Walmart top executives earn 21.3% more compensation in fiscal 2026

Four top Walmart executives earned a total of $88.765 million, up 21.3% from the prior year. This does not include Daniel Danker, the highest-paid executive for the year who was hired in August as executive vice president of AI acceleration, product and design.

Danker, a former Instacart and Uber executive, received total compensation of $44.092 million in his first five months at Walmart. The pay package includes a $37.7 million in restricted stock that will vest on the first and second anniversaries of the hire date. Part of the restricted stock award covers equity losses he incurred leaving a former employer. He also received a $5 million sign-on bonus and $876,270 in other bonus pay. Danker also received other compensation of $79,701, which included $20,000 in relocation expenses. Danker’s salary was $437,712 from August to year-end on Feb. 1.

The salary and compensation are detailed in Walmart’s preliminary proxy statement, recently filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Danker’s one-time bonus pay and relocation pay knocked other top earners out of the proxy filing last year, including Kath McLay, CEO of Walmart International, and Chris Nicholas, CEO of Sam’s Club. McLay exited Walmart in February, with Nicholas taking over the International CEO role. Latriece Watkins was promoted to CEO of Sam’s Club, and David Guggina took over as CEO for Walmart U.S. in February, but those compensation packages are not part of this report.

Doug McMillon ended his 12-year service as CEO on Feb. 1. He will remain with the company as a consultant for one more year. McMillon received $29.241 million, up 6.68% from $27.409 million reported a year ago. His base salary totaled $1.5 million, on par with his salary from the past three years. He earned a cash bonus of $4.032 million, which was slightly lower than a year ago. Stock awards totaled $21.051 million, up from $20.375 million earned a year ago. Pension deferred income totaled $2.215 million for the year, up from $783,745 reported a year ago. Other compensation, including a 401(k) match and use of the corporate aircraft, totaled $442,047, up from $383,895 reported last year. McMillon will retire from board service when his term expires in June.

John Furner took over as CEO for the company on Feb. 1, having spent the past six years as CEO for Walmart U.S. He was also appointed to the board of directors in 2025 and will stand for election this year. Furner received $27.343 million last year, up from $16.723 million in fiscal 2025, an increase of 68%.

His base salary as CEO for Walmart U.S. totaled $1.313 million, after deferring $52,000 to next year. Furner’s base salary was on par with a year ago. Deferred compensation totaled $22.259 million in restricted stock grants and pension contributions of $2.769 million. He received restricted stock pay of $11.753 million in fiscal 2025 and deferred pension benefit pay of $2.82 million.

John David Rainey, Walmart chief financial officer, received compensation of $15.455 million last year, up 14.5% compared with $13.499 million in fiscal 2025. His base salary totals $1.03 million, on par with $1.033 million reported a year ago. Bonus pay was down slightly to $2.076 million, compared to $2.234 million earned the year before. Deferred compensation totaled $12.065 million, up from $9.964 million the year before. Other compensation was valued at $282,778, up from $266,837 reported last year.

Suresh Kumar, global chief technology and development officer, received pay of $16.727 million, up 4.65% from the prior year. His base salary was $1.135 million, slightly below $1.138 million reported last year. Cash bonus paid totaled $2.288 million, below $2.461 million paid a year ago. Stock awards totaled $13.162 million, up from $12.264 million in fiscal 2025. His pension compensation totaled $27,285, up from $10,124 paid a year ago. Other compensation was valued at $113,295, up from $109,182 reported last year.

BOARD CHANGES
Along with McMillon, Tim Flynn will also retire from the Walmart board in June. Former Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer has agreed to remain on the board for a second year beyond the standard 12-year term limit, extending her board time until the 2027 shareholders’ meeting.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, who joined the board in 2024, will not stand for reelection. Eleven directors are standing for reelection at the company’s shareholder meeting slated for June 4.

• Cesar Conde, 52, director since 2019, chairman of NBCUniversal Group
• Sarah Friar,  53, director since 2018, CFO of OpenAI Inc.
• John Furner, 51, director since 2025, CEO of Walmart
• Carla Harris, 63, director since 2017, client advisor at Morgan Stanley
• Tom Horton, 64, director since 2014, former CEO of American Airlines
• Marissa Mayer, 50, director since 2012, CEO of Dazzle AI
• Shishir Mehrota, 47, director since 2026, CEO of Superhuman Labs
• Bob Moritz, 62, director since 2024, retired chairman of PwC
• Greg Penner, 56, director since 2008, CEO of the Denver Broncos
• Randall Stephenson, 66, director since 2021, retired chairman of AT&T
• Steuart Walton, 44, director since 2016, chairman of Game Aerospace