Feb 22 (Reuters) - Woolworths Group Ltd (WOW) : HY E-COMMERCE...

Feb 22 (Reuters) - Woolworths Group Ltd (WOW) :

• HY E-COMMERCE SALES A$3,157M
• QTRLY AUSTRALIAN FOOD COMPARABLE SALES GROWTH 5.0%
• HY AUSTRALIAN FOOD TOTAL SALES A$24,196 MILLION VERSUS A$23,633 MILLION
• IN AUSTRALIAN FOOD, SALES GROWTH REMAINED STRONG WITH WOOLWORTHS FOOD RETAIL TOTAL SALES FOR FIRST SEVEN WEEKS OF H2 INCREASING BY 6.5%
• EBIT GROWTH IN H2 WILL BE BELOW H1
• INFLATION CONTINUING TO AFFECT WAY CUSTOMERS SHOP BUT OVERALL IMPACT ON CO'S BUSINESS AT THIS STAGE REMAINS MODEST
• REMAIN CAUTIOUS ABOUT IMPACT OF COST-OF-LIVING PRESSURES ON DISCRETIONARY RETAIL SPEND IN AUSTRALIA
• COST GROWTH IN H2 WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM NON-RECURRENCE OF COVID COSTS (ALTHOUGH TO LESSER EXTENT THAN H1)
• HAVE HAD A STRONG START TO H2 FY23
• IN NZ FOOD, TRADING MOMENTUM IN H2 CONTINUED TO IMPROVE RELATIVE TO H1 WITH SALES INCREASING BY 6.3% FOR FIRST 7 WEEKS (3-YEAR CAGR OF 4.4%)
• FOR BIG W, EBIT IN H2 TYPICALLY MUCH LOWER H1 WITH H1 EBIT EXPECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 75-80% OF TOTAL FY23 EBIT
• COST INFLATION IN AREAS LIKE WAGES, ENERGY AND SUPPLY CHAIN REMAINS MATERIAL AND WELL ABOVE RECENT HISTORY