Why do corporations HAVE to raise prices to pay higher employee wages?
Wal-Mart profits billions. Wal-Mart can raise wages and simply profit a few less billion. They still profit in the billions, just not as many billions. And their employees won't need as much government assistance.
What is the rationale for raising prices? Only to sustain high profit margins. Nothing more.
Wal-Mart, McDonald's, JC Penney, etc., can all afford to pay their employees more without raising prices.
Well let's run through that.
Walmart made $28 Billion in profits last year. If they gave that out, it would be a significant raise. $28 Billion divided by 2.2 Million employees, is $12.7K a year. That would be a $6 an hour raise. But.... can they?
Walmart Corporate - Walmart Annual Reports
2013 Annual Report.
Page 25. Effect tax rate was 31%. Page 34. Total provision for income taxes $8 BILLION dollars.
That leaves $20 Billion in profits, divided by 2.2 million, is $9K a year, or $4.30 an hour raise..... but... can they?
Page 34. Total Net Interest on debts. $2 Billion. Companies have debts and loans they borrowed to invest and grow their business. Debt service must be paid out.
Page 28. Total Capital investment. $13 Billion. New stores. Remodeling old and declining stores. Expanding stores. Distribution systems. E-commerce systems. In short... more jobs.
That uses up another $15 of the $20 Billion, leaving $5 Billion. That would still be $5 Billion divided by 2.2 million employees, $2.2K a year, or $1 an hour raise.... but can they do that?
Page 37. Total Dividend payment, $5 Billion.
Now let's talk about that.
So why not just not pay the dividend, and give the money to the employees? That would be an entire dollar per hour, right?
Actually it would not be a dollar per hour, because a good 15% to 20% would have to go to taxes, and employer side costs, but I digress.
The reason you can't just... not pay dividends... is because the share holders are part owners of the company and if you don't pay them their rightful slice of the profits, they'll sue... and win... and you will pay the dividend by court order anyway.
Ok so that's where we are today, and it's not changing. But why have share holders to begin with?
Well where do you think Walmart got the money to build 11,000 stores? Where do you think they got the money to build those 150+ distribution centers? Or the 7,000 trucks? And all the Sam's Club stores and centers? Or those operations around the world?
The entire reason that Walmart has created 2.2 million jobs, is because of the share holders who provided the capital to have it happen. No share holders? No capital. No capital? No jobs, no stores.
And again, who are the share holders? Share holders are largely money markets, retirement funds, pension funds, foundations like universities, and charity organizations. In fact a large segment of the share holders, is the employee stock plan. Every full time employee can and normally does, purchase stock in Walmart at a discount.
Are you opposed to employees getting dividends from the stock they own in their own company? Of course not.
So let's review....
Out of $28 Billion in profits 2013....
$8 Billion went to taxes. You people on the left caused that, and you can't give that money to employees.
$13 Billion went to capital investment. Maintaining existing jobs, and creating new jobs. You people on the left against that?
$2 Billion went to debt service.
$5 Billion to share holders.
Now how much of that profit can Walmart give to employees in wages?
Which one of those would you suggest they not do? Not pay taxes? Oh wait... you leftists love taxes. Can't have that.
Not pay the debt? End up in bankruptcy, and 2.2 million jobs are lost?
Not open new stores? We don't need new jobs at all. There is plenty of employment, right?
Not renovate existing stores so they end up closed? More unemployed is not a problem, right?
Not pay the share holders, which are *US* and end up sued and paying the dividend anyway?
No, the bottom line is very simple. They can't just pay employees more. There is no infinite money tree behind Walmart HQ, that they can just shake and pay more to everyone. Sorry. You are wrong.