During the course you will be required to develop a Course Project having to do with writing notes for the financial statements of a fictitious Company. Create Income Statement, Retained Earnings Statement and Balance Sheet for a fictitious Company. While creating the financial statements make sure that you include relevant items, to be able to write the disclosure notes for the items detailed below. You will hand in the project at the end of Week 7. In order to assist you in writing the notes, as an example the2014 Annual Report of Walmartis made available for you to use. Please go over page # 42 to 45 for Note # 1 " Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" and pages 45-61 for Note # 2 of this report. Although you may use these as an example, you are not to use their actual notes, or the notes from any other company, because this would be considered plagiarism

Your project should consist of, but not be limited to, the items below.

Note 1:Significant Accounting Polices (consisting of at least 10 items) Notes 2?10+:Consisting of at least the items below.

Inventory Property, Plant, & Equipment Contingencies and Liabilities Changes in Accounting Principles or Estimates Post Balance Sheet Events Mergers and Acquisitions Lease Obligations EPS Long-Term Debt Employee Pension Obligations

Guidelines

• The notes will include as "Summary of Significant Accounting Principles" as Note 1.
• The notes will then include detailed information about at least 10 different items that are usually contained in the notes to the financial statements.
• The student will gain experience in writing business topics and the need to have detailed information provided in the notes to the financial statements.

Affordable, healthier food In FY 2014, we opened 96 new stores in America's food deserts, with 224 opened since our initiative began. Meeting community needs around the world So many ways to Last year, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $1 billion in cash and in-kind gifts to charitable organizations. Save money. Live better. Associate career opportunities Walmart de Mexico promoted more than 22,700 associates in fiscal 2014. 2014 Annual Report Toward a more sustainable tomorrow Today, 24% of our electricity comes from renewable sources. Putting low prices within reach We serve customers around the globe more than 250 million times each week. 2014 Ann ual Repor t Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) 702 S.W. 8th Street | Bentonville, Arkansas 72716 USA | 479-273-4000 | walmart.com 147046_L01_CVR.indd 1 4/10/14 10:52 AM So many opportunities for associates to serve customers Walmart's Global Responsibility Report highlights helping communities live better. Learn more about our workplace, social, environmental, sourcing and compliance initiatives by reading our Global Responsibility Report at corporate.walmart.com/ microsites/global-responsibility-report-2014 2.2M dedicated associates globally Walmart's enhanced digital annual report has expanded content. We're driving innovation and sustainability - and reducing costs - with our enhanced digital annual report. Visit www.stock.walmart.com to hear directly from our leaders, associates and customers. Also, visit this website to enroll to receive future materials electronically for our Annual Shareholders' Meetings. Based on survey results from more than 2 million associates worldwide, approximately Walmart's investor relations app is our company at your fingertips. 4 of 5 Walmart's IR app gives shareholders anytime and anywhere access to financial and company news from their mobile devices. Find presentations, quarterly results, virtual store tours, a global footprint map and the stock price on your iPad, iPhone or Android device. Download the free app from iTunes or Google Play. are proud to work for Walmart. Our sustainable, next-generation report. 190,000 U.S. store/club associates promoted in scal 2014 5.11 acre of forestland preserved via managed forestry 983 fewer trees consumed via recycling 129,537 kWh less energy - the same used by 5 homes for a year 472 metric tons of greenhouse gas offset - the equivalent of taking 94 cars off the road for a year 46,835 kWh converted to clean renewable sources (printing plant using RECs) 459,333 fewer gallons of water consumed *Represents Walmart U.S. data only. NT RI ED US IN 10 % Walmart 2014 Annual EReport 2 W 0 4 Walmart 2014 Annual Report Savings baselines were developed using the national averages of similar coated papers and printing practices by EarthColor Printing. FSC is not responsible for any calculations on saving resources by choosing this paper. G P associates have 10+ years of service GY 300K R * The minimized environmental footprint of this report is the result of an extensive, collaborative effort of Walmart and our supply chain partners. The environmental and social impact continues to be an important consideration. It is printed on paper from well-managed forests containing recycled PCW fiber that is Elementally Chlorine Free (ECF). It is printed using 100 percent renewable wind power (RECs), along with environmental manufacturing principles that were utilized in the printing process. These practices include environmentally responsible procurement, lean manufacturing, green chemistry principles, the recycling of residual materials and reduced volatile organic compound inks and coatings. IND EN Supplied by Community Energy 147046_L01_CVR.indd 2 4/9/14 8:48 PM Approximately * 75% of store management joined Walmart as hourly associates 100K honorably discharged U.S. veterans expected to be hired by Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club by 2018 57% of our International associates are women *Represents Walmart U.S. data only. Walmart 2014 Annual Report 1 Our Global eCommerce footprint spans 10 countries, creating digital access and physical distribution points for our customers worldwide. Delivering for customers and shareholders 250M 33M $68B* 30%* $68B* 12%* customers served weekly in our stores in 27 countries earnings per share growth approximate retail square footage added in fiscal 2014 returned to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases *Data reflects five-year period including fiscal 2010 through 2014. net sales growth over the past five years total shareholder returns (CAGR) To our shareholders, associates and customers: I'm deeply honored to lead Walmart at such an exciting time. Walmart has a rich history and is well-positioned for the future. We have an authentic and important purpose. We're grounded with strong values and have millions of associates who share a culture and belief in doing what is right for our customers, our communities and each other. The future will bring a lot of change as the rapid growth of digital commerce enables us to serve customers in new and exciting ways. Our customers continue to search for value, a broad assortment and a shopping experience that saves them time and money. With greater convergence of digital and physical retail, we're investing in capabilities to provide customers even more choice and convenience. When I think about all these capabilities, I'm confident in Walmart's continued growth and enthusiastic about our future. Positioning to serve our customers. Around the world, we deliver value for customers in different ways. We operate supercenters, Sam's Clubs, e-commerce sites and many other formats that enable us to serve our customers. As we develop the combination of digital and physical interaction with customers, we'll remain well positioned to grow. We're laser-focused on delivering improved comparable store sales by sharpening our merchandising efforts, price leadership and enhancing service. We're also intent on creating transformative growth by adding capabilities in e-commerce and mobile commerce. When we view our business through the eyes of our customers, we don't think about our stores, clubs or websites independently. Instead, our goal is to have customers see these channels converge as one unified relationship with us. We want to