Clicks diluted earnings up 9.5% to 273.4c

This‚ Clicks said‚ was inline with its earnings growth expectations.

The group's revenue grew by 9.5% to R16.2 billion and its turnover jumped by 9.2% to R15.4 billion.

The group said that middle income consumers in its target market remained under financial pressure during the period under review.

"The health and beauty markets in which the group operates have been reliant on promotional activity to sustain sales volumes and attract value-conscious consumers‚" it said on Thursday.

Clicks' operating profit increased by 7.9% to R1.01 billion‚ the first it had exceeded the one-billion mark.

The group's comparable store sales grew by 5.9%.

"The chain's store footprint was expanded to 420 following the opening of a net 20 new stores. The pharmacy base was extended by 23 to 306‚" it said.

Clicks approved a final ordinary dividend of 107.9 cents per share‚ from last year's 88 cents.

It also declared a 15.2 cents per ordinary "A" share dividend.

The group expects growth in consumer spending to remain muted for the next financial year.

"Selling price inflation is currently anticipated to remain at low single-digit levels. The group's focus in this trading environment will therefore be on growing sales volumes and containing costs‚" Clicks said.