The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Walmart is further sweetening salaries for its store managers in the United States. An Associated Press dispatch to The Globe says that Walmart, which has almost 4,700 U.S. namesake stores, said Monday that starting with the company's new fiscal year, which begins Thursday, U.S. store managers will receive up to $20,000 in Walmart stock grants every year (all figures U.S.). Walmart shares are up 15 per cent in the past 52 weeks, with the stock closing at $165.04 on Monday, up 77 cents a share. The moves follow an announcement made by the discounter earlier in the month that it would raise the starting base pay for store managers, while redesigning its bonus plan to emphasize profits. The pay raise and bonus change will also be effective Thursday. Walmart said it has not made any changes to store managers' pay structure in more than a decade. And though turnover rates for U.S. store managers and the rest of its workers have stabilized since 2022, pressures on employees have increased, as they balance inventory for both store customers and on-line shoppers. The new starting annual base salary for U.S. store managers will range from $90,000 to $170,000.