Walmart Inc. reported strong year-end sales and said it would raise the salaries of some 425,000 of its employees after a year in which the Covid-19 pandemic boosted its business.
Comparable sales in the USA, or from stores and digital channels in operation for at least 12 months, increased 8.6% in the quarter ended on January 29, an acceleration compared to the third quarter, when sales rose 6.4 %, and above most analysts’ forecasts. E-commerce sales in the United States, which include online supermarket orders, increased 69% from the previous year.
The country’s largest private employer said it would raise the wages of American workers per hour to an average of over $ 15 an hour, compared to an average of over $ 14 in January 2020. Your starting minimum wage for American workers will remain at $ 11 an hour. Walmart employs about 1.5 million American workers per hour.
Salary increases will be for store employees in digital and inventory roles, said Walmart chief executive John Furner. This targets functions that were especially important during the pandemic, including workers who collect products on store shelves for online orders collected from parking lots or delivered to home. Walmart has been working to keep shelves stocked, while customers stock up on certain items, such as food and cleaning supplies.
“We saw major changes in customer behavior in the past year, we believe they will be lasting and we have to continue working to maintain inventory, deliver items on time and provide the best omni experience possible,” said Mr. Furner.