deliver a relevant, personalized and seamless experience across all channels. So, our approach to investments will continue to evolve to support the singular goal of enhancing the customer experience to further grow sales. Doug McMillon President and Chief Executive Officer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Change is nothing new for Walmart - it's embedded in our DNA. After all, our company founder, Sam Walton, was the premier innovator in retail. He made Walmart better by questioning everything, every day - frequently asking customers and our store associates how we could do better. He was always in the market looking for new ideas. For Sam, the customer was always the boss, and the improvements he made to Walmart were Walmart 2014 Annual Report 3 customer-driven. I intend to lead Walmart with this same customer-centric focus. Today, in addition to listening to our customers, we apply data and technology to this task. The millions of customer interactions that take place each week give us some of the world's most robust data to analyze and leverage to improve our service. For example, customer insights led the Walmart U.S. team to expand our Black Friday 1-Hour Guarantee program this past year, and innovative systems enabled successful execution and on-time product delivery. The tools today may be different than the ones Sam employed, but the imperative that will guide our transformational initiatives is the same - to connect more effectively with customers. Walmart is well-positioned for the future partially due to our unique assets. We have more than 10,900 physical points of distribution globally. No other retailer possesses such an extensive footprint. And, with our retail websites around the world, we're doing more to leverage these physical assets to expand the intersection with digital retail. Last year, we grew e-commerce sales in Brazil and China at nearly twice the market rate. Asda's Click and Collect program has been very successful, and Mexico is expanding grocery delivery beyond our Superama grocery stores to supercenters this year. We're leveraging best practices to further test grocery delivery and customer pickup in the U.S. We've also broadened our e-commerce merchandise assortment. Last year, for example, we more than doubled walmart.com's merchandise offerings in the U.S. to over 5 million SKUs, and our sites in Brazil and China greatly expanded their assortments as well. We invest in price to bring everyday low prices (EDLP) to more customers around the world. EDLP earns trust with customers because we're driven to keep our cost structure low. That commitment to price is central to our brand - regardless of the format. We're also giving customers greater access to the value we offer through different formats. In the U.S., our Neighborhood Markets offer fresh foods, pharmacy and fuel, and delivered healthy comp sales growth in fiscal 2014. This year, we'll significantly accelerate their rollout to complement our core supercenter fleet. And, in Mexico and the U.K., we'll open more small stores to deliver convenience, assortment and low prices. Expanding opportunities for associates. One of the most exciting things about serving more customers in new ways is the opportunity to create good jobs, attract new talent and expand current associates' possibilities to build careers. Last year, we hired 776,000 new associates to jobs across our operations. The path of my own career attests to the exceptional opportunity at Walmart to advance professionally. In fact, we promoted about 190,000 U.S. store and club associates last year to jobs with more responsibility and higher pay. And, we'll continue to invest in training and development because building the best team in retail is central to our strategy. Driving operational excellence. We remain focused on driving the productivity loop to leverage operating expenses. The most important way to deliver against this objective is to increase sales. By operating and buying for less, we're able to lower prices that, in turn, prompt customers to make more purchases. We also foster an environment that leverages best practices across the enterprise to drive process improvements. Operational excellence requires capital discipline and efficiency, and our real estate and construction teams have made great progress in lowering the cost of new stores and remodels. Our focus on capital efficiency also is top of mind with our e-commerce capabilities. We're more disciplined now in allocating capital to the right markets, the right formats and the right digital capabilities. Earning trust in communities. I'm proud of the value Read Walmart's 2014 Global Responsibility Report at stock.walmart.com to learn more about our workplace, social, environmental, sourcing and compliance initiatives. 4 Walmart 2014 Annual Report we add in the communities we serve and I know we will find new ways to contribute. We are deeply committed to compliance and social, environmental and local responsibility. Operating with integrity is a cornerstone for building trust. We have made tremendous progress toward our goal of developing a world-class compliance organization and this will continue to be a top priority going forward. Our training and leadership development programs reinforce the mission of upholding the highest standards of integrity, not just in retail, but in all of business. We'll also continue to lead on key issues like women's economic empowerment, healthier foods and renewable energy. Walmart's initiatives, in partnership with many suppliers, have significantly increased sustainability throughout the global supply chain, and we will do even more. Solid performance in a challenging environment. In fiscal 2014, consolidated net sales increased $7.5 billion to more than $473 billion and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $4.85. While we certainly see areas where we can improve, it's also a reality that we faced some challenging consumer environments around the world. Both developed and developing markets grew slower than most people would have hoped for. The value we offer enabled us to grow share almost everywhere, and we're optimistic that conditions will moderately improve this year. Walmart U.S. delivered solid profit growth. Operating income grew 4 percent on a net sales increase of $5 billion. The U.S. team did a great job controlling costs and successfully leveraged expenses. Walmart International's net sales increased 1.3 percent to more than $136 billion. We took important steps to hone our international portfolio and focus investments on the most profitable opportunities to position the business for future growth. Sam's Club continued to expand its footprint, opening 12 new clubs, and enhanced its merchandise offerings with a sharpened focus around value, quality and exciting merchandise. Our members saw the value of membership, and with the fee increase in May, Sam's Club membership income continued to grow. Each operating segment strengthened its e-commerce platforms, and customers responded, driving annual Global eCommerce sales, including acquisitions, above the $10-billion mark, a 30 percent increase. A strong focus on e-commerce is now fully embedded within each of our businesses and we'll increase our investment as e-commerce opportunities present themselves. Embracing the challenge to change. After just a few months into my new role, I have an even deeper appreciation for Mike Duke's extraordinary contributions as CEO over the past 5 years. His work positioned Walmart for long-term success, and I am one of the many associates who benefitted from his guidance and leadership. His passion for our business and drive for continuous improvement greatly benefitted Walmart's associates, customers and shareholders. I look to the future confident that Walmart has all the ingredients necessary to prosper in the new retail world that is unfolding. Our purpose remains clear - to save people money so they can live better - and the actions we're taking will expand the opportunities to fulfill that purpose. We'll analyze and review everything Walmart is today, and we'll be willing to change whatever is necessary to serve customers better than ever. I first started working for Walmart 30 years ago when I was a teenager. I've fallen in love with our company, its people, our purpose and culture. We have a unique culture grounded on four basic beliefs: service to our customers, respect for the individual, striving for excellence and acting with integrity. As CEO, I want to continue to nourish and strengthen these foundational beliefs. And, I'm excited to increase the pace of change to ensure we're serving the customers the way they want to be served in the future. Sincerely, Doug McMillon President and Chief Executive Officer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Walmart 2014 Annual Report 5 Nearly 140 million customers served each week Top left: We'll purchase an additional $250B of U.S.