Getting Hyper
As if Wal-Mart Stores Inc. isn’t big enough, the world’s largest retailer, based in Bentonville, Ark., is buying 35 percent of the company that operates a chain of hypermarkets in China. Wal-Mart announced an agreement to buy a 35 percent interest in Bounteous Co. Ltd., a Taiwan-owned group that operates 101 Trust-Mart stores in 34 Chinese cities. No purchase price was given. Subject to certain conditions, in the future Wal- Mart will acquire ownership control of the company. Wal-Mart China already operates 68 supercenters, three Sam’s Clubs and two neighborhood markets in China. The purchase allows Wal- Mart to expand more rapidly in the most populous country in the world.
