Sydney, Feb 23, 2026, 18:39 AEDT — Market closed.
- Woolworths closed up 0.26% at A$31.31, bucking a weaker broader market. (Investing)
- Australia’s benchmark index fell 0.61% amid tariff-driven risk jitters. (Investing)
- Woolworths’ half-year results are due on Feb. 25, a near-term catalyst for the stock. (Woolworths Group)
Woolworths Group Ltd shares ended slightly higher on Monday, closing up 0.26% at A$31.31, even as the broader market lost ground. (Investing)
The move comes with a key date looming. Woolworths has flagged its fiscal 2026 half-year results for Wednesday, Feb. 25, with an analyst and investor webcast scheduled around the release. (Woolworths Group)
That matters now because supermarkets have leaned harder on discounts to protect volumes, and investors want to see what that did to earnings power. Any read-through on costs and pricing can land quickly in forecasts.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.61% at the close, led by declines in IT, healthcare and real estate investment trusts, according to Investing.com. (Investing)
A Reuters market report pinned the softer tone on fresh uncertainty over U.S. tariff policy. “Trump headlines equal volatility,” Mark Gardener, CEO of MPC Markets, was quoted as saying. (Indo Premier)
Woolworths, a heavyweight in consumer staples — companies that sell everyday essentials — often trades as a defensive holding when risk appetite fades. On Monday, that defence looked thin but it held.
Investors going into Wednesday are likely to focus on supermarket sales trends, any sign of margin repair, and what management says about the balance between promotions and profitability.
There is also the competitive backdrop. Coles remains the closest listed peer, and any shift in price gaps or customer traffic tends to show up quickly in both stocks.
But the downside is simple: a weaker-than-expected result, or a cautious tone on discounting and costs, could drag the shares lower even if the wider market steadies.