-made products over the next 10 years. Top right: Produce, backed by our money-back guarantee, has the quality and value customers trust. Middle right: We're bringing new, innovative grocery products to our broad assortment. Bottom right: Customers appreciate the convenient access to pharmacy, fresh foods, fuel and e-commerce pickup at our Walmart Express pilot stores. Bottom left: In fiscal 2015, we expect to add about 200 new Neighborhood Markets to our portfolio. Serving customers and delivering savings every day In fiscal 2014, Walmart U.S. attracted nearly 140 million weekly shoppers to our stores and delivered net sales of more than $279 billion, an increase of $5 billion, or 1.8 percent, from last year. Our focus on cost discipline helped drive 4 percent operating income growth, more than twice the rate of sales, despite a 0.6 percent decline in comp sales. Focused on customer needs. Customers choose Walmart for our broad assortment, including national brands and locally relevant merchandise, at everyday low prices (EDLP). It's our winning formula and results in continued market share gains in key categories, such as food, consumables, over-the-counter and apparel. With our merchant mindset, we partner with suppliers to increase product innovation and bring exciting new brands to our stores, such as Russell, Avia and Calphalon. We also work hard to improve quality and execution, making great strides in areas such as produce and meat. And, our price investments are driving sales by providing a lower-priced basket relative to the market and building customers' trust in our EDLP promise. In order to invest in price, we focus on everyday low cost (EDLC). Advancements in logistics and store operations continue to reduce costs and improve productivity. For instance, optimized transportation routes and distribution center mechanization are driving supply chain efficiencies. Greater flexibility at the store front-end, such as selfcheckouts, is helping productivity and resonating with our customers. We believe we can drive cost savings by sourcing closer to the point of consumption. We made bold commitments to increase purchases of U.S.-made products by an additional $250 billion over the next 10 years. Our 1.2 million associates are essential to a customer-centric experience. Advancement opportunities abound for Walmart associates who are passionate about serving customers. Last year, we promoted over 170,000 associates and experienced more part-time associates accepting full-time roles, building long-term careers with Walmart. We also added over 30,000 honorably discharged veterans to our team. We're strengthening career development pathways by expanding training to foster continued, strong associate engagement. Positioned to win at the convergence of digital and physical. Walmart is redefining the next generation of retail growth and is the best-positioned retailer to win at the convergence of digital and physical retail. In fiscal 2015, we'll continue to grow our multi-format portfolio. Our core supercenter fleet serves the stock-up trip and accounts for the majority of our market share leadership. We're accelerating the rollout of Neighborhood Markets to serve the quick-trip needs. And, our expanded pilot of Walmart Express focuses on the rural quick-trip. Neighborhood Markets and Express deliver convenience and customer access to fresh foods, pharmacy and fuel. Overall, we'll add between 21 and 23 million retail square feet, representing between 385 and 415 units in fiscal 2015. \" \u0007We're offering customers convenient digital and physical access to Walmart's broad merchandise assortment and investing in price leadership to provide even greater value.\" Bill Simon President and CEO Walmart U.S. We'll also connect Walmart's physical assets to the broad assortment that is available through nearby stores and online, delivering anytime access to our brand. We're testing grocery delivery in several markets and also piloting an easy pickup option for online grocery and general merchandise. Innovations such as these expand our reach to more customers on their terms. Walmart 2014 Annual Report 7 International Positioning our portfolio for continued growth In fiscal 2014, Walmart International's net sales, excluding the impact of currency exchange rate fluctuations and acquisitions, increased 4.6 percent to $140.9 billion. We added 12.5 million square feet and 324 stores, bringing our total portfolio to more than 6,100 stores. We also grew or maintained market share in most countries, despite a challenging macroeconomic environment where household incomes were stretched and competition remained high. Targeting the most promising opportunities. International will continue to be a growth vehicle for Walmart. We're focused on driving comp sales in all markets and investing in relevant formats and channels, including e-commerce and mobile. During the year, we took steps to strengthen our position in Brazil, Chile, China and Mexico and expect these actions to help us deliver our financial priorities. We're excited about opportunities for growth in e-commerce. Our investments in infrastructure and talent are accelerating International's digital expansion and providing options for customers with diverse shopping habits. For example, Asda's rapidly growing online grocery business exemplifies the physical-digital convergence, creating a customer experience that only Walmart can deliver. Brazil e-commerce sales grew at nearly twice the market rate last year, and Yihaodian is one of China's fastest-growing e-commerce sites, offering customers both grocery and general merchandise. In addition, we're increasing our investments in Mexico and Canada to drive growth. Customers around the world still want and need value. We'll deliver EDLP for them by continuing to invest in price. EDLP builds trust with customers while saving them money, whether it's \"Worry Free\" pricing in China or the \"Asda Price Guarantee\" in the U.K. Our objective is to fund this investment by being the lowest-cost operator in every market. We continue to expand our capabilities to buy, operate and sell for less. In partnership with our global leverage teams, we're driving innovative technology and process improvements, all with a lens on greater customer relevance. Taking corporate responsibility to a higher level. At the core of International are the outstanding associates, who are dedicated to serving our customers. We continue to recruit some of the best global talent in retail to complement our current teams, and we're investing in training and development of current associates. For example, in the last year, we ramped up our efforts with the merchant leadership academy to provide advanced training in merchandising strategy and execution. As a global company, we have responsibilities to the countries in which we operate, and we earn trust through our commitment to compliance, social and environmental issues. We remain vigilant in our focus to have the most compliant processes and capabilities, to support charities and to lead on environmental sustainability to improve the communities that we serve. 