The food, fashion and beauty retailer, which targets the mid- to upper-income segment of the country, said its headline earnings per share (HEPS) from continuing operations likely fell 5% to 10% in the 26 weeks ended December 24.

Group turnover and concession sales from continuing operations, excluding retailer David Jones which it sold last year, rose 5.4% and by 4.4% in constant currency terms. That was lower than the 12.5% reported in prior period.

Woolworths said performance for the current period has been effected by an increasingly challenging macroeconomic backdrop, given the sustained impact of interest rate increases and higher living costs.

--Reuters--