15 Largest Retailers in the US in 2022

Published on November 6, 2022 at 3:16 pm by Mohammed Saqib in Lists, News

In this article, we will discuss the 15 Largest Retailers in the US in 2022. If you want to skip our analysis of the retail market, you can skip this article and head on to the 5 Largest Retailers in the US in 2022.

The US retail market has continued to grow in recent years and was estimated to occupy a market size of $6.9 trillion in 2022. The country is home to some of the biggest retail stores in the world, with companies like Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) and Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) operating in the country. In 2021, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions of the US FED spurred growth in sales of all the retail stores in the country as consumers continued to spend freely in a low-interest rate environment. However, the outlook for big retailers in 2022 has changed as the FED has continued to raise interest rates amidst high inflation. The high rates are expected to slow down the economy and deteriorate the consumer sentiment in the country as people are likely to focus on increasing their savings in the coming months.

Contrary to the expectations, the consumer spending is still very robust. Nearly seventy percent of the US economy is consumer spending and the US GDP registered an annualized 2.6% growth during the third quarter. This is why many retail companies have seen an increase in their sales in the current year. However, discount retail stores like Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTR) and Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG) are positive on their outlook for the coming quarters since they are also experiencing a rise in their store traffic as people started to search for discounted prices.

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Even though the consumer price inflation still hovers around 8%, the overall retail sales has been growing at double digit rates during third quarter. Amazon.com (AMZN), one of the biggest retailers in the US, registered a topline growth rate of 15% during the third quarter, however, the online retail giant guided for an increase of only 5% for the fourth quarter. So, experts and companies are expecting a significant slowdown in retail spending, but we have yet to see this in the reported numbers.

Our Methodology

We have picked the top 15 largest retailers in the United States and have ranked them from #15 to #1 in order of their market capitalization.

15 Largest Retailers in the US in 2022

15. Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG)

Market Cap: $504.45 million

Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG) operates discount retail stores in the United States. The company provides a variety of items, including food items, consumables, soft home items, hard home products, furniture, electronics, and accessories. One-third of the firm’s stores are located in California, Texas, Ohio, and Florida.

Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG) is dealing with a challenging macro-environment which is evidenced by a share price decline of 62.73% YTD as of November 04, 2022. The supply chain challenges and deteriorating consumer sentiment has resulted in inventory build-up for the company, and it is now focused on clearing excess inventory by offering wide discounts. The company’s revenue declined by 7.5% YoY in Q2 2022.

The company recently announced a partnership with DoorDash through which Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG) will be able to expand its geographical footprint and offer its products through the DoorDash app and website.

In addition to Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG), The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD), Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST), and Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) are included in our list of 15 largest retailers in the US in 2022.

14. Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M)

Market Cap: $5.24 billion

Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) was founded in 1858 and operates 570 stores under its name. The company runs and sells products on its e-commerce websites as well. Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) offers a variety of products under the beauty and clothing category, which accounted for 59% of the company’s 2021 sales.

Much like other companies in the sector, Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) also seems to be struggling as the demand for its products slows down. The company’s annual revenue spiked by 40% in 2021, but the company has seen normalization in sales during 2022. Due to the worsening state of the economy, Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) cut down its full-year revenue and profit guidance in its last quarterly result.

On September 28, 2022, Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) announced the launch of a third-party marketplace for sellers and brands. The establishment of a third-party marketplace could help the company in reducing the extra inventory at hand, which it had procured earlier at the start of 2022.

The ClearBridge Investments Small Cap Value Strategy likes Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) ‘s progress on paying down its debt and growing its online sales, as revealed in the fund’s Q3 2021 investor letter:

Meanwhile, Macy’s, an omnichannel retail organization that operates stores, websites, and mobile applications under the Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Bluemercury brands, also had a strong quarter (+21.5%). Macy’s delivered strong second-quarter earnings, beating on earnings and revenue and raising guidance as the retailer continues to pay down debt and grow its digital business.

13. Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY)

Market Cap: $15.15 billion

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) is a leading consumer electronics retailer in the United States and accounts for a 10.6% share of the local market. The majority of the company’s sales are generated via in-store purchases. The electronic segment accounts for the bulk of the company’s sales, with computers, tablets, and mobile phones being the leading categories. The company has operations in the United States and Canada.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) has benefitted from the COVID-19 lockdowns as the e-commerce segment got a boost after the outbreak of the pandemic. The company reported sales of $51.8 billion in the fiscal year 2022, with the domestic segment being the chief contributor to the overall revenue. The domestic segment reported sales of $47.8 billion in the fiscal year 2022 compared to the international segment’s sales of $3.9 billion during the same period.

As per Insider Monkey database, Renaissance Technologies remained the leading stakeholder of the firm as of Q2 2022.

12. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA)

Market Cap: $31.93 billion

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) is a large retail pharmacy chain with around 13,000 locations worldwide. The company has the biggest market share in the US, accounting for 20% of the sales in the country. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) has been taking several initiatives to improve efficiencies and embarked on a cost-saving program in 2015. The company initially set out to save $1 billion in a 3-year period, but in May 2022, the company revised its target to $3.5 billion in annual savings by the end of fiscal 2024.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) generated an EPS of $5.01 in the fiscal year 2022, recording a substantial increase of 117.6% compared to $2.30 in the fiscal year 2021. The company has been able to grow its sales at a CAGR of ~5% since 2015. The revenue for the fiscal year 2022 stood at $132.7 billion compared to $103 billion in 2015.

Aristotle Capital Management Global Equity, which sold out of its Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) stake during Q2, discussed its reasoning for stepping to the sidelines in the fund’s Q1 2022 investor letter:

We first invested in Walgreens Boots Alliance in early 2013. Over our holding period, Walgreens merged with U.K.-based Boots Alliance, establishing itself as a global leading retail pharmacy chain. CEO Stefano Pessina set the company on a path of pursuing strategic partnerships (as opposed to vertical integration deals) to increase store traffic and to, over time, transform the business into a neighborhood health destination around a more modern pharmacy. Using its strong FREE cash flow generation, the company ramped up its investments in technology, aiming to accelerate the digitalization of health information. Mr. Pessina was not successful, however, at turning around the firm’s US retail segment and had to deal with increasing prescription drug reimbursement pressures. He stepped down as CEO in 2020, and in 2021, Roz Brewer took the reins of the firm. We admire Ms. Brewer’s impressive track record at companies that include Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) and Walmart (Sam’s Club). However, given management’s decision to divest core cash-generative businesses and redeploy capital to embryonic healthcare startups, we prefer to step aside while we follow the company’s progress.

11. Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST)

Market Cap: $32.28 billion

Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) is a leading fashion and clothing retailer in the US, running over 1,700 stores. The company provides a wide range of branded products at discounted prices. The company’s low-price products target the middle-class population. Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) ‘s sales are exclusively based in the United States, with home textiles being the biggest contributor to its sales (26%).

Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) has continued to gain market share in recent years via its robust organic sales and has also opened new stores, which has provided a boost to its topline. The company is the second-biggest price retailer in the US, as per Bank of America Global Research. Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) revenue saw a substantial growth of 51% YoY as it posted a revenue of $18.9 billion during the fiscal year 2022.

Here is what Madison Mid Cap Fund has to say about Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) in its Q3 2022 investor letter:

Ross Stores is one of our longest-tenured holdings. Its profits have gyrated wildly since the beginning of the pandemic, first from store closures and shutdowns, then from the pent-up demand for apparel, and more recently, from the economic uncertainty. Adding to that, Ross is finding that consumers’ spending trends in terms of mix and categories have been more difficult to predict than usual, resulting in some mismatches between its merchandise assortment and what shoppers want. This doesn’t appear to be a Ross-specific issue, as other apparel retailers have reported similar problems. We attribute this to the unusual post-pandemic environment, and while we don’t have a crystal ball as to when this will normalize, we believe it will.

10. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR)

Market Cap: $32.97 billion

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) is considered the second-biggest grocer in the United States in terms of market share. The company operates 2,726 supermarkets under several names in the country. In a period of macro slowdown, consumer staple companies usually stay resilient and less risky than other companies, which is why The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) remains a quality stock. The company has a strong operational history and has been in existence since 1883.

Earlier in October, The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) announced a merger deal with Albertsons. The company stated that the $20 billion deal would help establish a new supermarket chain to compete in the grocery industry, which is currently headed by Walmart. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) and Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) have a combined market share of 13% in US grocery sales.

9. Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTR)

Market Cap: $34.78 billion

Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTR) runs discount stores in Canada and US. The company operates 8,647 shops and 8,016 Family Dollar units. The company sells branded and ordinary products at a price near $1. Consumable products like food, beauty, and health account for a majority of the company’s sales (~45% in the fiscal year 2021).

The company has been able to grow its sales at a moderate pace as it reported revenue of $26.3 billion in the fiscal year 2022, up from 3.14% from $25.5 billion in the fiscal year 2021. However, the company is poised for further growth as consumers have come under pressure from persistent inflation and are now heading towards discount stores. A new report from Placer.ai stated that the traffic on dollar stores is set to increase as consumers start to adopt a more “value-focused mindset”.

Here is what Madison Funds specifically said about Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTR) in its Q2 2022 investor letter:

Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTR) reported strong results on the heels of rolling out the $1.25 price point initiative at all Dollar Tree stores nationwide. Furthermore, they announced several executive leadership changes, undoubtedly catalyzed by new Executive Chairman Richard Dreiling. We remain encouraged by the progress to date and are excited to see what the new team can do at Dollar Tree over the coming years.

8. Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG)

Market Cap: $55.89 billion

Dollar General (NYSE:DG) is the largest retailer in the US in terms of store count operating over 18 thousand stores in 47 states across the United States. Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG) primary customer base is low to middle-income families, with a majority of the company’s customers earning less than $50,000/year. A majority of the firm’s products (over 80%) are sold at prices under $5.

The company reported revenue of $34.2 billion during the fiscal year 2022, an increase of 1.4% compared to $33.7 billion in the fiscal year 2021. The consumables category accounted for approximately 77% of the company’s net sales.

