Woolworths posts 4.5% rise in Q3 sales

Woolworths reported Q3 group sales up 4.5% YoY to A$18.09bn for the period ended April 5, 2026, driven by a 5.9% rise in Australian Food and a 20.2% jump in e‑commerce to A$2.7bn (16.6% penetration). New Zealand food sales fell 5.2% to A$1.81bn. Management reiterated mid‑to‑high single‑digit Australian Food EBIT growth for the year (but not at the upper end) and warned of headwinds from higher fuel costs and continued price investment; NZ second‑half EBIT is expected modestly below last year. For markets, the print is supportive for retail exposure in the Australia 200 index given solid top‑line and e‑commerce momentum, but the cautious guidance and inflationary/fuel pressures temper upside, suggesting a mixed near‑term impact on the index.