Walmart Inc.
WMT,
-0.04%
said Wednesday that it has expanded an early payment program that will benefit minority and diverse suppliers. The latest program, which launches on May 3, builds on an existing one, providing additional options intended to make access to working capital faster and more affordable. Walmart says it will fund the program first, ultimately partnering with international and minority-owned banks for additional capabilities. Walmart, which partnered with financial technology company C2FO, provided a copy of the letter sent to Walmart suppliers here. Walmart shares have fallen 4.1% for the year to date while the Dow Jones Industrial Average
DJIA,
-0.32%
is up 10.6% for the period.