AAP2009-01-14Woolworths 'a super-sales retailer'Supermarket...

AAP
2009-01-14

Woolworths 'a super-sales retailer'


Supermarket giant Woolworths Ltd has jumped three places to be the 22nd largest retailer in the world in terms of sales, according to the Deloitte 2009 Global Powers of Retailing report.

The report notes that Woolworths jumped from 25th place to 22nd place.

Its competitor, Coles Group, which is owned by Wesfarmers Ltd, also improved its position moving up two places to 29th.

Both Australian retail giants remained in third and fourth places respectively in the Asia-Pacific top ten.

Wesfarmers also moved to fifth place in the Asia-Pacific top ten following its acquisition of the Coles Group in November 2007.

The WA-based group, had one of the largest jumps in the survey , moving from 176th place to 36th place in the world.

Woolworths, one of two Asia-Pacific companies to make the top 25, had compound annual sales rates for the past five years at 11.9 per cent and Coles Group at 6.4 per cent.

The report also found that the Australian companies in the top 250 have, on average, the highest market capitalisation to assets ratio, also known as the Q ratio.