Symbotic completes Walmart robotics acquisition and agrees funded store automation programme

Symbotic announced completion of its acquisition of Walmart’s Advanced Systems and Robotics business on 28 January 2025, alongside an agreement to develop automated Accelerated Pickup and Delivery centres at Walmart stores. The transaction terms included $200 million cash at closing, subject to adjustments, and up to $350 million in contingent consideration tied to future APD orders. Walmart separately committed $520 million in development funding, including $230 million at closing.

Under performance and acceptance conditions, Walmart committed to order systems for 400 in-store APD centres over multiple years, with options for more. Symbotic said the arrangement could add over $5 billion of backlog, a conditional future estimate rather than confirmed revenue at closing. The company already had a separate programme rolling out warehouse automation across Walmart's 42 US regional distribution centres; APD expands its work toward store-level e-commerce fulfilment.

The acquired business adds store-level fulfilment technology to Symbotic’s warehouse automation platform. The development programme covers enhancements to existing pickup and delivery systems as well as new designs, allowing stores to prepare online customer orders more efficiently. It extends automation from regional distribution centres into the locations that handle the final pickup or delivery stage.