Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will close 269 stores, including seven in Georgia, and eliminate about 16,000 jobs.

Of the closures, 154 are in the United States, the discount retail chain said. It will cut 10,000 American jobs.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the closures in Georgia are Walmart Express stores in Alma, Ashburn, Donalsonville, Ellaville, Lakeland, Pearson and Pelham.

More than 95 percent of the closed stores in the United States are within 10 miles on average of another Walmart, and the hope is that these associates will be placed in nearby locations, Walmart said.

“Actively managing our portfolio of assets is essential to maintaining a healthy business,” said Doug McMillon, president and CEO, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. “Closing stores is never an easy decision, but it is necessary to keep the company strong and positioned for the future. It’s important to remember that we’ll open well more than 300 stores around the world next year. So we are committed to growing, but we are being disciplined about it.”

Walmart plans to open 50 to 60 Supercenters and 85 to 95 Neighborhood Markets in fiscal 2017, which begins Feb. 1.