Retail's next wave of leaders: 9 incoming CEOs taking over at Walmart, Target, and more in 2026

Tech Insider : Business
Incoming Walmart CEO John Furner with outgoing CEO Doug McMillon.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon (R) is handing over the top job to John Furner in the new year.

Walmart

Forget Target. This year's last-minute holiday shoppers flocked to a lesser-known — but fast-growing — bargain outlet

Tech Insider : Business
Cars sit parked outside of an Ollie's Bargain Outlet store as customers walk in and potting soil sits in bags outside of the front doors. Above the entrance, a red-and-black sign reads:
Ollie's Bargain Outlet plans to more than double its store count in the coming years.

Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

I've worked at Target for 23 years. What started as a college job has transformed into a career.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment, Travel
Target's northernmost location in Wasilla, Alaska
Justin Howells, Target's group vice president for Pacific Northwest stores.

Matt Hage/AP Content Services for Target

All of the changes Brian Niccol has made at Starbucks so far

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol stands in front of a step-and-repeat banner featuring the Fast Company logo.
Brian Niccol has spent his first year as CEO of Starbucks making a series of changes, big and small, to improve operations at the coffee giant.

Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Fast Company

Nearly 300 stores are set to close across the US in 2026. Here's the list.

Tech Insider : Business
Macy's store sign
Macy's plans to close stores over several years.

kena betancur / AFP via Getty Images

Tim Cook just gave Nike a much-needed holiday boost

Tech Insider : Business, Sports
Tim Cook ans Deirdre O'Brien with Apple store employees
Tim Cook sporting a custom pair of Nike Vomero Plus sneakers at an Apple store reopening in Tokyo earlier this year.

Apple

Major food chains are reinventing themselves. We ranked their efforts to see who's winning the Great Restaurant Reset.

Tech Insider : Business
Two large billboards displaying a Pizza Hut and Cracker Barrel logos
Brands including Chili's, Starbucks, and Cracker Barrel have undergone revitalization efforts this year.

Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI

More than 4,100 stores and restaurants are closing across the US this year. Here's the list.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
The Zara logo appears on a storefront.
Zara's parent company, Inditex, said it closed 132 stores across its portfolio in 2025.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

I compared TJ Maxx and Marshalls this holiday season. I would only recommend one.

Tech Insider : Business, Sports
tj maxx and marshall's
I went to a combined TJ Maxx and Marshalls in New York City during peak shopping season.

Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

How Unilever's huge bet on influencers led to a creator economy gold rush

Tech Insider : Business, Economy
influencer

Deagreez/Getty Images

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