Woolworths Holdings (WHL) on Thursday said group sales for the first 20 weeks of the 2013 financial year increased by 15.9% over the comparable period in 2012. Sales in comparable stores grew by 9.9%.
Clothing sales in SA grew by 13.7% with a price movement of 5.8%. Sales in comparable stores grew by 8.2%‚ the retailer said.
Meanwhile‚ food sales grew by 11.2% with a price movement of 7.3%‚ and sales in comparable stores grew by 7.8%.
“General merchandise grew by 11.5% and by 9.5% in comparable stores‚” the company said.
Woolworths’s retail space‚ including stores in the rest of Africa‚ grew by 5.2%‚ net of closures and excluding franchise conversions.
Sales in Australia and New Zealand increased 36.9%‚ in Australian dollar terms. Witchery and Mimco’s sales are included from the effective date of the acquisition on September 30.
“Sales in comparable stores increased by 12.2% and net space‚ excluding the acquisition‚ contracted 2.1%. Country Road’s South African sales are included in the South African clothing‚” Woolworths said.
The Woolworths Financial Services debtors’ book reflected year-on-year growth of 10.9% at the end of October‚ with the impairment rate for the four months to October at 1.8%.
The group’s interim results for the 26 week period to December 23 are scheduled to be announced on or about the February 14. - I-Net Bridge