Cape Town – In an environment of intensified competition and constrained consumer spending, particularly among middle-income households, Clicks Group increased diluted headline earnings per share by 8.1% for the six months to February 2026. The group declared an interim dividend of 258 cents per share, up 8.4% on the prior year.
Group turnover increased by 7.4% to R24.9 billion. Retail turnover increased by 5.4% while distribution turnover grew by 13.0%, mainly driven by a 31.1% increase in revenue from preferred bulk supplier contracts.
The group remained highly cash generative, with cash inflows from operations totalling R1.9 billion. During the half year, the group returned R2.3 billion to shareholders in dividend payments totalling R1.5 billion and share buybacks of R752 million.
Chief executive Bertina Engelbrecht said Clicks delivered a resilient performance, with pharmacy sales increasing by 8.6% and retail pharmacy market share strengthening to 24.9% from 24.2% in the prior period.
Engelbrecht said retail turnover was impacted by delays in the implementation of the group’s warehouse management system at the Clicks distribution centre in Cape Town which reduced product availability, particularly over the festive season. Bottom of Form
“Clicks reached a significant milestone with the opening of its 1 000th store, increasing the store footprint to 1 003. The national pharmacy network was expanded to 795 at the end of February 2026, with 53.6% of households now living within 5 kilometres of a Clicks pharmacy, highlighting the accessibility and convenience of the pharmacy chain,” she said.
Clicks also achieved another landmark with the opening of its 800th pharmacy in Oudtshoorn last week, just 22 years after launching its first pharmacy in 2004.
The iconic Clicks ClubCard grew active membership by 800 000 to 12.9 million, with card holders contributing 83.7% of sales in Clicks. Loyalty members received R527 million in cashback rewards during the six months.
Engelbrecht said UPD, the group’s pharmaceutical wholesaler, delivered strong growth in wholesale and preferred supplier bulk distribution turnover. “The business continued to demonstrate disciplined cost management, supported by lower electricity and fuel costs following its early investment in solar energy, battery storage and electric delivery vehicles.”
As part of its commitment to carbon neutrality, UPD has doubled its fleet of zero-emission, pharma-compliant electric delivery vehicles to 85, with 86% of wholesale deliveries and 74% of total travel no longer exposed to fuel costs.
On the prospects for the second half of the financial year, Engelbrecht said the consumer environment is expected to remain under significant pressure as rising fuel prices and associated inflationary pressures constrain household spending.
Clicks plans to open 40 – 50 new stores and 40 – 50 new pharmacies in the 2026 financial year. In addition, 10 differentiated concept stores will be piloted in the second half of the year.
The group remains committed to achieving its medium-term financial targets as well as its medium-term store target of 1 200.
Capital expenditure of R1.3 billion is planned for the 2026 financial year, with 53% of the investment allocated to the opening of new stores and pharmacies as well as store refurbishments.