Sydney, May 18, 2026, 05:11 AEST
- Woolworths finished at A$32.98 on Friday, gaining 1.35% for the day, though the stock ended the week down.
- ASX cash trading was shut at the dateline. Regular hours are set to begin from around 10 a.m. Sydney.
- Pricing is still in focus as Coles faces a discounting decision and new coverage looks at supermarket promotion cycles.
Woolworths Group Ltd goes into Monday’s ASX open after a mild lift on Friday, but investors are watching to see if supermarket discounting is turning into a legal and margin problem, rather than just a way to boost sales.
The shares ended Friday at A$32.98, up 44 cents, or 1.35%, with 1.83 million shares changing hands. Weekly, the stock was still off about 1.8% from last Friday’s A$33.60 close, according to past closing prices.
The ASX hasn’t posted a fresh trading price so far. The cash market closed at 05:11 AEST. The exchange will enter pre-open at 7 a.m. Sydney time, with regular trading set to begin at about 09:59:45 and end at 4 p.m. May 18 doesn’t appear in ASX’s 2026 market holiday list; next closure is set for June 8 for King’s Birthday.
Coles and Woolworths faced fresh scrutiny before the market opened. Guardian Australia reported Monday that CW Scanner data showed both chains switched some product prices from promotional to full price at the same time. The report described “High-Low” pricing, where goods flip between shelf price and short-term deals. That isn’t tied to the ACCC cases but keeps attention on how the grocers talk about value. The Guardian
Federal Court found Coles misled shoppers with “Down Down” discount tags on 13 out of 14 tickets in a test set, the ACCC said. The case centers on claims that Coles bumped up prices on 245 everyday products for a short stretch, then advertised them as discounts. Any fines or penalties will come later. ACCC
Woolworths’ case is still in progress after hearings wrapped up, according to Reuters. Coles shares dropped 2.7% following the decision, while Woolworths slipped 1.9%. Vantage Markets analyst Hebe Chen said investors were “looking beyond the legal headline,” with the risk that discounting “playbook becomes less flexible” now priced in. Reuters
Coles faces the direct pressure here. Reuters reports the two chains account for almost two-thirds of Australia’s grocery sales, so any court move on promotional pricing could matter for both share and profit.
Woolworths had already warned on earnings. In late April, it guided for fiscal 2026 operating earnings growth in Australian Food at a mid- to high-single-digit pace, dropping its upper-end view, blaming fuel costs and extra spend to keep customers. Shares dropped up to 9.8% that day, even with group sales for the quarter rising to A$18.10 billion, topping Visible Alpha consensus.
Woolworths CEO Amanda Bardwell said the Middle East conflict is affecting both shoppers and staff who are already dealing with “cost-of-living pressures.” The retailer will freeze prices on 300 everyday items for three months starting May 1, and it plans to absorb supplier cost increases in that time. Reuters
The S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.11% to end at 8,630.80 on Friday, putting the index lower for the week. The index follows 200 major stocks listed on the ASX, weighted by float-adjusted market value. That is, it measures the value of shares actually available to trade.
The risk cuts both ways. A tough Woolworths verdict could raise the chance of penalties, squeeze promo options and mean more pressure with fuel and supplier costs going up. But if the result is less harsh or price freezes keep customers coming in, shares might get some relief.
Looking to next week, traders are watching Monday’s open for signs that staples steady, if Coles’ ruling still drags on Woolworths, and if fresh news from the courts or the ACCC shifts the risk on the stock. Woolworths’ last price-sensitive release to the ASX was its third-quarter sales update on April 30.
