Walmart (WMT) stock gained 2.22% to close Thursday at $110.56, a rise of $2.40 on the session, before slipping 0.03% to $110.52 in after-hours trading. The move came as the retailer opened its fifth advanced fulfillment center, located in Stockton, California, expanding its West Coast delivery network. The facility will create more than 1,000 jobs and increase the company's capacity to process online orders.

Fifth Next-Generation Fulfillment Center Opens in the Central Valley

The Stockton site covers more than 900,000 square feet in California's Central Valley and is Walmart's fifth next-generation fulfillment center. The location strengthens the company's distribution operations across California and neighboring western states, bringing inventory closer to customers and supporting faster shipping throughout the region.

The facility combines automated systems, machine learning, and warehouse employees to handle orders more efficiently. Its storage technology moves products directly to workers, cutting the traditional fulfillment process from 12 steps to five. That allows employees to process additional orders while spending less time on repetitive warehouse activities.

Walmart expects its advanced fulfillment network to support next-day or two-day shipping for 95% of Americans. The Stockton center also provides additional space for merchandise from independent businesses using Walmart Fulfillment Services, supporting the retailer's growing online marketplace alongside its existing network of stores and distribution facilities.

New Facility Creates More Than 1,000 Jobs

The Stockton center will employ more than 1,000 associates as Walmart increases operations at the site. The company continues to recruit employees for warehouse operations, technology, and other positions supporting its automated systems. According to Walmart, these roles offer opportunities to develop technical skills and pursue longer-term employment within the company.

Walmart provides eligible full-time employees with medical coverage, dental insurance, retirement benefits, and paid leave. Workers can also access the company's employee stock purchase program and tuition assistance through its Live Better U education program. The retailer is accepting applications through its online careers platform as hiring at the site progresses.

The opening is also set to bring additional economic activity to Stockton and the surrounding San Joaquin County area. Walmart marked the occasion with $10,000 in grants supporting two local education and food assistance organizations: the Emergency Food Bank of Stockton and Unbound Stockton Community School, both Stockton-based.

Walmart's Established California Footprint

Walmart already employs more than 102,900 associates throughout California across its retail and distribution operations. The company operates more than 300 stores, clubs, and supply chain facilities in the state, and its latest investment expands an established network serving customers through both physical locations and online channels.

During 2025, Walmart spent $36.5 billion with California suppliers, supporting approximately 310,304 supplier jobs statewide. The company and its foundation contributed more than $84.2 million to California organizations during fiscal 2026, through cash donations and goods distributed via local community partnerships.

A Broader Fulfillment Modernization Effort

The Stockton opening forms part of Walmart's broader push toize fulfillment and improve delivery efficiency. Advanced storage systems allow the company to handle larger order volumes without relying entirely on traditional manual processes, leaning on its combined network of automated facilities, stores, and distribution centers. The build-out reflects a wider retail industry shift toward automation-led fulfillment, as large chains work to meet shoppers' expectations for rapid online-order delivery. The new center adds capacity as Walmart expands its shipping services across the western United States. As operations ramp up, the pace of hiring toward the site's 1,000-plus headcount and the amount of capacity taken up by independent sellers through Walmart Fulfillment Services will provide concrete measures of the network's expansion.

Source: Walmart (WMT) Stock: Gains as New California Hub Creates 1,000 Jobs, Blockonomi