WOOLWORTHS HOLDINGS LIMITED - Trading Update And Trading Statement: 26 Weeks To 23 December 2012

Trading Update And Trading Statement:  26 Weeks To 23 December 2012

Woolworths Holdings Limited
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
Registration number 1929/001986/06
Share code: WHL
ISIN: ZAE000063863
(“the Group”)


TRADING UPDATE AND TRADING STATEMENT: 26 WEEKS TO 23 DECEMBER 2012


TRADING UPDATE

Group sales for the first 26 weeks of the June 2013 financial year increased by 18.0% over the
comparable period in 2012. Sales in comparable stores grew by 9.4%.

Clothing sales in South Africa grew by 13.0% with a price movement of 5.5%. Sales in comparable
stores grew by 7.7%.

Food sales grew by 11.1% with a price movement of 7.4%. Sales in comparable stores grew by
7.8%.

General merchandise grew by 7.7% and by 4.0% in comparable stores.

Woolworths retail space, including stores in the rest of Africa, grew by 5.7%, net of closures and
excluding franchise conversions.

Sales in Australia and New Zealand increased 55.6%, in Australian dollar terms. Witchery and
Mimco’s sales are included from the effective date of the acquisition on 29th September 2012.
Sales in comparable stores increased by 10.7% and net space, excluding the acquisition,
contracted 2.0%. Country Road’s South African sales are included in the South African clothing
figures.

The Woolworths Financial Services debtors’ book reflected year on year growth of 12% at the end
of December 2012, with the annualised impairment rate for the six months to December 2012 at
1.5% (six months to December 2011: 1.6%).


TRADING STATEMENT

We expect that both earnings per share ("EPS") and headline earnings per share ("HEPS") for the
26 week period to 23 December 2012 will be between 18-24% higher than the corresponding
reporting period of the previous year. Included in both EPS and HEPS are the following:
transaction costs of R52m (Dec 2011: nil) relating to the acquisition of the Witchery Group, once-
off store employee restructuring costs of R43m (Dec 2011: nil), and net unrealised foreign
exchange losses of R16m (Dec 2011: R72m gain), all stated before tax. Adjusting for these items,
core EPS and core HEPS are expected to be between 33-39% higher than the corresponding
reporting period of the previous year.

Shareholders are advised that the financial information contained in this announcement has not
been audited, reviewed or reported upon by the Group’s external auditors.

The Group’s interim results for the 26 week period to 23 December 2012 are scheduled to be
announced on or about 14 February 2013.

Contact:
Ian Moir (Group chief executive officer) on 021 407 2809
Norman Thomson (Group finance director) on 021 407 3337
InvestorRelations@woolworths.co.za
Cape Town
16 January 2013

Sponsor
RAND MERCHANT BANK (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited)

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