company decided to publicly list its shares.
"We wanted to expand, and we realized we weren't generating enough profits both to expand and to pay off our debts …. (Bud and I) agreed to seriously explore the possibilities of going public. It was a huge step for us," Walmart co-founderSamWaltonsaid.
Walmart held its initial price offering Oct.1, 1970 with shares priced at $16.50 and traded over-the-counter. Shares quadrupled in two years and were later uplisted to the New York Stock Exchange on Aug. 25, 1972.
The rest, as they say, is history, with Walmart shares enjoying a strong return over the years and the company expanding nationally and internationally to become a top global brand, even topping the Fortune 500 list for many years as the top revenue generating public company.
Related Link: Walmart’s Store Managers Stand To Gain $20K In Stock Annually, Exceeding $525K In Total Compensation
Investing $1,000 In Walmart IPO:Walmart offered shares for $16.50 on Oct. 1, 1970 for its IPO. A $1,000 investment could have purchased 60.61 shares of Walmart stock.
Over the years, Walmart had had 11 2-for-1 stock splits, doubling the number of shares on each occasion. The 60.61 shares would have turned into 124,129.28 shares after the stock splits.
The $1,000 investment in Walmart stock at IPO would be worth $20,785,447.94 today based on a price of $167.45 for Walmart at the time of writing.
This represents a strong hypothetical return and doesn't take into account the quarterly dividend payments that Walmart has paid out since 1974 that would add to the overall return.
Walmart recently announced it would be splitting shares again. While a stock split doesn't mean the valuation will go up, it could continue a tradition of the company growing its stock price and valuation over time.
Read Next: Analysts Adjust Walmart Estimates: Mixed Responses To Q3 Results with Focus On Sales Growth & Expense Concerns
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FAQs
This was Walmart's first official meeting of shareholders. In its initial public offering (IPO), Walmart stock debuted at $15 per share. With an increase to $16.50, the six shareholders had reason to smile! The IPO was a success.
How much was $1000 in Walmart stock in 1970? ›
Investing $1,000 In Walmart IPO: Walmart offered shares for $16.50 on Oct. 1, 1970 for its IPO. A $1,000 investment could have purchased 60.61 shares of Walmart stock.
How do I find out how much Walmart stock I have? ›
Stock Information for Private Investors
If you are a private investor and wish to access your personal Walmart stock information, including how to sell or purchase stock, account history, and address changes, please call a Computershare, Transfer Agent at 1-800-438-6278.
How much will Walmart stock be worth in 5 years? ›
Walmart stock price stood at $65.38
According to the latest long-term forecast, Walmart price will hit $90 by the end of 2024 and then $100 by the middle of 2025. Walmart will rise to $110 within the year of 2027, $125 in 2028, $150 in 2029 and $200 in 2035.
Who owns the biggest stock in Walmart? ›
FAQ. Jim Walton owns the most shares of Walmart (WMT).
What was Walmart's stock price at it's IPO in 1969? ›
WMT long-term stock history data by YCharts, Wal-Mart has had 11 two-for-one stock splits since its initial public offering, so that 100 shares purchased at the IPO price of $16.50 (for a total investment of $16,500) would today amount to over 200,000 shares and $14 million of equity.
Is investing in Walmart stock a good idea? ›
From fiscal 2024 to fiscal 2026, analysts expect Walmart's revenue to rise at a CAGR of 4% as its EPS grows at a CAGR of 35%. Its stock still looks reasonably valued at 26 times forward earnings, its dividend offers a decent forward yield of 1.4%, and management has raised the payout annually for 51 consecutive years.
How much was a share of Walmart stock in 1980? ›
Compare WMT With Other Stocks
| Walmart Historical Annual Stock Price Data |
|---|
| Year | Average Stock Price | Year Close |
|---|
| 1982 | 0.0942 | 0.1569 |
| 1981 | 0.0582 | 0.0668 |
| 1980 | 0.0328 | 0.0476 |
49 more rowsKroger (KR) had the highest return in 1970 by a US stock, returning 37.8%.
| ASSET | YEAR | % RETURN |
|---|
| Chevron (CVX) | 1970 | 13.6% |
| Consolidated Edison (ED) | 1970 | 10.91% |
| McDonald's (MCD) | 1970 | 7.9% |
| Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT) | 1970 | 6.67% |
20 more rowsHow do I sell or transfer my stock, change the address on my stock account or replace a lost stock certificate? When you want to sell or transfer shares, update your mailing address or replace a lost stock certificate contact Computershare at 800-438-6278 or log in to your account at www.computershare.com/walmart.
What Are The Steps To Sell Stocks On Computershare?
- Step 1: Open A Computershare Account. ...
- Step 2: Locate Your Stock Holdings. ...
- Step 3: Select The Stocks You Want To Sell. ...
- Step 4: Choose The Type Of Sale. ...
- Step 5: Set The Price And Confirm The Sale. ...
- Step 6: Receive Confirmation And Payment.
Is WMT a Buy, Sell or Hold? Walmart has a consensus rating of Strong Buy which is based on 25 buy ratings, 4 hold ratings and 0 sell ratings. The average price target for Walmart is $70.76. This is based on 29 Wall Streets Analysts 12-month price targets, issued in the past 3 months.
Which stock is splitting in 2024? ›
Nvidia's 10-for-1 stock split confirms 'Big Tech is going bite-sized' to lure retail investors—and it might signal more market-beating returns, BofA says. Jensen Huang, cofounder and CEO of Nvidia, at the Dell Technologies World conference in Las Vegas, May 20, 2024.
What will Walmart stock be worth in 2025? ›
Long-Term Walmart Stock Price Predictions
| Year | Prediction | Change |
|---|
| 2025 | $ 70.76 | 8.24% |
| 2026 | $ 76.59 | 17.15% |
| 2027 | $ 82.90 | 26.80% |
| 2028 | $ 89.73 | 37.24% |
2 more rowsMore Collections >
| Name | 3Y Return | 5Y Return |
|---|
| Reliance Industries Ltd | 64.87% | 147.21% |
| Tata Consultancy Services Ltd | 26.35% | 90.11% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd | 165.73% | 296.33% |
| ICICI Bank Ltd | 75.25% | 162.77% |
8 more rowsThe closing price for Walmart (WMT) in 1994 was $2.23, on December 30, 1994.
What was the price of Walmart stock in 2000? ›
The closing price for Walmart (WMT) in 2000 was $11.56, on December 29, 2000. It was down 21.9% for the year.
What was the IPO price of Amazon? ›
When did Amazon go public and at what price? Amazon went public on May 15, 1997, and the IPO price was $18.00, or $0.075 adjusted for the stocks splits that occurred on June 2, 1998 (2-for-1 split), January 5, 1999 (3-for-1 split), and September 1, 1999 (2-for-1 split), and June 3, 2022 (20-for-1 split).