8 Walmart 2014 Annual Report \"\u0007 o drive sales and T build long-term value, we're focused on price leadership and operational excellence while investing in the formats and channels that customers want.\" David Cheesewright President and CEO Walmart International More than 6,100 retail units operated in 26 countries Top left: Our EDLP strategy in Canada, supported by Rollbacks, provides one-stop shopping at great values. Top right: Bodega Express provides Mexican customers with convenient access to Walmart. Middle right: We expect to continue our growth in China by opening 110 additional facilities by 2016. Bottom right: Supercenters in Mexico provide a broad assortment with local relevance at everyday low prices. Bottom left: Asda customers enjoy the quality of George apparel. Overall, Asda will invest 1.25 billion in price and quality over the next 5 years. 1.6 million demos in 630 clubs last year Top left: Members appreciate our merchandise transformation focused on price, bulk, quality and excitement. Top right: Sam's Club helps business members supply their needs in restaurants, convenience stores, and others. Middle top right: Initiatives to promote the health and wellness of members is a key priority. Middle bottom right: Sales of traffic-driving categories, such as fresh produce, saw strong growth in fiscal 2014. Bottom right: The Instant Savings Books add further value to a membership. Bottom left: We've expanded self checkouts, increasing convenience for our Savings, Plus and business members. Offering unique merchandise at exceptional values In fiscal 2014, Sam's Club delivered greater value to members, opened new clubs and improved the ability to shop anytime, anywhere through e-commerce and mobile initiatives. Net sales increased 1.3 percent to $57.2 billion and operating income was $2.0 billion. Excluding the 30 basis point fuel impact, comp sales increased 0.7 percent. Membership income was the strongest it's been in many years, growing 5.9 percent, primarily due to the fee increase implemented in May. More new ways to excite our members. The initial steps of our merchandise transformation are energizing members to buy. We boost member traffic by offering exciting new merchandise, including quality national brands, at exceptional values. We had great success in home and apparel and plan to continue rolling out even more new merchandise across our clubs. Our highly engaged associates drive member excitement by providing great service that enhances the membership experience. A seamless multi-channel offering creates an integrated member experience. Improved e-commerce and mobile platforms strengthen conversions, particularly in mobile transactions. We're fully integrating our samsclub.com team with Walmart Global eCommerce to strengthen digital capabilities and support continued sales growth. We're also focused on member relevance by leveraging Big Data to better understand our members' needs. These insights increase efficiency and productivity in our clubs. Data helps us predict whether a mom is planning family meals or an entrepreneur is launching a new business and enables personalized interactions that make their membership experience more rewarding. Sam's Club opened 20 new, relocated or expanded clubs in fiscal 2014, the largest number of openings in several years. We invested in membership acquisition to build a critical mass in our new club openings, including the use of social media marketing. In fiscal 2015, we plan to open between 17 and 22 new, relocated or expanded units. Making membership more rewarding than ever. We're using Instant Savings Books (ISB) as an important tool to demonstrate price leadership. We discount top-selling brands, popular items and new products throughout the club and online to provide greater value. Offered several times throughout the year, ISBs also drive member awareness to categories they might not typically shop. This summer, we'll launch two new membership enhancements. First, we'll roll out cash rewards nationally, providing an opportunity to reward our best members, grow membership income and drive loyalty. Second, we'll introduce a new cash-back credit card offering. Both enhancements will provide significant value to our members, making a membership with Sam's Club more rewarding than ever. \" \u0007We're focused on creating even more value for our members, through great merchandise at exceptional values. Our new membership enhancements will make a Sam's Club membership more rewarding than ever. \" Rosalind Brewer President and CEO Sam's Club Walmart 2014 Annual Report 11 Accelerating growth through e-commerce integration In China, Yihaodian's new, more intuitive mobile app has helped expand mobile transactions eightfold in one year. In the U.S., walmart.com customers enjoy an expanded online assortment of more than 5 million SKUs and convenient delivery options to their home or through Site to Store. We're investing in new fulfillment centers to provide faster delivery in the U.S., U.K. and Brazil. 12 Walmart 2014 Annual Report \"\u0007 est in class e-commerce, B plus the assets of the world's largest retailer, allow Walmart to do for customers what no one else can.\" Neil Ashe, President and CEO, Global eCommerce After a threefold increase in site traffic, walmart.com in Brazil consistently ranks as the #1 or #2 most visited retail site. Traffic on Sam's Club's mobile platform nearly doubled in the last year. Walmart To Go, now in test in the U.S., leverages best practices from our successful Asda grocery delivery business in the U.K. Walmart 2014 Annual Report 13 Strong governance: a commitment that endures Walmart's strength as a retailer has continued through more than five decades of economic change and retail industry transformation. It's a remarkable record, based on our unique ability to deliver on our purpose for customers, the strength of our culture and the foundation of strong governance by our Board of Directors. All of this together allows Walmart to improve shareholder value. Our Board is more diverse than most public company boards, with broad global business expertise ranging from technology to retail, and finance to compliance. Our directors' diverse perspectives and experiences provide the support and foundation for our management team, as they refine our business strategy for changing customer needs. Walmart's Board views succession planning as a critical responsibility, and it's a topic upon which the company has spent considerable time and effort. This diligence has served shareholders well, as we've added talented new directors over the past few years. And, we were very pleased to name Doug McMillon to our Board and as Walmart's new CEO following Mike Duke's retirement. Stability and high governance standards. Doug becomes only the fourth CEO of Walmart since Dad separated the roles of Chairman and CEO in 1988. That, too, is a remarkable record of stability and the high governance standards established by our Board. Doug is a superb choice to lead Walmart. He has grown up in the company - starting as an hourly associate in one of our distribution centers at the age of 17. After completing his MBA program, Doug began what is now a 23-year record of effective leadership that has prepared him to serve as CEO. He keenly understands everything Walmart - people, our core operations, opportunities and challenges at a fundamental level. Doug is deeply grounded in Walmart's culture, including the importance of \"staying out in front of change,\" as Dad used to say. I'm confident that Doug's leadership will provide Walmart a bright and robust future. Mike served exceptionally well as CEO for the past five years, and his contributions to Walmart over his 18-year career are many. In each leadership role, Mike demonstrated integrity in dealing with tough issues, displayed the greatest character and consideration for people, and had a steely determination to do the right thing for our associates, shareholders and the communities we serve. Among Mike's signature contributions as CEO was his commitment