Walmart, among the world's largest companies by market capitalization, was founded by Sam Walton in 1962.
Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, on July 2, 1962. The business initially emphasized low prices and high sales volume, a strategy that helped it expand rapidly in smaller communities before moving into larger markets.
The company’s roots predate the Walmart name. Sam and Bud Walton operated variety stores through the Ben Franklin chain, and Sam Walton opened his first Ben Franklin franchise in Newport, Arkansas, in 1945. Walmart was incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., in 1969 and became a publicly traded company in 1970.
The name was officially changed from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., to Walmart Inc. in 2018. The year 1962 therefore refers to the opening of the first Walmart store, not the later incorporation or stock-market listing. That distinction helps explain why different dates can appear in company histories.