Woolworths Holdings Limited - Trading Update

Woolworths Holdings Limited - Trading Update                                    
Woolworths Holdings Limited                                                     
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)                                  
Registration number: 1929/001986/06                                             
ISIN: ZAE000063863                                                              
JSE Code: WHL                                                                   
("Woolworths")                                                                  
Trading Update                                                                  
The retail environment continues to experience solid growth on the back of lower
interest rates, low inflation and real wage growth. For the first four months of
the new financial year, Woolworths operations increased sales by 16.4% compared 
to the same period last year, with comparable store sales growth of 10.0%.      
Clothing and Home"s sales grew by 11.8% in total and 7.6% in comparable store   
sales growth with an average deflation rate of approximately 2.0%. The August   
Sale was in-line with expectations and the new summer ranges have been well     
received. In Foods sales have continued to exceed expectations with sales growth
of 20.5% in total and 12.1% in comparable stores and an average inflation rate  
of approximately 3.5%.                                                          
Retail First sales for the Australian subsidiary Country Road were 2.4% higher  
in Australian dollar terms for the three-month period ending 30 September in a  
competitive trading environment. The improvements in sales volumes continued    
during the quarter, with unit sales up more than 25%.                           
The structural shift in the South African economy is expected to sustain our    
country"s economic growth rate however, the possibility of a higher interest    
rate could slow down growth in retail. We remain well positioned to deliver     
solid growth.                                                                   
Expansion plans in corporate stores are on track with 4.66% trading space opened
in Clothing and Home over the period, and 6.36% in Food.                        
A further trading update will be released in early January 2006. The interim    
results for the 26-week period to 25 December 2005 are scheduled for publication
in mid-February 2006.                                                           
Cape Town                                                                       
2 November 2005                                                                 
Contact:                                                                        
Simon Susman (Chief Executive Officer)       Contact number: 083 252 5696       
Norman Thomson (Finance Director)                 Contact number: 083 251 6354  
Cherrie Lowe (Group Secretary)                    Contact number: 083 308 2933  
Sponsor                                                                         
RAND MERCHANT BANK (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited)                       
Date: 02/11/2005 09:56:02 AM Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za                     
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