Clicks Group Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) Registration number: 1996/000645/06 JSE share code: CLS ISIN: ZAE000134854 CUSIP: 18682W205 LEI: 378900E967958A677472 ("the group") TRADING UPDATE FOR 20 WEEKS TO 12 JANUARY 2025 - Group turnover up 8.1% - Retail sales up 8.7% - Distribution turnover up 9.5% - Clicks granted 27 new retail pharmacy licences
Group turnover for the first 20 weeks of the 2025 financial year to 12 January 2025 ("the period") increased by 8.1% (2024: 8.0%) to R18.2 billion compared to the corresponding 20 weeks in the previous financial year ("the prior period").
The group's retail sales, which includes Clicks, The Body Shop and Sorbet corporate stores, increased by 8.7%. Turnover from Unicorn Pharmaceuticals, which was sold by the group with effect from 1 August 2024, has been
excluded from the current and prior periods to ensure comparability of results reporting. The disposal of Unicorn Pharmaceuticals has no impact on the turnover of the group or distribution segment.
Sales in comparable stores increased by 5.9% (2024: 8.4%), with selling price inflation averaging 3.5% (2024: 7.5%) and volume growth of 2.4% (2024: 0.9%) for the period.
Chief executive Bertina Engelbrecht said growth in Clicks was driven by strong front shop health and pharmacy, higher sales of private label products and increased promotional sales which were supported by a record Black Friday. This translated into market share gains across all product categories in Clicks in the first quarter of the financial year.
Clicks reported slower growth in non-promotional sales and softer
performances in Christmas gifting, paperware and home and electrical products relative to the prior period.
Following the resolution of the Unicorn Pharmaceuticals licensing matter in August 2024, pharmacy licences are again being issued by the Department of Health, with Clicks being granted 27 new licences to date. Clicks opened 11 new pharmacies in November and December and plans to accelerate the expansion programme in the months ahead.
UPD continued to gain momentum following the completion of the large-scale systems implementation early in the prior period and increased wholesale turnover by 9.5% (2024: -0.8%).
UPD's total managed turnover, combining wholesale and bulk distribution, increased by 3.6% relative to a decline of 6.3% in the prior period.
The financial information in this trading update is the responsibility of the directors and has not been reviewed or reported on by the group's independent auditor.
The group's interim results for the six months to 28 February 2025 are expected to be released on SENS on or about 16 April 2025. Cape Town 21 January 2025 Sponsor Investec Bank Limited Date: 21-01-2025 10:00:00
Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited ('JSE'). The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers, employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature, howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on, information disseminated through SENS.