Woolworths
(ASX:WOW) unveiled a $2 billion share buy-back and boosted their dividend thanks to a bumper year. The spin-off of their drinks business Endeavour
(ASX:EDV) plus the surge in consumer spending contributed to their stellar performance.
Woolie’s sales rose 5.7 per cent to $67.2 billion, and the company’s profit after tax for continuing operations jumped 20.1 per cent to $1.5 billion. Statutory earnings spiked up 77.8 per cent to $2.1 billion.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic did hit other areas of their balance sheet. The company posted a $50 million impairment in their Metro stores, forked out $44 million worth of redundancies and spent $68 million in transaction costs for the demerger of Endeavour.
To offset these figures, Woolies recorded a $221 million gain on their equity interest in artificial intelligence company, Quantium. Totalling all these figures up, the supermarket giant came out in the black, posting a $59 million gain in significant items.
Investors will be rewarded with a nice dividend of 55 cents per share and the share buyback offer.
Shares in Woolworths
(ASX:WOW) are trading 0.2 per cent higher at $40.90.