Turtlecreek Township lands $300M Walmart facility

Walmart settled an $80M+ case with Structurlam, a Canadian timber manufacturer, over contract disputes related to Walmart's new head office. The US Bankruptcy Court approved the settlement in July. Structurlam's parent company had sold Walmart a stake, and the retailer had agreed to buy large quantities of timber. Walmart ended the contract in 2023, citing delivery and quality issues. Structurlam's assets were later bought by Mercer International for $81.1M.

AIG units must cover Walmart's defense costs in over 2,400 opioid lawsuits, per an Arkansas appeals court ruling. The court found that the policies' definition of 'accident' as an 'occurrence' obligates AIG to defend Walmart. The ruling reverses prior wins for insurers in other states.

Groundwork Collaborative released a report detailing Walmart's patents for AI-driven pricing strategies, including monitoring customer behavior and adjusting prices. Walmart denies using personalized pricing, but Groundwork argues patents suggest otherwise. Walmart's Sparky AI increases average order value by 40%, according to the company. Walmart's market cap is $833 billion.

Walmart's U.S. e-commerce sales rose 24% in its latest quarter, with store-fulfilled delivery up 40% and marketplace sales growing over 50%. The company expanded 30-minute-or-less delivery to 33 markets. Profitero found Amazon remains the lowest-priced major online retailer, but Walmart has narrowed the price gap to 4%. Walmart+ costs $98/year vs. Amazon Prime's $139, with free delivery on orders over $35. Amazon is expanding physical grocery stores to compete with Walmart's footprint.

Walmart will invest $300M in an Ohio fulfillment center for oversized items, creating 300 jobs. The facility will support next-day delivery, complementing an existing site. Walmart is also adjusting its warehouse network, including building and upgrading facilities in other states. According to the company, the move aims to expand fulfillment capabilities and speed up deliveries.

The EEOC filed lawsuits against Walmart and UPS, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Walmart is accused of failing to accommodate a deaf employee, while UPS is accused of refusing to hire a deaf man due to his disability or accommodation needs, according to the EEOC's complaints filed in Virginia.