Sydney, Feb 27, 2026, 17:29 AEDT — Market is done for the day.
Woolworths Group Ltd shares slipped 0.95% to close at A$36.01 on Friday, paring back gains after a sharp run-up. The stock had surged roughly 14% across the previous three sessions—jumping almost 13% Wednesday, then tacking on another 2% Thursday.
Investors are now trying to gauge if more aggressive pricing will keep sales momentum going without slicing too deep into margins. Woolworths posted a 16.4% jump in net profit after tax before significant items — excluding one-off costs — reaching A$859 million for the 27 weeks to Jan. 4, with an interim dividend of 45 Australian cents, fully franked. The company also recorded A$485 million in after-tax significant items, mostly a provision for salaried team member remediation following a Federal Court decision. Looking ahead, Woolworths pointed to Australian Food EBIT growth tracking toward the upper end of its “mid-to-high single digit” range.
Coles Group drew some attention Friday as it posted a statutory net profit after tax of A$511 million, marking an 11.3% drop from the previous year. Stripping out significant items, profit climbed 12.5% to A$676 million. The company announced a fully franked interim dividend of 41 cents a share. CEO Leah Weckert called it “another strong set of results” in what she termed a “highly competitive” market.
The S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.25%, notching a fresh record close. Investors shifted positions on the back of company earnings, locking in gains from stocks that had surged earlier this week.
Coles dropped up to 8.7% at one point during intraday trading after releasing its results, pulling the consumer-staples sub-index down with it. The retailer cited tougher competition from Woolworths and noted the second half got off to a slower start.
Woolworths shareholders are watching the dividend in the short term. The stock goes ex-dividend March 4, according to an ASX notice, cutting off eligibility for the payout. The record date lands on March 5, and payment follows on April 2. These dividends are fully franked, meaning Australian company-tax credits — a factor for local investors.
Some brokers say the market hasn’t entirely factored in the more upbeat outlook. In a note to clients, Ord Minnett analysts described Woolworths’ updated guidance as “still appears conservative.” Reuters
Still, there’s a risk lurking here. If the price war intensifies, grocery margins take a hit—and new legal flare-ups could rattle investors. The consumer watchdog has dragged Woolworths and Coles into court, alleging their “Prices Dropped” and “Down Down” discount campaigns misled shoppers. ACCC
Woolworths has already taken a hefty remediation charge, so investors are looking for evidence that the costs aren’t growing further. There’s also ongoing turnaround activity in New Zealand Food and BIG W, complicating the “simple supermarket” narrative—especially when markets get nervous.
Coming up, March 4 brings the ex-dividend date and, at 11:30 a.m. AEDT, Australia’s quarterly GDP print for the December 2025 quarter. Both land on the same day, lining up as key signals for how Woolworths shares could move in the next session and the days that follow.