Here’s what LRT Capital Management said about Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG) in its Q3 2021 investor letter:

Executive Summary

At LRT Capital Management we are continuously searching the market for great investment opportunities. Our favorite finds are companies with moats and growth opportunities that justify a higher price than what the stock is trading for. One of our holdings (approximately 1.5% of our long exposure) is Dollar General (DG), so today, we wanted to tell you a bit about this great company.

Company Overview

Dollar General is a discount retailer with the largest brick-and-mortar presence in the United States by store count. The company’s largest concentration of stores can be found in the southern, southwestern, midwestern, and eastern parts of the United States.10 Dollar General was founded in 1939 by J.L. Turner, who originally named the company “J.L. Turner and Son, Wholesale”. As the name suggests, the company began its life as a wholesaler, but quickly turned to a retailer of general store goods. By the early 1950s, the company had annual sales of $2 million per year,12 which is the equivalent of $22.95 million in 2021 dollars when adjusted for inflation.

The first Dollar General store opened on June 01, 1955 in Springfield Kentucky. The simple concept was that no item in the store would cost more than one dollar. The company changed its name to Dollar General Corporation in 1968 when Dollar General became publicly traded. At the time of its initial public offering, the business generated more than $40 million in annual sales. The company’s common stock was publicly traded from 1968 until July 2007, when it was taken private by KKR. The company went public again in November 2009, under the ticker DG.

Today, Dollar General is an evolved, and phenomenal business with more room for growth. Annual sales reached a record $33.7 billion in fiscal year 2021 after consecutively growing the top line for many years. The company’s main products are every-day necessities and consumables purchased by lower income consumers on tight budgets…

7. Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT)

Market Cap: $72.67 billion

Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) is the 7^th largest retailer in the US, operating 1,938 stores in the country. The company offers a diverse range of products across various categories, including beauty, food and beverage, apparel and accessories, and home furnishings and décor. The company has an employee base of over 400 thousand people across 50 states in the United States.

The company has been able to grow its sales significantly during the previous year, as it reported revenue of $104.6 billion in 2021, up 13% compared to $92.4 billion in 2020. Earlier in October, Target and Apple announced a collaboration under which Target will have more locations for Apple products, allowing consumers to buy more of the company’s offerings during the holiday season.

Ensemble Capital shared its stance on Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) in its Q2 2022 investor letter. Here’s what the firm said:

Speaking on their earnings call, Target‘s CEO Brian Cornell said that spending on items such as kitchen appliances, TVs and outdoor furniture – products that consumers splurged on while stuck at home – has declined sharply. While they had expected there to be a shift from spending on goods to services as America exited pandemic lifestyles, they didn’t anticipate the speed and magnitude of the shift. On the other hand, they saw luggage sales grow by an astounding 50%, along with robust growth in “going out” categories such as sunscreen, beauty products, and even toys as families return to hosting large birthday parties for their children. So, despite Target seeing increasing foot traffic and higher spending overall, they got caught with the wrong inventory relative to what customers wanted to buy. What this means for investors is that it is incorrect to say that the consumer is weak, despite weakness in some consumer facing companies. Rather what people are spending money on is changing rapidly, which is good or bad for a given company based on what they sell. Importantly, with demand shifting from items that were in short supply, there is good reason to think that inflation in these categories will moderate. Indeed, Target stated that their plan was to put their excess inventory on sale, something that consumers haven’t seen a lot of over the past two years. But as demand for COVID era goods moderates, demand for activities such as travel has surged, driving up inflation in airline tickets and hotel rooms. This illustrates the way that the shock waves from the pandemic have scrambled the typical economic cycle such that even at a time when all signs point to the biggest summer travel season in history, investors are worried that we are headed into, or are already in, a recession.

6. The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX)

Market Cap: $82.14 billion

The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) is a major off-price retailer of clothing, home goods, and other items operating 4,689 stores worldwide. It offers a broad range of branded items at discounted prices via its strategic purchases of inventory from its 21,000 suppliers worldwide. The store typically offers products at a discount in the range of 20%-60% compared to other retailers. The United States is a key geographic location for the company, and in the fiscal year 2022, the region contributed to 79% of the company’s overall sales.

The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) had a record growth in sales during the fiscal year 2022 as it reported sales of $48.5 billion, up 51% from $32.1 billion in 2021. However, the sales have started to normalize in the current year, and the company’s net sales declined by 2% YoY in the second quarter of fiscal 2023.

The ClearBridge Investments Large Cap Value Strategy liked the potential post-pandemic customer surge to The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX), as revealed in the fund’s Q4 2021 investor letter:

The pandemic created opportunities for us to be more aggressive in a variety of areas of the market. We were opportunistic throughout the year, for example, in positioning the portfolio to benefit from a flush consumer eager to return to spending and traveling. New positions included TJX, an off-brand retailer with a large presence in the US and Europe that should continue to benefit from the contraction of many traditional retailers, particularly as consumer spending resumes.

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