to investing in our global e-commerce business, critical for Walmart's long-term growth. In addition, Mike's passion for increasing productivity re-engaged the company in leveraging expenses so that we can lower prices for our customers. Mike is a terrific leader, and I'm extremely pleased that we'll continue to benefit from his insight as a member of our Board. A commitment to board independence. Our family is proud to have a representation in guiding Walmart's future, but we're committed to independent board governance. Today, 10 of our 16 incumbent directors are independent. These men and women are dedicated to serving shareholders. In fact, our directors attended 97 percent of Board and committee meetings in fiscal 2014. They challenge management on delivering business objectives and employing strategies to win in this shifting global retail landscape. And the Board consistently evaluates steps to strengthen governance. Since my letter to you last year, we increased the stock ownership guidelines for our CEO and certain executive officers to further align their interests with long-term shareholder value. We also amended Walmart's bylaws to allow shareholders owning at least 10 percent of outstanding shares to request a special shareholders' meeting. In addition, Dr. James Cash was appointed Presiding Director, bringing tremendous experience from his service on Walmart's and other boards. And, reflecting our commitment to independence, the Board amended our Corporate Governance Guidelines to clarify and expand the roles and responsibilities of the Presiding Director. Our Board also has overseen significant enhancements to our global compliance program. For more details on this progress, I encourage you to review \"Walmart's Global Compliance Program: Report on Fiscal Year 2014,\" on our website at stock.walmart.com. You can also review our proxy statement for further details about our board members, governance structure and executive compensation. In closing, Dad woke up every day trying to make things better, and was never satisfied when they were good or even great. Today, that passion for continuous improvement remains thoroughly embedded in Walmart, and especially in our new CEO. With an enduring commitment to strong corporate governance and effective leaders to chart our course, I'm confident that our remarkable story of progress will continue. S. Robson Walton Chairman of the Board of Directors Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Board of Directors From Left to right: 1| Linda S. Wolf Ms. Wolf is the retired Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide, Inc., an advertising agency and division of Publicis Groupe S.A. 2| Steven S Reinemund Mr. Reinemund is the Dean of Business and Professor of Leadership and Strategy at Wake Forest University. He previously served as the Chairman of the Board and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo, Inc. 3| James I. Cash, Jr., Ph.D. (Presiding director) Dr. Cash is the James E. Robison Emeritus Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, where he served from July 1976 to October 2003. 4| H. Lee Scott, Jr. Mr. Scott is the former Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., serving in that position from January 2000 to January 2009. 5| Roger C. Corbett Mr. Corbett is the retired Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director of Woolworths Limited, the largest retail company in Australia. Board Committees: Name Audit Comp., Nominating & Governance Executive S. Robson Walton 6| Aida M. Alvarez Ms. Alvarez is the former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and was a member of President Clinton's Cabinet from 1997 to 2001. 12| Marissa A. Mayer Ms. Mayer is the Chief Executive Officer and President and Director of Yahoo!, Inc., a digital media company. 7| Jim C. Walton Mr. Walton is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Arvest Bank Group, Inc., a group of banks operating in the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. 13| Douglas N. Daft Mr. Daft is the retired Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company, a beverage manufacturer, where he served in that capacity from February 2000 until May 2004, and in various other capacities since 1969. 8| S. Robson Walton Mr. Walton is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 14| C. Douglas McMillon Mr. McMillon is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 9| Gregory B. Penner Mr. Penner is a General Partner at Madrone Capital Partners, an investment management firm. 15| Christopher J. Williams Mr. Williams is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of The Williams Capital Group, L.P., an investment bank. 10| Timothy P. Flynn Mr. Flynn is the retired Chairman of KPMG International, a professional services firm. 16| Pamela J. Craig Ms. Craig is the retired Chief Financial Officer of Accenture plc, a global management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing company. 11| Michael T. Duke Mr. Duke is the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., serving in that position from February 2009 to January 2014. Global Comp. Strategic Planning Tech & & Finance e-commerce Name Audit Comp., Nominating & Governance Executive Global Comp. Strategic Planning Tech & & Finance e-commerce Marissa A. Mayer Aida M. Alvarez Doug McMillon (FE) (C) James I. Cash, Jr., Ph.D. Gregory B. Penner Roger C. Corbett Steven S Reinemund Pamela J. Craig (FE) Timothy P. Flynn(FE) (C) H. Lee Scott, Jr. Douglas N. Daft Michael T. Duke (C) Jim C. Walton (C) ChristopherJ.Williams(FE) (C) Linda S. Wolf (C) Committee Chair (C) (FE) Financial Expert Walmart 2014 Annual Report 15 Our FY 2014 Financial Performance Fiscal 2014 was a tough year for Walmart. Sales and earnings were not where we wanted them to be, as we faced a number of economic headwinds around the world. But I'm confident in our future because Walmart continues to have an extremely strong underlying business. We're proud of our AA credit rating - the highest in the retail industry. We have a strong balance sheet, and our business consistently generates robust cash flows. Walmart's EDLC-EDLP business model resonates with customers, and even in this challenging retail environment, we delivered more than $473 billion in net sales. We also have great opportunities for continued global growth, whether it's through the intersection of digital and physical retail, small format stores, or our increasing membership in Sam's Club. When I consider our opportunities ahead, I'm excited about our future, and specifically this new fiscal year. At Walmart, we're guided by our financial priorities - growth, leverage and returns. Customers want to shop on their terms. We're focused on growth by providing customers a unified shopping experience, whether they're in our supercenters for a large \"stock-up trip,\" in our smaller stores for groceries, or on their mobile device at their child's ball game. Our top priority is to increase comp sales in all markets and channels. We drive productivity to deliver EDLC so we can pass savings to customers. These price investments provide greater value under our EDLP position to propel comp sales. In fiscal 2015, we'll also invest approximately $12.4 billion to $13.4 billion in physical and digital assets to better serve customers worldwide. We expect to add between 35 million and 39 million net new retail square feet. And to connect with customers more effectively, we're accelerating the rollout of small format stores in many of our markets, including the U.S., the U.K. and Mexico. Global eCommerce saw strong growth in fiscal 2014, with a 30 percent increase in sales. We'll continue to invest to enhance technology platforms and expand fulfillment networks, including new facilities in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Brazil. Infrastructure investments help us to be nimble platform, Pangaea, will deliver a world-class integrated customer experience and improve our website speed, flexibility and scalability when it begins to roll out later