Walmart Outlines 2017 Baltimore Investment Plans

Baltimore, MD, May 25, 2017— Walmart today announced its full-year investment plan for Baltimore, MD building on continued positive momentum in U.S. sales, customer traffic and customer feedback. In addition, the company is detailing the state and local information in its 10th annual Global Responsibility Report, highlighting the company’s progress during fiscal year 2017 in advancing the key areas of opportunity and community.

2017 Maryland Innovations and Investments

Walmart’s most recent earnings report shows continued positive momentum in U.S. sales, customer traffic and customer feedback, which is attributed to many of the innovations and investments the company has been making in store operations and its workforce.

Walmart is planning the following investments in Maryland this year:

• Open 1 new store Washington County, creating more than 300 new jobs.
• Multi-million dollar capital investments in improving existing stores/clubs by remodeling more than 8 locations across the state, including 4 in the Baltimore area.

“2017 is going to be an exciting year for Walmart in Maryland as we continue to focus on how to better serve our customers through innovation and investments so they can save both time and money,” said Doug Yeakey, Market Manager for Walmart in Maryland. “We’ve had a sharp focus on making our store experience second to none and our customers are telling us that our plan is working. Our team is energized and we’re looking forward to exceeding our customer’s expectations for what a great Walmart shopping experience can be like.”

Walmart’s 2017 investment plans build on Walmart’s growth last year in Maryland. 2016 Highlights included:

• Opened 1 new store and added 150 new jobs
• Remodeled 7 stores across the state
• Launched Online Grocery Pickup Service in Baltimore-area 3 markets
• Launched Walmart Pay statewide
• Raised over $273,000 for Children’s Miracle Network
• Granted $200,000 to the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation

The following illustrates Walmart’s local impact on key issues in the Global Responsibility Report:

Opportunity: Associate Training, Education and Wages

Walmart is addressing barriers that can impede career advancement for associates. In FY2017, Walmart completed a $2.7 billion investment in U.S. associates that included increases in training, education and higher wages. Maryland achievements include:

• Awarding a total of more than $8,400,000 in quarterly bonuses to Maryland associates in FY17.
• Continuing its commitment to hire military veterans for a total of more than 1,800 veterans hired in Maryland since launching the Walmart Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in May 2013.

Community: Making a Difference & Giving Back

In FY2017, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation invested more than $1.4 billion in communities worldwide, including more than $6,570,000 in cash and in-kind contributions to non-profits throughout Maryland.

Baltimore-area non-profits awarded grants from the Walmart State Giving Program, one of several Foundation giving programs that play an essential role in the Foundation’s mission to create opportunities so people can live better, include:

• Living Classrooms Foundation: $75,000 to support Project Serve, a major community service and job-training initiative that provides on-the-job training for unemployed and disadvantaged young adults in marketable skills while they revitalize Baltimore neighborhoods.
• Baltimore Children’s Museum: $25,000 to support Port Discovery Children’s Museum School Access Program which provides children from underserved communities the opportunity to experience purposeful play and learning within the museum and at their own after school program sites.
• Year Up Inc: $25,000 to support programs which seek to close the opportunity divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education.
• Baltimore Urban League: $40,000 in support of an array of youth development programs designed to foster positive cultural identity, a deep commitment to community and prepare Baltimore youth for college and career.

Fighting Hunger

As the nation’s largest grocer, Walmart is uniquely positioned to support organizations that are on the front lines in the fight against hunger. In addition to donating more than 3,090,000 pounds of food to local Maryland food banks – equivalent to more than 2,578,000 meals – Walmart and the Walmart Foundation donated more than $50 million toward hunger relief in FY2017, including $42,000 for after school and breakfast in the classroom programs in Maryland.

Walmart also engages customers across the country in making an impact on hunger in their local communities. In the U.S., Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations teamed up with customers and participating suppliers to support Feeding America through the “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” campaign, raising more than $17 million in funds in FY2017, including funds for the following Maryland Feeding America affiliate food banks:

• Maryland Food Bank: $218,811
• Capital Area Food Bank: $86,303

Volunteering

Walmart associates are deeply engaged in their communities and in FY2017, associates overall volunteered more than 1.2 million hours generating more than $12 million in Walmart donations, including more than 8,000 hours with local non-profits and charitable causes in Maryland, marking another way in which the company supports and impacts the local communities it serves.

About Walmart in Maryland

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices. In Maryland, we serve customers at 59 retail units and online through Walmart Grocery Pickup, Walmart.com and Jet.com. We are proud to employ 17,796 associates in Maryland. Walmart supports local businesses, spending over $854 million with Maryland suppliers in FY17, which supported 16,602 Maryland supplier jobs. Learn more at the Walmart Today blog, and our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram channels.

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