Do you need to acquire something? Then it would be best if you choose between Amazon and Walmart. Amazon and Walmart are globally recognized merchants. Their similar business methods, especially since Walmart's entry into e-commerce, have prompted the question of "who owns whom." Here is what we found out:
Amazon and Walmart have established themselves as trusted merchants for shoppers searching for high-quality goods. However, the competition between the two businesses is fierce. Their businesses' overlapping nature may leave you wondering, "Did Amazon Own Walmart?" So, keep reading to find out!
Table Of Contents
Does Amazon Own Walmart?
No, Amazon does not own Walmart. Currently, there are no known intentions for Amazon to acquire Walmart. Whole Foods and Zappos are just two of the many subsidiaries owned by Amazon. While Parcel, ShoeBuy, and the recent acquisition of Jet.com by Walmart have expanded their e-commerce infrastructure. Since Walmart is already profitable on its own, it's doubtful that Amazon will ever try to acquire it.
Now that you know it's not Amazon, read on to find out who does own Walmart:
Who Owns Walmart?
Walmart is owned by Walmart Inc., as well as Sam's Club, which sells food and household goods in bulk, Walmart Supercenters, and Neighborhood Markets. So, Amazon has nothing to do with Walmart.
Now that Amazon does not own Walmart let's find out which companies are owned by both Amazon and Walmart below.
What Companies Does Amazon Own?
Amazon always goes for small companies that seem promising as a way to expand and venture into new businesses. They include:
1. IMDb
Amazon acquired IMDb for $300 million in cash. as a result, Amazon is now the leading online retailer of electronics and household items after the acquisition.
2. Wholefoods
Whole Foods is a popular supermarket. Amazon bought the organic supermarket business Whole Foods at $13.7 billion. The acquisition lowered Prime Pantry prices on critical foods. Amazon Prime enables same-day grocery delivery in some areas, such as significant California cities.
3. Zappos
Zappos, one of the leading online shoe merchants, offers a unique shopping experience. They had a great customer base, Las Vegas being their busiest store. Zappos was Amazon's first biggest, and most successful acquisition. It was the first time Amazon went beyond books under its e-commerce set-up.
4. PillPack
PillPack Inc. was another major acquisition. Amazon bought it for $753 million in 2018. Amazon bought PillPack Inc. to sell prescription drugs online and overnight to clients in several U.S. cities. Many PillPack Inc. customers now have easier medicine delivery. At PillPack, you have a variety of packaging to choose from when ordering your medication.
What Companies Does Walmart Own?
Like Amazon, Walmart is a go-getter too, and has recently been interested in expanding its e-commerce business, thus purchasing promising online businesses. Below are some companies owned by Walmart:
1. ShoeBuy
ShoeBuy is another e-commerce platform that Walmart purchased. Walmart spent $70 million to acquire ShoeBuy in 2016. Furthermore, Walmart acquired ShoeBuy because Jet.com had already purchased the company only months before Walmart acquired Jet.com. It was also a big deal for Jet.com because it marked the company's first foray into the footwear sector via an acquisition.
2. parcel
Additionally, in 2017, Walmart acquired Parcel for an undisclosed price to assist in streamlining its delivery network. The Parcel is a next-generation logistics firm that uses proprietary algorithms to expedite goods shipping the same day an order is made. To streamline its online ordering and shipping processes, Walmart bought Parcel.
3. Jet.com
Walmart paid $3.3 billion to acquire the rapidly growing online retailer Jet.com in 2016. To better compete with Amazon's formidable online storefront, Walmart first acquired Jet.com. Marc Lore, the founder of Jet.com, was brought in to join Walmart's executive leadership team as part of the deal. In addition, by working with Jet.com, Walmart increased its net sales via online channels by more than 25% in 2020.
Other companies
In addition to the enterprises mentioned above, Walmart has made numerous acquisitions, including Bonobos and Moosejaw.
Has Amazon Ever Tried to Buy Walmart?
Amazon is more likely to pursue acquisitions of smaller companies as it has better chances to expand its supply chain and services. Therefore, Amazon has not made any known attempts to acquire Walmart, and it is doubtful that it will ever happen. Walmart is large and profitable on its own. It would not be a good financial move for Amazon to acquire it.
How Are Amazon and Walmart Different?
Amazon is primarily an online marketplace, while Walmart's main source of revenue comes from physical stores.
Due to its business size, Walmart serves many Internet customers. In addition to offering goods for sale in their store businesses. Although not as diverse as Amazon's, Walmart's online platform offers various services to its internet customers.
However, Amazon has started opening storefronts that only sell the highest-rated products on the Amazon platform in response to Walmart's entry into the e-commerce market.
Amazon and Walmart are functionally equivalent in terms of merchandise sales since they both provide online shopping platforms from which customers may order goods and have them delivered directly to their homes.
Which Company Is Bigger- Amazon or Walmart in terms of financials?
As of March 31, 2023, Amazon's total equity was $154.5 billion and steadily increasing throughout the years. In the first quarter of 2023, Amazon net income was $3.2 billion, which is an 182.52% decline compared to the Q1 of 2022.
In January 2023, Walmart owned a total of $243.2 billion. For the twelve months ending, Walmart's sales grew by 6.73% to $611 billion. Walmart company net income for the quarter ending January 31, 2023, was $6.3 billion, a 76.17% increase year-over-year.
By the conclusion of the 2023 fiscal year, Walmart had a global workforce of around 2.1 million associates. A significant portion of these associates, about 1.6 million, were based in the United States. Globally, Amazon has approximately 1.6 million employees on its payroll. A significant majority of these employees, above 1 million, are located in the United States in 2023. Walmart's stock is worth $152, while Amazon's stock is about $106.
Conclusion
Amazon does not own Walmart and is not likely to acquire Walmart soon. Solely, Walmart is a hugely successful business. Walmart has bought companies like Parcel and Jet.com to strengthen its supply chain network. Amazon also has various divisions like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kindle, Audible, Zappos, and Whole Foods. However, there are several ways in which Amazon and Walmart can expand their businesses in the coming years.