Item 4. Controls and Procedures

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Item 4. Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information, which is required to be timely disclosed, is accumulated and communicated to management in a timely fashion. In designing and evaluating such controls and procedures, we recognize that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. Our management is necessarily required to use judgment in evaluating controls and procedures. Also, we have investments in unconsolidated entities. Since we do not control or manage those entities, our controls and procedures with respect to those entities are substantially more limited than those we maintain with respect to our consolidated subsidiaries.

In the ordinary course of business, we review our internal control over financial reporting and make changes to our systems and processes to improve such controls and increase efficiency, while ensuring that we maintain an effective internal control environment. Changes may include such activities as implementing new, more efficient systems, updating existing systems, automating manual processes, standardizing controls globally, migrating certain processes to our shared services organizations and increasing monitoring controls. We are currently upgrading our financial system in stages, beginning in our U.S. and Canadian markets, including our general ledger which was upgraded for these markets during fiscal 2024. Our financial system is a significant component of our internal control over financial reporting. We will continue to implement other components of our new financial system in stages, and each implementation will impact our internal control over financial reporting.

An evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report was performed under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and are effective to provide reasonable assurance that such information is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the SEC's rules and forms. There has been no significant change in the Company's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

I. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The Company is involved in legal proceedings arising in the normal course of its business, including litigation, arbitration and other claims, and investigations, inspections, subpoenas, audits, claims, inquiries and similar actions by governmental authorities. We discuss certain legal proceedings in Part I of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the caption "Item 1. Financial Statements," in Note 6 to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, which is captioned "Contingencies," under the sub-caption "Legal Proceedings." We refer you to that discussion for important information concerning those legal proceedings, including the basis for such actions and, where known, the relief sought. We provide the following additional information concerning those legal proceedings, including the name of the lawsuit, the court in which the lawsuit is pending, and the date on which the petition commencing the lawsuit or appeal was filed, in addition to disclosure of certain other legal matters.

Opioid-Related Litigation: In re National Prescription Opiate Litigation (MDL No. 2804) (the "MDL") is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and includes over 250 cases with claims against the Company as of November 27, 2024. A case involving a judgment entered on claims brought by two counties was appealed to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which then certified certain questions to the Supreme Court of Ohio where the matter remains pending. In addition, there are more than 25 other opioid-related cases against the Company and its subsidiaries pending in U.S. state and federal courts and Canadian courts as of November 27, 2024. The non-MDL case citations and currently scheduled trial dates, where applicable, are listed on Exhibit 99.1 to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

DOJ Opioid Civil Litigation: United States of America v. Walmart Inc., et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 12/22/20.

Settlement of Certain Opioid-Related Matters: As described in more detail in Note 6 to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company accrued a liability of approximately $3.3 billion in fiscal year 2023 for certain opioid-related settlements. As of January 31, 2024, substantially all of the approximately $3.3 billion accrued liability had been paid. Certain eligible political subdivisions and federally recognized Native American tribes have until July 15, 2025 and February 24, 2026, respectively, to join the settlement.

Opioid-Related Derivative Lawsuits: Abt v. Alvarez et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 2/9/21; Nguyen v. McMillon et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 4/16/21; Ontario Provincial Council of Carpenters' Pension Trust Fund et al. v. Walton et al., DE Court of Chancery, 9/27/21.

Opioid-Related Securities Class Actions: Stanton v. Walmart Inc. et al., USDC, Dist. of DE, 1/20/21 and Martin v. Walmart Inc. et al., USDC*,* Dist. of DE, 3/5/21, consolidated into In re Walmart Inc. Securities Litigation, USDC, Dist. of DE, 5/11/21; In re Walmart Inc. Securities Litigation, USCCA, 3d Cir., 4/29/24.

False Claims Act Litigation: United States of America ex rel. James Marcilla and Isela Chavez, USDC, Dist. of N.M., 8/23/19, transferred to USDC Dist. of DE 7/25/24.

ASDA Equal Value Claims: Ms S Brierley & Others v ASDA Stores Ltd (2406372/2008 & Others – Manchester Employment Tribunal); Abbas & Others v Asda Stores limited (KB-2022-003243); and Abusubih & Others v Asda Stores limited (KB-2022-003240).

Money Transfer Agent Services Matters: Federal Trade Commission v. Walmart Inc., USDC, N. Dist. Of Ill, 6/28/22; Federal Trade Commission v. Walmart Inc., USCCA, 7th Cir., 10/28/24.

Mexico Antitrust Matter: Comisión Federal de Competencia Económica of México, Investigative Authority v. Nueva Wal-Mart de México, S.de R.L. de C.V. (Docket IO-002-2020, consolidated with Docket DE-026-2020), Mexico, 10/6/23.

India Antitrust Matter: Competition Commission of India, Case No. 40 of 2019, order initiating investigation 1/13/20.

II. CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS:

Driver Platform Matters: The Company has been responding to subpoenas, information requests and investigations from governmental entities regarding the independent contractor classification of drivers and payment and operational practices with respect to the Company's driver platform, as well as defending putative class and representative action civil litigation relating to driver classification and defending other civil litigation and arbitration claims in connection with the driver platform. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of the investigations by the governmental entities or the civil litigation and arbitration matters. While the Company does not currently believe that the outcome of these matters will have a material adverse effect on its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows, the Company can provide no assurance as to the scope and outcome of these matters and no assurance that its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows will not be materially adversely affected.

III. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS: Item 103 of SEC Regulation S-K requires disclosure of certain environmental matters when a governmental authority is a party to the proceedings and such proceedings involve potential monetary sanctions that the Company reasonably believes will exceed an applied threshold not to exceed $1 million.

In December 2021, the Office of the Attorney General of the State of California filed suit against the Company, bringing enforcement claims regarding Walmart's management of waste consumer products at its California facilities that are alleged to be hazardous. The suit was filed in Superior Court of Alameda County, California, Case No. 21CV004367, People v. Walmart Inc. On July 15, 2024, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the State of California pursuant to which the Company would pay $7.5 million and maintain current hazardous waste management practices and cause certain reports to be made for a period of four years. The Court approved the settlement and entered final judgment on October 24, 2024, and the settlement has been paid.

In October 2023, the Company received a Finding of Violation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the "EPA") alleging violations of the Clean Air Act in connection with the Company's refrigeration leak detection and repair program at certain of its facilities. The Company is evaluating the findings and cooperating with the EPA in its investigation. The EPA may seek to impose monetary and non-monetary penalties for the alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. Due to the fact that this process is in an early stage, the Company is unable to predict the final outcome of this matter. Although the Company does not believe this matter will have a material adverse effect on its business, financial position, results of operations, or cash flows, the Company can provide no assurance that its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows will not be materially adversely affected.

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