Business Model Analysis of Wal Mart and Sears

Business Model Analysis of Wal Mart and Sears

While both companies belong to the retail industry (where sales of products and services are the source of business), Sears and Wal-Mart have very different business models.

Making an analysis of the profitability of the shareholder can be seen that although both companies have similar returns, the source of this return is different.

As shown in the table above, both companies have returns on capital near 20%, although the source of profitability differs among them. In the case of Sears the main source of value creation is the rotation of the assets of the estate. This high turnover can be explained largely by its funding through debt, allowing the assets represent a minor portion of the assets. Wal-Mart for its part has a high turnover of assets on their sales. This product of your business model focused on selling high volumes, thus increasing the profitability of their assets.

Looking at the ratio (total liabilities / assets) of both companies is evident in the case of Sears a ratio of 5.93 times, while in Wal-Mart, of 1.38 times. For the foregoing and in view of the increased risk associated with debt, the profitability required by the shareholders at Sears should be greater than that required to Wal-Mart.

During fiscal 1997, Sears drew much of its operation (55% of its total sales) in selling credit cards through its own brand, creating a financial business that accounted for 48% of its operating revenues in the same year .

In turn the sales of products and services grew 8% over the same period of previous year, but there was a reorientation of its premises, reducing the share of its Full Line Stores, based on its retail business (78% of the physical space available for sale), and giving way to growing its chain Home Store (offer more specialized products), which nearly tripled the footage of its stores between 1995 and 1997.

In fact, during the period 1995 to 1997 shows a shift in Sears in the distribution of their premises, with a growth of the smaller premises (Home Stores) and a reduction of the largest local (Full Line Stores and Auto Stores) . The Home Stores showed a growth of 8% over the total number of premises, about 5% of the total area and 6% over total sales area. For their part, the Auto Stores and Full Line Stores showed a decrease of 6% over the total number of local, 4% of the total area and 5% on total sales area.