I found 6 Big Corps based in the State of Arkansas. I am defining these Big Corps as ones that had more than $200 mil in Core Pretax Earnings or Losses in either of the most recent two years: 2010 and 2009.
Anyway, one Giant Corp clearly dominates the Arkansas-based Big Corp earnings landscape. Wal-Mart posted Pretax Earnings in the fiscal year ended(FYE) January 2011 of an incredible $23.5 bil, which was an increase of 6% over the previous year.
Wal-Mart's 6% earnings growth might seem low to some, but it doesn't surprise me. Wal-Mart just powered through the Great Recession, almost as if it didn't happen.
Here is the Pretax Income of Wal-Mart just before the Great Recession, during the Great Recession, and just after the Great Recession.
FYE January....Pretax Income
....2007................$19.0 bil
....2008................$20.2 bil
....2009................$20.9 bil
....2010................$22.1 bil
....2011................$23.5 bil
The other 5 Arkansas Big Corps generated Total Core Pretax Income in 2010 of $3.7 bil, up a massive 95% over 2009. The major earnings growth contributor here was Tyson Foods.
Below here are the individual current earnings for these Arkansas 6 largest publicly-held Corps, as was disclosed in either their most recent annual Fiscal Year Ended (FYE) 2010 earnings releases or in their most recent SEC annual report filings.
Arkansas 6 Largest Publicly-Held Corps Most Recent Annual Pretax Earnings (PTI)
.........................................................................Increase
.................................FYE.........PTI........PTI....(Decrease)...
Arkansas Big Corp...2010......2010......2009......Amount...%.
...............................................(millions of dollars)....
Ark Giant Corp That Rules
Wal-Mart...............Jan 11....23,538...22,118.....1,420.....6%
Ark 5 Other Big Corps
Murphy Oil(1)..........Dec…......1,414.....1,033........381....37%
Tyson Foods(2)........Sep…......1,203.........17......1,186....NM
Windstream.............Dec…........505........546........(41)...(8)%
JB Hunt Transports..Dec…........320.......224..........96.....43%
Dillards..................Jan 11.........269.........85.........184...216%
Total Ark 5 Other Big Corps....3,711....1,905......1,806....95%
(1) Murphy Oil 2009 PTI excludes Recovery of Federal Royalties Credit.
(2) Tyson Foods 2009 PTI excludes large Goodwill Impairment Charge.
