Walmart, one of the largest supermarkets in the U.S., announces hundreds of layoffs. It is expected that this move will affect approximately 1,500 corporate employees. But what’s the reason behind it? Here’s everything we know so far.
Why Is Walmart Laying Off Hundreds of Employees?
According to the company, this decision is part of a restructuring effort that includes cost-cutting measures. Walmart stated that it has identified opportunities to simplify its organizational structure, reduce internal complexity, streamline decision-making processes, and encourage faster innovation from its teams.
As part of this strategy, the company is undergoing a restructuring that directly affects its global technology operations and U.S.-based e-commerce fulfillment managers. In addition, its advertising division, Walmart Connect, will also be impacted by these adjustments.
ALSO READ Did you receive an unexpected refund from Amazon? Here’s why!
Reports indicate that the job cuts are not related to the tariffs recently imposed by President Donald Trump. Instead, the changes reflect a shift in the company’s strategic priorities, focusing on current growth and transformation plans.
How Many Employees Does Walmart Have in the U.S.?
Walmart, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, is the largest private employer in the country, with a workforce of 1.6 million people. Despite the recent job cuts, the company says it has made significant investments to raise employee wages. Part of these resources has been directed toward strengthening its Sam’s Club warehouse chain and expanding its international operations.
How many Walmart stores are there in the United States?
Currently, the supermarket chain has over 4,500 stores in the United States. The state with the most Walmart locations is Texas, with a total of 514 stores, representing about 11% of the company’s stores in the country.
Walmart will close more stores in the United States
Walmart began closing some of its stores earlier this year and plans to shut down several more throughout 2025, with a particular focus on the states of Georgia and California. According to the company, these decisions are based on the underperformance of certain locations, which have been affected by declining sales and the growing competition from e-commerce. Additionally, Walmart noted that it has seen significant losses in areas where multiple stores are located close to one another, which has negatively impacted profitability in those regions.
Which Walmart stores have already closed?
So far in 2025, Walmart has already closed several locations. Here’s a list of stores that have shut down:
- Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody (Georgia)
- Walmart Neighborhood Market, Roswell Road, Marietta (Georgia)
- Towson, Maryland (1238 Putty Hill Ave.)
- Columbus, Ohio (3579 S. High St.)
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin (7025 W. Main St.)
- Aurora, Colorado (10400 E Colfax Ave.)
- 2121 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92102
- 605 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon, CA 92020
- 2753 E. Eastland Center Dr., West Covina, CA 91791
- 40580 Albrae Street, Fremont, CA 94538
- 4080 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay, CA 95746
ALSO READ Chick-fil-A has an all-you-can-eat offer! We’ll tell you where
According to the company, the upcoming closures will include stores located in the following areas:
- San Diego
- El Cajon
- West Covina
- Fremont
- Granite Bay
History of Walmart
Walmart was founded by Samuel Moore Walton, who worked various jobs from a young age to support his family, including selling milk, magazine subscriptions, and even working as a waiter in exchange for meals while pursuing his studies.
When he was a sales apprentice at JC Penney, his boss told him that he didn’t have the necessary skills for retail, but years later, Walton would go on to found the world’s largest supermarket chain.
In 1962, Walton founded Walmart with the vision of bringing discount stores that existed in big cities to small towns, offering products at affordable prices. The success was so overwhelming that, within less than a decade, the company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange. By 1991, Walmart surpassed Kmart and Sears in sales, becoming the largest retailer in the United States.
