Health and beauty retailer New Clicks has increased its turnover from continuing operations by 25% in the four months from September 1 to December 31 2004, versus the previous year, aided by the inclusion of pharmacy operations compared with the year-earlier period.
Group sales totalled R2,97-billion for the four months, up from R2,38-billion the previous year.
New Clicks’ retail chains include Clicks, Discom, The Body Shop, CD Wherehouse and Musica, as well as wholesale pharmaceutical distributor UPD.
In a trading statement on Monday, New Clicks said its retail brands increased sales by 29,9% in total, by 11,1% excluding pharmacy, and by 9,9% on a same-store basis (excluding pharmacy). The group’s new pharmacy operations generated sales of R314,8-million.
UPD, meanwhile, increased turnover by 34,5%, which included R148-million of intra-group sales.
Within its retail brands, Clicks (excluding pharmacy) posted an 8,9% increase in sales to R1,26-billion, with same-store growth at 7.9%.
Against an internal selling price deflation of 1%, the group said this indicated real growth in the brand on a same-store basis of 8,9%.
Discom had continued its recovery, with a 9,5% increase in total sales to R325,3-million. However, same-store sales growth was higher at 9,6%, as Discom closed 13 stores during the period, and internal selling price inflation was 0,5%.
The entertainment division — comprising CD Wherehouse and Musica — showed a strong performance, recovering from a disappointing prior period and lifting sales by 25,4% to R254,2-million. Same-store growth was 22,8%.
The Body Shop increased sales by 16,1% to R22,9-million, although same-store sales declined by 2,2%.
UPD had significantly grown its market share, New Clicks noted, owing to a change in market conditions and a high level of service provided to its customers, resulting in an increase in turnover of 34,5%, to R943,3-million.
New Clicks plans to release its interim results for the six months to February 28 2005 on April 21. — I-Net Bridge