Wesfarmers Limited, an Australian conglomerate with interest in apparel and retail products, has reported a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $1,213 million for the half-year ended December 31, 2021. Excluding significant items, NPAT declined 14.2 per cent for the half. The company recorded revenue of $17,758 million in the same period.
“The first half of the 2022 financial year was the most disrupted period for our businesses since the onset of COVID-19, with extended government-mandated store closures and trading restrictions in Australia and New Zealand. The group also made significant investments in the half to support our team members, through payroll support and assistance programmes, to help manage the significant personal impacts from extended lockdowns,” Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott.
The group’s retail businesses experienced volatility in sales during the half as a result of COVID-19. Retail sales between July and October 2021 were significantly affected by widespread lockdowns across New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand, with around 34,000 store trading days impacted and periods where almost half of the group’s retail stores were either restricted or closed, the company said in a press release.
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