Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has purchased the Brazilian operations of the Portuguese retailer Sonae SGPS for about $750 million.
The purchase gives Wal-Mart 140 supercenters, supermarkets and wholesale clubs throughout southern Brazil, roughly doubling the retailer's presence in the country.
The two chains accounted for $4.6 billion in sales in Brazil last year, making the combined company a close third in size to its main competitors, Carrefour and CBD.
A year ago, Wal-Mart purchased the Bompreco supermarket chain from its former owner, Ahold.