News: WOW Woolworths Group Posts Q3 Australian Food Sales Of $11,171 Mln

April 30 (Reuters) - Woolworths Group Ltd (WOW) :

• Q3 AUSTRALIAN FOOD SALES $11,171 MILLION VERSUS $10,033 MILLION
• Q3 AUSTRALIAN FOOD COMPARABLE SALES GROWTH OF 10.3%
• QTRLY TOTAL SALES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS $16,495 MILLION VERSUS $14,898 MILLION
• AUSTRALIAN FOOD SALES GROWTH IN FIRST 3 WEEKS OF APRIL IN MID-SINGLE DIGITS WITH DRINKS SALES GROWTH BROADLY BACK TO PRE- COVID-19 LEVELS
• LOOKING FORWARD TO Q4, A NUMBER OF COSTS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR REST OF QUARTER
• HOTELS WILL MAKE A LOSS BEFORE INTEREST AND TAX OF $30 - $35 MILLION PER MONTH (INCLUDING MARCH) WHILE BUSINESS REMAINS CLOSED
• IN Q4, INCREMENTAL COSTS EXPECTED TO BE IN RANGE OF $220 - $275 MILLION FOR GROUP (EXCLUDING HOTELS)
• IN SECOND HALF, BIG W WILL ALSO BE IMPACTED BY INCREMENTAL COSTS DUE TO COVID-19 AND HIGHER ONLINE FULFILMENT COSTS
• BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS, BIG W IS EXPECTED TO STILL MAKE A SMALL PROFIT FOR F20 (POST-AASB 16)
• "RAPID INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR ECOMMERCE SERVICES, RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION TO GROUP'S ONLINE BUSINESSES DURING MARCH AND APRIL"
• "DUE TO SUDDEN & UNPRECEDENTED INCREASE IN DEMAND, FOOD BUSINESSES IN PARTICULAR, WERE IMPACTED BY ACUTE PRODUCT SHORTAGES IN SOME AREAS"
• SALES GROWTH CONTINUED IN APRIL ALTHOUGH GROWTH RATES HAVE MODERATED RELATIVE TO MARCH
• "LAST FOUR MONTHS HAVE BEEN ONE OF MOST CHALLENGING PERIODS IN HISTORY OF WOOLWORTHS"
• FURTHER PARTIAL PAYMENTS WERE MADE TO AFFECTED SALARIED STORE TEAM MEMBERS IN WOOLWORTHS SUPERMARKETS, METRO AND BWS
• BIG W SALARIED STORE TEAM MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE PAYMENTS IN EARLY MAY