1. Two new Wal-Marts open doors in Tyler with day of celebrations, deals

Wal-Mart plans to close 154 U.S. stores, including 102 of its smallest format stores Wal-Mart Express.

The company will instead focus on strengthening supercenters, neighborhood markets and its online sales, according to a news release from the company. The closures also will include 23 neighborhood markets and 12 supercenters will close, as well as seven Puerto Rico stores, six discount centers and four Sam’s Clubs. Worldwide, Wal-Mart plans to close 269 stores.

“Actively managing our portfolio of assets is essential to maintaining a healthy business,” Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said in the news release Friday. “Closing stores is never an east decision, but it is necessary to keep the company strong and positioned for the future. It’s important to remember that we’ll open more than 300 stores around the world next year. So we are committed to growing, but we are being disciplined about it.”

The closures come after an October 2015 active review of the company’s assets. The stores being closed represent less than 1 percent of its 11,600 worldwide stores reviewed.

Wal-Mart intends to open 50 to 60 supercenters and 85 to 95 neighborhood markets in the 2017 fiscal year, which begins Feb. 1. They also will open seven to 10 new Sam’s Clubs and between 200 and 240 stores internationally.

The company expects the financial impact of the closures to be 20 to 22 cents of diluted earnings per share, with 19 to 20 cents expected to impact fourth quarter fiscal 2016.

The company estimates 75 percent of the impact will relate to the U.S. closings.

Wal-Mart will release it fiscal 2016 fourth quarter and full year reports on Feb. 18.

The estimated financial impact is not included in the these reports.

More than 16,000 employees worldwide will be affected by the decision to close the stores. 10,00 of those employees are in the U.S. Wal-Mart said more than 95 percent of the closed U.S. stores are within 10 miles of another Wal-Mart and hopes to place employees in those locations when possible.

If not possible, the company will provide 60 days of pay and, if eligible, severance, as well as resume and interview skills training.

Twitter: @TMT_Cory

 

Walmarts closing in Texas include: 

 

Walmart Express

#2345: 721 Dale Evans Drive, Italy, TX 1/28/2016

#2349: 221 S State Hwy 274, Kemp, TX 1/28/2016

#2363: 504 W Pine St., Edgewood, TX 1/28/2016

#2364: 301 Hwy 69 S, Whitewright, TX 1/28/2016

#2410: 122 Commercial Ave., Anson, TX 1/28/2016

#2461: 1003 Telephone Cir., Merkel, TX 1/28/2016

#2779: 5 N 14th St., Haskell, TX 1/28/2016

#2863: 1010 N Main St., Winters, TX 1/28/2016

#3820: 501 N Main, Godley, TX 1/28/2016

#3822: 416 N Third St., Grandview, TX 1/28/2016

#3832: 420 S US 69, Leonard, TX 1/28/2016

#3834: 428 N Dallas St., Palmer, TX 1/28/2016

#4312: 440 E Pine St., Frankston, TX 1/28/2016

#4316: 1787 US Hwy 259 S, Diana, TX 1/28/2016

#4320: 1005 Texas Avenue E, Waskom, TX 1/28/2016

#4327: 870 Taylor St., Hughes Springs, TX 1/28/2016

#4331: 914 North Main St., Lone Star, TX 1/28/2016

#4338: 504 WL Doc Dodson, Naples, TX 1/28/2016

#4343: 12522 Fm 1840, Dekalb, TX 1/28/2016

#4345: 114 Redwater Boulevard West, Maud, TX 1/28/2016

 

Super Centers: 

#597: 7075 FM 1960 Rd W, Houston, TX

#5478: 8201 N FM 620, Austin, TX

#5493: 7480 Padre Island Hwy, Brownsville, TX

#883: 14091 FM 490, Raymondville, TX