this year. We're also leveraging global best practices to increase site visits and add services such as the Asda Direct kiosk - which allows customers to order from online catalogs while they're still in the store - to grocery delivery and drive-through pickup, which we're testing in Denver in the U.S. In fiscal 2015, we expect Global eCommerce gross merchandise value, which includes digital sales of Walmart goods and third-party sales through our sites, to exceed $13 billion. We're committed to being the lowest cost operator globally and leveraging expenses. In fiscal 2014, Walmart U.S. did a great job of leveraging operating expenses, and International and Sam's Club took steps to lower their cost structures. We're sharpening our ability to drive efficiencies in all operations. Globally, our teams are identifying best practices and sharing these efficiency measures so that they can be applied across the organization. Returning value to shareholders remains a key priority. In fact, we returned $12.8 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases last year, bringing our five-year total to nearly $68 billion. And, in February, we announced our 41st consecutive annual dividend increase to $1.92 per share. As I close, I encourage you to review our financial results in the next section. We're focused on consistent execution in every market to continue to serve our customers and deliver growth, leverage and returns for shareholders. Charles M. Holley, Jr. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 16 Walmart 2014 Annual Report \"\u0007At Walmart, we're guided by our financial priorities - growth, leverage and returns.\" Charles Holley, Jr. Executive Officers Neil M. Ashe Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Global eCommerce Rollin L. Ford Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Daniel J. Bartlett Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs Jeffrey J. Gearhart Executive Vice President, Global Governance and Corporate Secretary Rosalind G. Brewer Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sam's Club Charles M. Holley, Jr. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer M. Susan Chambers Executive Vice President, Global People C. Douglas McMillon President and Chief Executive Officer David Cheesewright Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International William S. Simon Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart U.S. Michael T. Duke Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors Steven P. Whaley Senior Vice President and Controller 18 Five-Year Financial Summary 40 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 19 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 60 Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 36 Consolidated Statements of Income Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income 61 Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 37 Consolidated Balance Sheets 62 Management's Report to Our Shareholders 38 Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity 63 Unit Counts as of January 31, 2014 64 Corporate and Stock Information 39 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Walmart 2014 Annual Report 17 Five-Year Financial Summary As of and for the Fiscal Years Ended January 31, (Amounts in millions, except per share and unit count data) Operating results Total revenues Percentage change in total revenues from previous fiscal year Net sales Percentage change in net sales from previous fiscal year Increase (decrease) in calendar comparable sales (1) in the United States Walmart U.S. Sam's Club Gross profit margin Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales Operating income Income from continuing operations attributable to Walmart Net income per common share: Diluted income per common share from continuing operations attributable to Walmart Dividends declared per common share Financial position Inventories Property, equipment and capital lease assets, net Total assets Long-term debt and long-term capital lease obligations (excluding amounts due within one year) Total Walmart shareholders' equity Unit counts Walmart U.S. segment Walmart International segment Sam's Club segment Total units 2014 2013 2012 2011\t2010 $476,294 $468,651\t$446,509\t$421,395\t$407,697 1.6% 5.0%\t6.0%\t3.4%\t8.1% 473,076 465,604\t443,416\t418,500\t404,743 1.6% 5.0%\t6.0%\t3.4%\t0.9% (0.5)% 2.4% 1.6% (0.6)%\t(0.8)% (0.6)% 2.0% 0.3% (1.5)%\t(0.7)% 0.3% 4.1%\t8.4%\t3.9% (1.4)% 24.3% 24.3%\t24.5%\t24.8%\t24.9% 19.3% 19.0%\t19.2%\t19.4%\t19.7% $26,872 $27,725 $26,491 $25,508 $23,969 15,918 16,963\t15,734\t15,340\t14,433 $4.85 $5.01 $4.53 $4.18 $3.72 1.88 1.59\t1.46\t1.21\t1.09 $44,858 $43,803 $40,714 $36,437 $32,713 117,907 116,681\t112,324\t107,878\t102,307 204,751 203,105\t193,406\t180,782\t170,407 44,559 41,417\t47,079\t43,842\t36,401 76,255 76,343\t71,315\t68,542\t70,468 4,203 4,005\t3,868\t3,804\t3,755 6,107 5,783\t5,287\t4,191\t3,739 632 620\t611\t609\t605 10,942\t10,408\t9,766\t8,604\t8,099 (1) Comparable store and club sales include fuel. Comparable sales include sales from stores and clubs open for the previous 12 months, including remodels, relocations and \u0007 expansions, as well as e-commerce sales. 18 Walmart 2014 Annual Report Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Overview Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (\"Walmart,\" the \"Company\" or \"we\") operates retail and other stores in various formats around the world and is committed to saving people money so they can live better. Our operations consist of three reportable segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club. \u0007The Walmart U.S. segment includes the Company's mass merchant concept in the United States (\"U.S.\"), operating under the \"Walmart\" or \"Wal-Mart\" brand with various formats, including supercenters, discount stores, Neighborhood Markets and other small stores, as well as walmart.com. Of our three segments, Walmart U.S. is the largest and has historically had the highest gross profit as a percentage of net sales (\"gross profit rate\"). In addition, Walmart U.S. has historically contributed the greatest amount to the Company's net sales and operating income. \u0007The Walmart International segment consists of the Company's operations outside of the U.S., including various retail websites. Walmart International operates retail, wholesale and other types of units, including restaurants and some banks. The overall gross profit rate for Walmart International is lower than that of Walmart U.S. because of its merchandise mix. Walmart International has generally been our most rapidly growing segment, growing primarily through new stores and acquisitions and, in recent years, has been growing its net sales and operating income at a faster rate than our other segments. However, for fiscal 2014, Walmart International sales growth slowed due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates, as well as no significant acquisitions, and operating income declined as a result of certain operating expenses. \u0007The Sam's Club segment includes the warehouse membership clubs in the U.S., as well as samsclub.com. Sam's Club operates as a membership club warehouse with a lower gross profit rate and lower operating expenses as a percentage of net sales than our other segments. At Walmart U.S., we earn the trust of our customers every day by providing a broad assortment of quality merchandise and services at everyday low prices (\"EDLP\"), while fostering a culture that rewards and embraces mutual respect, integrity and diversity. EDLP is our pricing philosophy under which we price items at a low price every day so that our customers trust that our prices will not change under frequent promotional activities. Our focus for Sam's Club is to provide exceptional value on brand name and private label merchandise at \"members only\" prices for both business and personal use. Internationally, we operate with similar philosophies. Our fiscal year ends on January 31 for our U.S. and Canadian operations. We