Is Walmart Really That Big?

Ken comments at my post on loving Walmart that big business is becoming soulless. He provides examples of Apple, Target and Google being better brands from a more caring perspective. But, I wonder if the problem that Walmart really has is the fact that as a company gets larger they are simply more of a target.

Let's put the size of Walmart into perspective.

Here are the annual revenues of the four companies mentioned above.

Apple Computer: $19,314,000,000

Google: $10,604,000,000

Target: $59,490,000,000

Walmart: $378,799,000,000

So, if Walmart is Big Business, does that make Apple, Google and Target small businesses? 

Just to throw another number out there... Laser year, the company that everyone loves to hate right now because of the Vista fiasco, Microsoft earned $51,122,000,000... more than Apple and Google combined, but not even as much as Target... and Target is only 15% the size of Walmart.

Let's give this one more perspective.

If  Walmart was a country, its revenues would push Saudi Arabia (you know the country that said today, "Get used to high gas prices") out of the top 25. Walmart would take that spot. Taiwan has a GDP of $383,307,000,000 and Saudi Arabia has a GDP of $376,029,000,000.

That would mean that Walmart earns more annually than countries like, Ireland, Iran and Israel. (I like I)

So, yes, Walmart is really that BIG.

We know that the larger the country is, the more people will attack the lifestyle of the country. USA is at the top of the list and we have plenty of people that think we are the woe of the world... and that is people that live here.

How many times have you heard someone say "Oh boy, that Croatia (same GDP as Microsoft) is hurting the world with it's environmental policies?" or "Can you believe that Ethiopia (same GDP as Apple Computer) doesn't provide healthcare for its people?"

The bigger you are, the bigger your impact. Percentage wise, it may not be any more than the rest, but you are a bigger target none the less.

But, are your negative perceptions of Walmart simply because you have been told all the bad they do, or is Walmart really that bad?

To be honest, I haven't seen any compelling evidence.