Wal-Mart announces expansion plans

(Bentonville-AP) -- Wal-Mart -- the world's largest retailer -- said today its expansion plans for next year represent the company's largest -- by square-footage -- in Wal-Mart history. The company plans to add its traditional discount stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Clubs in the United States or in countries where it currently does business. The planned square footage will be an eight percent increase over this year's expansions.

Wal-Mart will open about 40 new discount stores and 170 to 180 new Supercenters in the United States. The company plans to almost double the number of its Neighborhood Market stores, adding 15 to 20 next year, and add 40 to 50 Sam's Clubs. In other countries, Wal-Mart will open 100 to 110 stores.