沃尔玛公司

Wal-Mart Stores

    2012年《财富》500强排名：第1位

    2012年利润（单位：百万美元）：16,999

    这家世界最大零售企业的利润车轮仍在继续向前行进。2012年，沃尔玛净利润体面攀升8%， 年末购物季表现出色。不过，这家公司警告称2013年一季度销售乏力，从而引发了市场观察人士的担忧情绪。沃尔玛的业绩表现市场是衡量美国消费者支出的领先指标。沃尔玛称，消费者购买力受到工资税上调和燃油价格不断攀升的双重打击。低收入消费者是否会因此受到打击，进而更频繁地光顾这家折扣零售商？这个问题目前仍有待观察。——T.Z.

    Fortune 500 rank: 1

    2012 profit (millions): 16,999

    The profit machine at the world's largest retailer continues to chug along. Wal-Mart's net for 2012 climbed a respectable 8%, capped by a solid holiday shopping season at the end of the year. But the bellwether for consumer spending spooked market watchers when it warned of sluggish sales in the first quarter of 2013. Wal-Mart said consumers are getting hit especially hard by higher payroll taxes and rising gasoline prices. Whether that hurts lower-income customers or drives more of them to the discount retailer remains to be seen.--T.Z.