![]() Walmart said it learned during a pilot test for the back-to-school shopping period that these efforts are especially beneficial to neurodiverse individuals - both customers and employees - with sensory disabilities. In November, Walmart began setting in-store televisions to a static image, turning off the sound system, and lowering the lights for a few hours every day. Walmart has made several changes to its in-store shopping experience. Walmart said it is revamping its generative AI usage in a partnership with Microsoft. The company said it’s implementing artificial intelligence in everything from its supply chain to its existing app and inHome service. And the impacts of these select markets may not hit on its balance sheet for some time. It’s important to note that many of its announced projects are currently only in select markets, though the company said it plans to roll them out this year. He indicated a Jetsons-like experience, with speedy drone delivery and AI that predicts your online order, is on the horizon – but that will be tricky to pull off. McMillon delivered the keynote address for the event. ![]() Walmart announced new technology initiatives with great fanfare last month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Labor groups have been critical of Walmart over worker salaries, shift hours and benefits. ![]() The move comes as big box retailers strive to attract and retain more workers, curb turnover rates and confront a growing wave of labor organizing efforts. Managers who hit all their targets can get bonuses of up to 200% of base pay, the retailer said. The company said in a news release that it is also changing the managers’ bonus program to emphasize store profits, which will play a bigger role in calculating their bonuses, in addition to sales. The boost of 9%, the first increase in a decade, went into effect on February 1. Walmart is boosting the average pay of its store managers to $128,000 from $117,000. In a statement, Walmart said the decision to do a 3-for-1 split was in part so that employees “feel that purchasing shares is easily within reach.” But lower prices can also attract day traders and increase volatility. It helps companies gain liquidity, and splits can create more demand for a company’s stock. Stock splits can put a company’s stock within the reach of smaller, individual investors. When markets open on February 26, investors will hold the same value of stock – they’ll just have three times the number of shares they previously held, each worth a third of the price. ![]() Under the plan Walmart announced, people who own shares by close of business on February 22 will get two additional new shares of Walmart for every share they own. A stock split means a single share gets split into multiple shares. The mega-retailer announced a 3-for-1 stock split that takes effect this week. Walmart did not respond to a request for comment. Home goods are showcased and some aisles are wider. Among the most discernable changes, pharmacies have been moved toward the front of the store and feature new private screening rooms. It’s partway through a billion-dollar store makeover program, Walmart said in October, designed to keep customers engaged and shopping. Walmart’s biggest risk is the increased investments it is making, according to a recent note from Jeffries analysts, which added that “was one of the most discussed topics in our conversations with investors.” Walmart, addressing criticism it has faced in the past over worker compensation, it is also ratcheting up pay for at least a slice of its work force. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is expected to further outline the company’s new strategies and initiatives. They will provide the first clue to how and whether this is all going to work out. The company will release its fourth quarter earnings before the market opens Tuesday. It’s making investments in technology and inventory that move it into new businesses and which will alter the Walmart experience of many customers. Walmart, the global mega-retailer that began in Arkansas in 1962, is making huge moves in 2024.
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