Klarna Shares Jump 8.6% as Robinhood Executive Chris Koegel Named New CFO Ahead of Earnings
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Klarna shares jumped 8.6% on Friday 13 November 2026, closing at $13.80, after the buy-now, pay-later group named Robinhood executive Chris Koegel as its new chief financial officer, days before it reports third-quarter results on Tuesday 17 November.
The appointment, announced on Thursday 12 November, puts Koegel in charge of Klarna’s finances from 1 January 2027. He succeeds Niclas Neglén, who remains finance chief through 31 December.
Klarna — Quick Reference Summary
| Company | Klarna Group plc |
| Stock ticker | NYSE: KLAR |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Chief executive | Sebastian Siemiatkowski |
| Incoming chief financial officer | Chris Koegel (from Robinhood) |
| CFO start date | 1 January 2027 |
| Outgoing chief financial officer | Niclas Neglén (until 31 December 2026) |
| Share price, 13 November 2026 close | $13.80, up 8.6% |
| 52-week share range | $12.06 – $35.35 |
| Third-quarter results | Tuesday 17 November 2026 |
| Third-quarter revenue guidance | $940 million – $980 million |
| Third-quarter GMV guidance | $35 billion – $36 billion |
| Markets served | 26 |
| Analyst consensus | Hold, average price target $22.44 |
Who Chris Koegel Is and Why Klarna Picked a Robinhood Executive
Koegel joins Klarna from Robinhood Markets, where he serves as vice president and head of corporate finance and investor relations. He joined Robinhood in 2022, a period in which the trading platform’s valuation grew from under $10 billion to more than $100 billion.
Klarna said the move was a planned transition. The company announced during the summer that Neglén would step down in early 2027, and Koegel’s appointment, subject to regulatory approval, completes that handover. The choice signals that Klarna wants a finance chief who has worked through a public company’s rapid growth phase, exactly the stage Klarna is navigating as a newly listed business.
What the Share Jump Says About Investor Nerves
Friday’s rise came after a difficult year for Klarna’s stock. Shares have fallen by more than half in 2026, in large part because spending has slowed in Europe, which accounts for more than half of the company’s revenue. Klarna lowered its guidance after its last earnings report in August, sending shares down nearly 23%, and they have fallen a further 10% since then, according to Barron’s.
Against that backdrop, investors treated the CFO announcement as a reason to buy ahead of Tuesday’s results. The stock climbed 8.58% on Friday to finish at $13.80, with investors positioning their portfolios before the earnings release while digesting the leadership news.
The Numbers Behind Tuesday’s Results
Klarna guided in August to third-quarter gross merchandise volume of $35 billion to $36 billion, growth of 7% to 10% on the $32.7 billion recorded in the same period last year. Revenue is targeted at $940 million to $980 million, up from $903 million a year earlier.
The figures follow a second quarter in which revenue reached $1.04 billion and gross merchandise volume hit $36.6 billion. Klarna reported earnings per share of $0.01 for that quarter, beating the consensus forecast of a $0.06 loss. The company is not yet consistently profitable: market data shows a negative net margin of 3.54% and a negative return on equity of 5.39%.
Klarna’s First Results Under UK Regulation
Tuesday’s figures will be the first to cover a period in which British buy-now, pay-later lending was regulated. The Financial Conduct Authority started regulating deferred payment credit on 15 July 2026, and the results land ten days before Black Friday, the busiest shopping period of the year for pay-later firms. Klarna’s results webcast starts at 13:30 UK time on Tuesday.
The company has also been expanding its consumer-protection tools. Its anti-scam Call Status Detection feature, which lets users check whether a caller is genuinely from Klarna, is now available in all 26 markets where the company operates.
What Happens Next for Klarna
The final quarter is usually Klarna’s strongest, and analysts expect that pattern to hold. The company brought in $1.12 billion of revenue in the fourth quarter last year, a figure analysts expect to rise to $1.36 billion in the same period of 2026. Whether Tuesday’s results support that expectation will shape how far Friday’s rally can run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did Klarna shares rise on Friday?
A: Klarna announced that Robinhood executive Chris Koegel will become chief financial officer from 1 January 2027, and investors bought the stock ahead of third-quarter results on Tuesday 17 November.
Q: When does Chris Koegel start as Klarna’s CFO?
A: He starts on 1 January 2027, subject to regulatory approval. Niclas Neglén remains finance chief through 31 December 2026.
Q: When does Klarna report third-quarter results?
A: On Tuesday 17 November 2026, before the New York market opens, with a webcast at 13:30 UK time.
Q: Is Klarna profitable?
A: Not consistently. Market data shows a negative net margin of 3.54%, although second-quarter earnings per share of $0.01 beat the consensus forecast of a $0.06 loss.
Q: What is buy now, pay later?
A: It lets shoppers spread the cost of a purchase over instalments or defer payment. In the UK, deferred payment credit has been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority since 15 July 2026.
Q: What is Klarna’s stock ticker?
A: Klarna Group plc trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker KLAR.
Myths and Facts
Myth: Chris Koegel has already taken over as Klarna’s finance chief. Fact: He starts on 1 January 2027. Niclas Neglén remains CFO until 31 December 2026.
Myth: Niclas Neglén was pushed out. Fact: Klarna announced a planned CFO transition during the summer, with the change taking effect in early 2027.
Myth: Friday’s share jump means Klarna has turned a profit. Fact: The shares are still down by more than half in 2026, and the company is not yet consistently profitable.
