It is no surprise that Wal-Mart once again dominates the list of the world’s top 100 retailers. What is unusual about this year’s list is the global emergence of US retailers, the acceleration of globalization, the accelerated growth in categories such as hardlines specialty stores and specialty apparel, as well as the dramatic distinction in growth strategies between the fastest-growing US and European retailers.

The 1999 Top 100 Retailers Worldwide, compiled and analyzed by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the world’s largest professional services organization, indicates that while US-based retailers tend to be the biggest (comprising seven of the top ten), the largest European retailers are more global, have a strong incentive to invest in new markets and therefore, are becoming more cosmopolitan than their US counterparts.

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