Sydney, Feb 26, 2026, 17:04 AEDT — After-hours
- Woolworths shares finished Thursday roughly 0.7% higher, closing at A$36.35.
- Half-year profit at the grocer topped estimates, prompting the company to raise its earnings outlook.
- Next up: Coles is set to unveil interim results this Friday, while Woolworths’ dividend schedule is also on investors’ radar.
Woolworths Group Ltd climbed 0.72% to A$36.35 just after Thursday’s close, extending gains from its half-year update. The shares moved in a range from A$34.97 up to A$36.41. (Woolworths Group)
Why does this matter? Woolworths is betting it can lure back budget-focused shoppers with lower prices, and still protect its earnings muscle. The company posted a 16% increase in underlying first-half net profit, up to A$859 million—comfortably ahead of the Visible Alpha consensus forecast of A$813.5 million. Full-year earnings guidance climbed as well, now aimed near the upper end of a mid- to high-single-digit growth band. Shares surged more than 11% at one point on Wednesday, a one-day leap not seen since 1997. (Reuters)
Woolworths reported group sales up 3.4% at A$37.1 billion, with eCommerce revenue jumping 14.6% to A$5.4 billion, according to its profit and dividend release. EBIT, stripped of one-offs like remediation charges, increased 14.4% to A$1.66 billion. Profit after tax, again before significant items, came in 16.4% higher at A$859 million. But after factoring in A$485 million in after-tax significant items, statutory profit was slashed by 49.4% to A$374 million. (Woolworths Group)
“All customer metrics have improved,” chief executive Amanda Bardwell said, noting the company’s market share is holding steady. Woolworths shares surged 13% on Wednesday, closing at A$35.63—a record one-day jump for the stock, according to ABC. (ABC News)
Josh Gilbert, market analyst at eToro, called out the stronger-than-expected numbers and noted signs of early traction heading into H2. “It isn’t the smoking gun to silence all the bears,” he wrote, saying investors will have to look past the wage remediation charge. (News.com.au)
Woolworths, in its appendix 4D filed to the ASX, announced a fully franked interim dividend of 45 cents. The payout comes with Australian tax credits. Investors holding shares as of March 5 qualify, and payment is scheduled for on or about April 2. To take part in the dividend reinvestment plan, shareholders need to submit election notices by March 6. DRP shares will be priced off the 10-day volume-weighted average beginning March 9. (Company Announcements)
But there are catches to the momentum. A steeper price war could squeeze margins, and ongoing remediation or new legal expenses would keep profits choppy up top.
Coles, Woolworths’ top competitor, is set to release its HY26 numbers this Friday—a key data point for investors watching to see if Woolworths’ sales increase signals a win on market share, or simply reflects an upbeat sector. (Coles Group)
Woolworths has little breathing room in its calendar—third-quarter numbers land April 30, with investor day following on May 12. (Woolworths Group)
