By Siyanda Mthethwa
JOHANNEBSURG (Reuters) -Clicks Group, South Africa’s biggest pharmacy chain, said on Thursday that its full-year profit grew 14.1%, supported by improved trading margins and robust sales.
The company’s diluted headline earnings per share, a key measure of profit in South Africa, rose to 1,362 cents for the year that ended on August 31 from 1,193.5 cents a year earlier.
In a statement, the company said the results demonstrated the resilience of its business model as consumer sentiment and discretionary spending remained under pressure.
“(We are) well positioned in this environment due to our competitive advantage in the defensive health and beauty sectors where we hold market-leading shares in core retail categories as well as in pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution,” said the statement.
Group turnover increased 5.3% to 47.8 billion rand ($2.76 billion) for the year. Retail turnover, which includes Clicks, The Body Shop and Sorbet corporate stores, increased by 6%.
A 10.7% growth in sales of private-label and exclusive brands was recorded and contributed 9.7 billion rand towards turnover.
The group, which has 990 stores and is aiming for 1,200 over the medium-term, declared a final dividend of 648 cents, up from 556 cents in 2024.
($1 = 17.3125 rand)
(Reporting by Siyanda Mthethwa; Editing by Sfundo Parakozov and Thomas Derpinghaus.)