consolidate all other operations generally using a one-month lag and on a calendar year basis. Our business is seasonal to a certain extent due to different calendar events and national and religious holidays, as well as different weather patterns. Historically, our highest sales volume and operating income have occurred in the fiscal quarter ending January 31. This discussion, which presents our results for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2014 (\"fiscal 2014\"), January 31, 2013 (\"fiscal 2013\") and January 31, 2012 (\"fiscal 2012\"), should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. We intend for this discussion to provide the reader with information that will assist in understanding our financial statements, the changes in certain key items in those financial statements from period to period and the primary factors that accounted for those changes. We also discuss certain performance metrics that management uses to assess the Company's performance. Additionally, the discussion provides information about the financial results of the various segments of our business to provide a better understanding of how those segments and their results affect the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as a whole. Throughout this Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, we discuss segment operating income, comparable store and club sales and other measures. Manage ment measures the results of the Company's segments using, among other measures, each segment's operating income, including certain corporate overhead allocations. From time to time, we revise the measurement of each segment's operating income or other measures, which include certain corporate overhead allocations, as determined by the information regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision maker. When we do so, the previous period amounts and balances are reclassified to conform to the current period's presentation. The amounts disclosed for \"Corporate and support\" in the leverage discussion of the Company's performance metrics consist of corporate overhead and other items not allocated to any of the Company's segments. Comparable store and club sales is a metric that indicates the performance of our existing U.S. stores and clubs by measuring the change in sales for such stores and clubs, including e-commerce sales, for a particular period from the corresponding period in the previous year. Walmart's definition of comparable store and club sales includes sales from stores and clubs open for the previous 12 months, including remodels, relocations, expansions and conversions, as well as e-commerce sales. We measure the e-commerce sales impact by including those sales initiated through our websites and fulfilled through our dedicated e-commerce distribution facilities, as well as an estimate for sales initiated online, but fulfilled through our stores and clubs. Changes in format are excluded from comparable store and club sales when the conversion is accompanied by a relocation or expansion that results in a change in retail square feet of more than five percent. Comparable store and club sales are also referred to as \"same-store\" sales by others within the retail industry. The method of calculating comparable store and club sales varies across the retail industry. As a result, our calculation of comparable store and club sales is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. In discussing our operating results, the term currency exchange rates refers to the currency exchange rates we use to convert the operating results for all countries where the functional currency is not the U.S. dollar. We calculate the effect of changes in currency exchange rates as the difference between current period activity translated using the current period's currency exchange rates, and the comparable prior year period's currency exchange rates. Throughout our discussion, we refer to the results of this calculation as the impact of currency exchange rate fluctuations. When we refer to constant currency operating results, we are referring to our operating results without the impact of the currency exchange rate fluctuations and without the impact of acquisitions until the acquisitions are included in both comparable periods. The disclosure of constant currency amounts or results permits investors to understand better Walmart's underlying performance without the effects of currency exchange rate fluctuations or acquisitions. Volatility in currency exchange rates may impact the results, including net sales and operating income, of the Company and the Walmart International segment in the future. Walmart 2014 Annual Report 19 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations We made certain reclassifications to prior period amounts or balances to conform to the presentation in the current fiscal year. These reclassifications did not impact the Company's operating income or consolidated net income. Additionally, certain prior period segment asset and expense allocations have been reclassified among segments to be comparable with the current period presentation. The Retail Industry We operate in the highly competitive retail industry in all of the countries we serve. We face strong sales competition from other discount, department, drug, dollar, variety and specialty stores, warehouse clubs and supermarkets, as well as internet-based retailers and catalog businesses. Many of these competitors are national, regional or international chains. We compete with a number of companies for prime retail site locations, as well as in attracting and retaining quality employees (whom we call \"associates\"). We, along with other retail companies, are influenced by a number of factors including, but not limited to: catastrophic events, climate change, competitive pressures, consumer disposable income, consumer debt levels and buying patterns, consumer credit availability, cost of goods, currency exchange rate fluctuations, customer preferences, deflation, fuel and energy prices, general economic conditions, inflation, insurance costs, interest rates, labor costs, tax rates, unemployment and weather patterns. Further information on the factors that can affect our operating results and on certain risks to our Company and an investment in its securities can be located in \"Item 1A. Risk Factors\" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2014, and in the discussion under \"Forward-Looking Statements.\" Company Performance Metrics The Company's performance metrics emphasize three priorities for improving shareholder value: growth, leverage and returns. The Company's priority of growth focuses on sales through comparable store and club sales, including e-commerce sales, and unit square feet growth; the priority of leverage encompasses the Company's objective to increase its operating income at a faster rate than the growth in net sales by growing its operating, selling, general and administrative expenses (\"operating expenses\") at a slower rate than the growth of its net sales; and the priority of returns focuses on how efficiently the Company employs its assets through return on investment and how effectively the Company manages working capital through free cash flow. Growth Net Sales Fiscal Years Ended January 31, (Amounts in millions) 2014 2013 Net Sales 2012 Percent\tPercent Percent Percent Percent of Total Change Net Sales of Total Change Net Sales of Total Walmart U.S. Walmart International Sam's Club $279,406 59.0%\t1.8% $274,433\t59.0% 3.9% $264,186\t59.6% 136,513 28.9%\t1.3% 134,748\t28.9% 7.4% 125,435\t28.3% 57,157 12.1%\t1.3% 56,423\t12.1% 4.9% 53,795\t12.1% Net sales $473,076\t100.0% 1.6% $465,604\t100.0% 5.0% $443,416\t100.0% Our consolidated net sales increased 1.6% and 5.0% for fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively, when compared to the previous fiscal year. The increase in net sales for fiscal 2014 was primarily due to 3.1% year-over-year growth in retail square feet, higher e-commerce sales, the impact of fiscal 2013 acquisitions, which accounted for $730 million of the net sales increase, and positive comparable club sales at Sam's Club. The positive effect of these items was partially offset by $5.1 billion of negative impact from fluctuations in currency exchange rates and decreases in comparable store sales at Walmart U.S. and in a number of our international operations. The increase in net sales for fiscal 2013 was due to 3.3% growth in retail square feet and positive comparable store and club sales. Additionally, net sales from acquisitions, through their respective anniversary dates, accounted for $4.0 billion of the increase in net sales. The increase in net sales for fiscal 2013 was partially offset by $4.5 billion of negative impact from fluctuations in currency exchange rates. 