Marcus Lemonis, the entrepreneur best known as the star of CNBC's The Profit and The Fixer, will step down as CEO of Camping World Holdings Inc. (NYSE:CWH) on Jan. 1, 2026.
Matthew Wagner To Take Over As The CEO
The company announced the transition on Tuesday, naming current President Matthew Wagner as his successor.
The departure marks a pivotal shift for the RV giant, which Lemonis co-founded and built into the world's largest RV retailer, as it faces a retail environment defined by shrinking consumer disposable income and high interest rates.
RVs As A Warning Sign
The leadership shakeup arrives as the recreational vehicle industry—often viewed as a canary in the coal mine for the U.S. consumer economy—flashes warning signs.
During the Raymond James TMT and Consumer Conference on Tuesday, company leadership acknowledged “retail softening” in September and October, prompting a cautious outlook for 2026.
With Camping World stock trading near $10.30, reflecting a roughly 50% decline over 2025, the company is grappling with an “affordability-focused” consumer.
RV purchases are highly sensitive to interest rates and discretionary budget tightening. Incoming CEO Matthew Wagner did not mince words regarding the challenges ahead, telling investors, “We know we have a massive amount of work to do.”
The company's immediate strategy involves aggressive deleveraging of its balance sheet to navigate the current economic headwinds.
See Also: Camping World Announces Leadership Succession Plan
The Succession Plan
Wagner, who has served as President since July 2024 and Chief Operating Officer before that, will officially take the helm at year-end. A Camping World veteran since 2007, Wagner stated he is “honored” to step into the role, despite the difficult macro environment.
“Matt and I share a philosophy and intensity around the importance of people, growth, and winning,” Lemonis said in a statement. “I have absolute conviction in my choice to succeed me.”
Concurrently, Brent Moody, a 22-year veteran of the company, will assume the role of Chairman of the Board.
Lemonis To Remain As Advisor
Lemonis is not exiting the company entirely. Following his retirement as CEO and Chairman, he will serve as a non-executive Co-Founder and Special Advisor.
He intends to remain a “meaningful long-term shareholder,” focusing on value creation while leaving day-to-day operations to Wagner and his team.
Shares of CWH ended 1.90% lower at $10.30 apiece on Tuesday; it was unchanged in premarket on Wednesday. It has declined by 50.02% year-to-date and 58.60% over the year.
It maintains a weaker price trend over the short, medium, and long terms, with a poor growth ranking. Additional performance details, as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, are available here.
Read Next
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
