Walmart just confirmed it's taking a big stake in China's second-largest online retailer
Walmart will receive 5% of JD.com's total outstanding shares, summing up to about 145.5 million newly issued ordinary shares. It will sell its Yihaodian marketplace assets to JD.com. Also, Sam's Club China will open a flagship store on JD.com.
Through this partnership, Walmart hopes to grow its China business and extend its ecommerce reach in the country, where it has struggled to gain traction.
The news was earlier reported by Dow Jones.
In a filing, Walmart said the agreement should increase its second-quarter earnings per share from continuing operations by $0.16-$0.19 per share.
"We're excited about teaming up with such a strong leader in JD.com, and the potential that this new relationship creates for customers in China, as well as for our businesses," said Walmart CEO Doug McMillon.
Walmart shares were up by less than 1% in afternoon trading following the news.
For the first quarter, Walmart bucked the trend among department-store chains when it reported earnings that were better than expected.
We are focused on building the e-commerce capabilities we need to drive growth to a higher level and deliver the seamless shopping experience for customers they desire," the company said at the time.