New York, Feb 1, 2026, 10:14 ET — The market has closed.
- Walmart shares ended Friday roughly 1.5% higher, closing at $119.14.
- A recent SEC filing outlined the separation terms for departing international chief Kathryn McLay.
- Investors are eyeing the Feb. 19 results, the first major update since the leadership shakeup.
Walmart’s shares climbed roughly 1.5% on Friday, as investors reacted to a weekend of major leadership shifts at the company and reviewed a fresh securities filing outlining the exit deal for its outgoing international chief.
Timing is crucial. Walmart closed its fiscal year on Jan. 31, and with a new CEO stepping in on Feb. 1, all eyes will be on the company’s upcoming statements about priorities, costs, and growth ahead of its quarterly report later this month.
Shares ended Friday at $119.14, rising $1.81, after fluctuating between $116.61 and $119.40. Roughly 22.2 million shares were traded, per market data.
In the same session, rivals showed mixed results. Target climbed roughly 2.6%, whereas Costco dropped about 1.3% and Amazon slid nearly 1.0%.
Walmart revealed in a Form 8-K/A filing that Kathryn McLay, its international chief, plans to step down from her position on Jan. 31 and leave the company by April 30. According to the document, she will receive $2.82 million spread over two years following her departure, along with accelerated vesting of 24,051 restricted shares. However, she will forfeit other unvested awards.
Walmart announced plans to unveil a wider range of leadership changes on Feb. 1, naming David Guggina as head of Walmart U.S. and Chris Nicholas to lead Walmart International. In the Jan. 16 statement, incoming CEO John Furner described the move as “centralizing our platforms” amid the impact of AI on retail. Walmart News Leadership
Furner will take over from Doug McMillon as Walmart’s president and CEO starting Feb. 1, the company announced in a filing and statement last year. McMillon plans to retire on Jan. 31 but will stay on the board until the next annual shareholders’ meeting.
U.S. markets reopen Monday, putting the spotlight on the new leadership team. Investors will be keen to see if there are early signs on how they plan to handle international markets, and whether the reshuffle alters the pace of investment spending.
Walmart’s FY2026 fourth-quarter earnings drop on Feb. 19, with materials due by 6 a.m. CT and a conference call set for 7 a.m. CT, per the company’s events calendar.
Risks remain. Leadership shifts can cause distraction, and investors will dig beyond one-off items to check if core operating trends really hold steady — especially if costs climb quicker than sales or if tougher competition drives deeper discounting.
Attention is on the opening trading days under the new CEO and the upcoming Feb. 19 earnings. Walmart also said its annual filing, due later, will likely include the CEO separation agreement as an exhibit for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31.