20 Walmart 2014 Annual Report Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Calendar Comparable Store and Club Sales Comparable store and club sales is a metric that indicates the performance of our existing U.S. stores and clubs by measuring the change in sales for such stores and clubs, including e-commerce sales, for a particular period over the corresponding period in the previous year. The retail industry generally reports comparable store and club sales using the retail calendar (also known as the 4-5-4 calendar) and, to be consistent with the retail industry, we provide comparable store and club sales using the retail calendar in our quarterly earnings releases. However, when we discuss our comparable store and club sales below, we are referring to our calendar comparable store and club sales calculated using our fiscal calendar. As our fiscal calendar differs from the retail calendar, our calendar comparable store and club sales also differ from the retail calendar comparable store and club sales provided in our quarterly earnings releases. Calendar comparable store and club sales, as well as the impact of fuel, for fiscal 2014 and 2013, were as follows: With Fuel Fuel Impact Fiscal Years Ended January 31, Fiscal Years Ended January 31, 2014 2013 2014\t2013 Walmart U.S. Sam's Club (0.6)%\t2.0% 0.0%\t0.0% 0.3%\t4.1% (0.3)%\t0.3% Total U.S. (0.5)%\t2.4% (0.1)%\t0.1% Comparable store and club sales in the U.S., including fuel, decreased 0.5% in fiscal 2014 and increased 2.4% in fiscal 2013, when compared to the previous fiscal year. The total U.S. comparable store and club sales for fiscal 2014 were negatively impacted by lower consumer spending primarily due to the slow recovery in general economic conditions, the 2% increase in the 2013 payroll tax rate, and the reduction in government food benefits and severe winter storms that occurred during the fourth quarter. These factors were partially offset by increased member traffic at Sam's Club primarily coming from Savings Members. Additionally, e-commerce sales positively impacted Walmart U.S. comparable store and Sam's Club comparable club sales percentages by approximately 0.3%. The total U.S. comparable store and club sales for fiscal 2013 increased as a result of improved average ticket and an increase in customer traffic. As we continue to add new stores and clubs in the U.S., we do so with an understanding that additional stores and clubs may take sales away from existing units. We estimate the negative impact on comparable store and club sales as a result of opening new stores and clubs was approximately 0.8% and 0.7% in fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively. Our estimate is calculated primarily by comparing the sales trends of the impacted stores and clubs, which are identified based on their proximity to the new stores and clubs, to those of nearby non-impacted stores and clubs, in each case, as measured after the new stores and clubs are opened. Leverage Operating Income Fiscal Years Ended January31, (Amounts in millions) 2014 2013 Operating\tPercent\tPercent Income ofTotal Change 2012 Operating\tPercent\tPercent Income of Total Change Walmart U.S. Walmart International Sam's Club Corporate and support $22,351 83.2%\t4.0% $21,491\t77.5% 5.4% $20,381\t76.9% 5,454 20.3%\t(17.6)% 6,617\t23.9% 8.2% 6,113\t23.1% 1,975 7.3%\t0.8% 1,960\t7.1% 6.3% 1,844\t7.0% (2,908) (10.8)%\t24.1% (2,343)\t(8.5)% 26.9% (1,847)\t(7.0)% Operating income $26,872 100.0%\t(3.1)% $27,725\t100.0% 4.7% Operating\tPercent Income of Total $26,491\t100.0% We believe comparing both the growth of our operating expenses and our operating income to the growth of our net sales are meaningful measures as they indicate how effectively we manage costs and leverage operating expenses. Our objective for a fiscal year is to grow operating expenses at a slower rate than net sales and to grow operating income at a faster rate than net sales. On occasion, we may make strategic growth investments that may, at times, cause our operating expenses to grow at a faster rate than net sales and that may result in our operating income growing at a slower rate than net sales. Walmart 2014 Annual Report 21 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Operating Expenses For fiscal 2014, we did not meet our objective of growing operating expenses at a slower rate than net sales as operating expenses as a percentage of net sales increased 27 basis points. Overall, lower than anticipated net sales, higher investment in key areas, such as global leverage and e-commerce initiatives, and nearly $1.0 billion of increased expenses for various matters described in the Walmart International segment discussion, were the primary causes for the increase in operating expenses as a percentage of net sales. Additional expenses related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (\"FCPA\") inquiries and investigations, as well as our global compliance program and related organizational enhancements, also contributed to the increase in operating expenses as a percentage of net sales. The negative leverage impact of these items was partially offset by lower incentive expenses for fiscal 2014. For fiscal 2013, we met our objective of growing operating expenses at a slower rate than net sales as operating expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased 14 basis points. The fiscal 2013 decrease in operating expenses as a percentage of net sales was primarily due to productivity improvements and expense management. Expenses incurred for the FCPA inquiries and investigations, as well as our global compliance program and related organizational enhancements, were $282 million and $157 million for fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively. Operating Income For fiscal 2014, we did not meet our objective of growing operating income at a faster rate than net sales as operating income decreased 3.1% while net sales increased 1.6%, when compared to the previous fiscal year. This was primarily due to the factors we discussed for not leveraging operating expenses, partially offset by increases in membership and other income of 5.6%. For fiscal 2013, we also did not meet our objective of growing operating income at a faster rate than net sales as operating income increased 4.7% while net sales increased 5.0%, when compared to the previous fiscal year. The primary causes for operating income growing slower than net sales in fiscal 2013 were our increased investments in e-commerce initiatives, increased expenses related to the FCPA inquiries and investigations, as well as our global compliance program and related organizational enhancements, and investments in price, which reduced gross margin. Returns Return on Investment Management believes return on investment (\"ROI\") is a meaningful metric to share with investors because it helps investors assess how effectively Walmart is deploying its assets. Trends in ROI can fluctuate over time as management balances long-term potential strategic initiatives with possible short-term impacts. ROI was 17.0% and 18.1% for fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively. The decline in ROI was primarily due to a decline in operating income, investments in property and equipment and the impact of acquisitio