Woolworths Holdings Limited announced sales results for the six months ended December 27, 2015. Group sales increased by 17.1% for the first 26 weeks of the 2016 financial year, over the comparable 26-week period in 2015. Excluding David Jones, Group sales increased by 12.3%. Woolworths Clothing sales increased by 11.7%, with a price movement of 6.6%. Sales in comparable stores grew by 8.0%. Net retail space grew by 7.2%. General Merchandise sales increased by 5.8% and by 2.3% in comparable stores. Woolworths Food sales, including concessions, increased by 12.1%, with a price movement of 5.7%. Excluding concessions, Food sales increased by 11.7%. Sales in comparable stores grew by 5.8%. Net retail space grew by 9.8%.

The company provided earnings guidance for the six months ended December 27, 2015. The company expects that earnings per share ("EPS") and headline earnings per share ("HEPS") for the 26-week period ended 27 December 2015 ("period") will be between 30% to 40% and 25% to 35% higher than the reported EPS and HEPS of 184.2 cents and 194.1 cents respectively for the 26-week period ended 28 December 2014. This translates to an expected EPS range of between 239.5 and 257.9 cents and an expected HEPS range of between 242.6 and 262.0 cents for the period. Included in earnings for the prior period are transaction and other related costs as well as unrealised foreign exchange gains totaling ZAR 427 million (post-tax).