Sydney, Feb 8, 2026, 17:20 AEDT — The market is shut.
Woolworths Group Ltd (WOW.AX) closed out Friday at A$31.45, slipping 16 cents, a drop of roughly 0.5% from the previous session. The Australian exchange is closed on Sunday, with trading set to resume Monday. 1
Markets remain edgy in the wake of Friday’s sharp drop. The S&P/ASX 200 slid 2%, closing out the week 1.8% lower, according to ABC. “Panic is spreading,” MooMoo Australia analyst Michael McCarthy told ABC News. 2
This point isn’t lost on Woolworths. “Defensive” stocks have a habit of dropping that label when markets go south. The coming earnings report gives investors a look at whether reliable grocery traffic is still delivering reliable profit.
Coles Group (COL.AX) shares edged down 0.4% to A$21.66 this Friday, Investing.com data showed. Typically, the two stocks move together as investors look for signs in pricing and demand. 3
Shares of Woolworths swung from A$31.40 to A$32.11 during the previous session, according to Investing.com. The stock is still within its 52-week band, which spans A$25.51 up to A$33.76. 4
The ASX announcements log indicates the company hasn’t released any new price-sensitive information since its board update on Jan. 29. 5
Woolworths’ results will put a spotlight on margins, cost inflation, and just how aggressively it’s discounting. Investors are also likely to zero in on the company’s guidance, scanning management’s outlook for any shift in tone over the coming months.
But in a choppy market, read-throughs swing both ways. A soft profit figure or a cautious forecast can land harder than normal. Still, if a company offers steadier news on sales or keeps a lid on costs, shares might hold their ground even as the broader market whips around.
Woolworths’ half-year numbers drop Feb. 25, setting up the next obvious catalyst. 6
