Sydney, Feb 16, 2026, 18:12 AEDT — Market closed.
- Wesfarmers shares ended up 1.16% at A$88.71 on Monday, after trading between A$87.71 and A$89.28
- Investors are positioning ahead of Wesfarmers’ half-year results due Thursday
- A new Google Cloud “agentic AI” deal put tech spending and customer experience back in focus for the week
Wesfarmers Ltd shares closed up 1.16% at A$88.71 on Monday, outpacing a 0.22% rise in the S&P/ASX 200. The stock traded between A$87.71 and A$89.28, with about 841,000 shares changing hands, data showed. (Investing.com Australia)
The move matters this week because Wesfarmers is due to release half-year results on Thursday, a report that typically sets the tone for retail sentiment in Australia as investors try to read demand, pricing and cost pressure in one go. (Wesfarmers)
Another piece in the mix: Wesfarmers has signed a multi-year deal with Google Cloud to deploy what it calls “agentic AI” across brands including Kmart, Officeworks, Priceline and its OnePass membership platform, Computer Weekly reported. Agentic AI refers to software “agents” designed to reason through and execute multi-step tasks, such as handling customer queries or automating routine internal work. Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott said the group wanted to expand AI “responsibly, at scale and with the right partners,” while Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian said AI was “fundamentally changing the retail sector.” (Computerweekly)
The company is piloting a “Search with OnePass” feature that aims to let customers shop conversationally across divisions, and it is pushing AI assistants into customer support and back-office teams, the report said.
Traders will use Thursday’s update to test two ideas at once: whether Wesfarmers’ big retail engines are still holding up, and whether fresh investment in digital tools is about to lift costs before it lifts returns.
The half-year print is also where management’s language tends to shift first. A firmer tone on discretionary spending, promotions or supplier costs can move the stock quickly in either direction.
But there’s a downside case. AI rollouts can be slow, messy and expensive, and any hint of higher spending without near-term payback could jar investors already leaning into the growth story. A softer read on household demand would not help.
Wesfarmers shares have a short runway before Thursday, and much of the week’s positioning will likely be about not getting caught wrong-footed on guidance.
