Walmart restructure to reduce divisions, regions

A Wal-Mart Stores spokesman confirmed the company was restructuring its field staff in a means to improve efficiency and speed amid a dynamic retail marketplace.

"As retail and the customer are changing, we’re putting people who are equipped to run great stores and understand, embrace and execute change at an unprecedented rate in the right roles and in the right locations,” spokesman Kory Lundberg told SN in an email.

“Our last field restructure was several years ago and our business has changed over that time. The structure we are putting in place will help improve communication and execution, streamline decision-making and help us accelerate our pace of change."

Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Walmart would reduce its U.S. divisions from six to four, and the number of regions in the U.S. from 44 to 36.

It was not immediately known how many jobs would be affected by the restructuring. Earlier this year, around 200 replenishment roles were cut as Walmart changed its sourcing practices and roles.

Walmart has been investing heavily in its digital operations and in lower prices at stores as it seeks to transform itself ahead of a retail world undergoing disruption on multiple fronts. “Retail is constantly evolving, and it's critical that we move even faster as the customer and competitive landscape continue to change,” CEO Doug McMillon said in a conference call last month.