Thousands of employees and shareholders gather each year as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. hosts its annual meeting and accompanying festivities. While there is some business conducted, the week often serves as a reward for employees who have been hand-picked to attend.
"It's a pep rally mixed with a concert mixed with a celebrity parade with a quasi-business meeting interspersed," said Randy Koontz, first vice president of investments for Pinnacle Wealth Management of Raymond James & Associates Inc. in Rogers. "It's really more of an event than a meeting; 19,000 people don't show up for a business meeting."
Often, though, the groundwork for the company's coming year is laid during the event. Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon spoke in 2014 of investing in a better shopping experience for customers and expanding e-commerce, two major themes in the months that followed.
Even for the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart has been busy since its 2014 annual meeting. Executive changes, employee initiatives and even government influence have garnered headlines since last June.
"They've done a lot," Stephens retail analyst John R. Lawrence said.
Below are milestones for the company over the past year, including instances when it's used its size and influence to effect industry change:
May 22, 2015
Food suppliers are urged by Wal-Mart to reduce antibiotic use in livestock and adopt stricter animal welfare practices. No hard deadlines are set, but the retailer's interest in animal welfare is seen as a clear sign for suppliers to improve how they operate.
April 20, 2015
An injunction request is filed with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of 2,200 Wal-Mart Stores Inc. workers, alleging five stores were shut down as retaliation for protests and attempts to unionize.
April 10, 2015
Members of the Walton Family announced their intention to sell about 6 percent, or $15.6 billion worth, of their holdings in Wal-Mart, a move designed to decrease their stake in the company after it eclipsed 50 percent.
April 2, 2015
Gov. Asa Hutchinson signs a revised "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" act into law after sending the original back to state lawmakers. Wal-Mart joined human-rights groups in protesting House Bill 1228 because of concerns it allows businesses to discriminate.
February 19, 2015
Wage increases for approximately 500,000 Wal-Mart employees are announced. Wal-Mart increases its lowest starting wage to $9 an hour with its sights set on $10 by February 2016.
October 15, 2014
Investors are informed Wal-Mart will spend up to $1.5 billion on e-commerce during its upcoming fiscal year. A capital spending projection for the retailer rose to $13 billion.
September 29, 2014
A Wal-Mart Pickup-Grocery opens in Bentonville as the retailer continues to test home grocery shopping formats. Testing on various formats continues throughout the year in San Jose, Calif., Denver, Phoenix and Huntsville, Ala.
July 24, 2014
Bill Simon announces he will step down as Wal-Mart U.S. CEO. Simon is replaced by Greg Foran and his departure is the first of several executive changes at the company under McMillon.
July 8, 2014
Wal-Mart hosts its first-ever open call for suppliers, hearing from about 500 product makers and inventors. It is part of Wal-Mart's "Made in the USA" commitment to buy $250 billion worth of products made, assembled, grown or sourced in the United States through 2023.
SundayMonday Business on 05/31/2015