SYDNEY, June 9, 2026, 05:01 (AEST)
- Coles shares closed at A$22.21, rising 1.9%. The ASX was shut Monday for King’s Birthday holiday.
- The stock climbed roughly 2.3% in the past week, beating the S&P/ASX 200, which ended lower on Friday.
- Grocery prices, supplier costs and the June 16 RBA call are the focus for investors as they come back to a short week.
Coles Group shares are set to open Tuesday’s ASX session close to a one-month high. The supermarket operator last traded higher ahead of Australia’s long weekend, bucking losses across the broader market.
Coles shares ended Friday at A$22.21, up A$0.41, or 1.9%, with 3.48 million shares trading hands, the company’s investor page showed. With the ASX shut on Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday, Friday’s settlement is the most recent official price.
Coles goes into a short week with three issues for investors: grocery demand, supply chain costs, and where rates might go next. The S&P/ASX 200, Australia’s main share index and a gauge of large caps, dropped 0.7% Friday to 8,625.1.
Coles picked up roughly 2.3% from the previous Friday close at A$21.72. The stock dipped on June 2 but bounced back in the next three sessions. It finished the week at the top of Friday’s range, according to .
Coles’ May update is still the key earnings print for the supermarket group. In the third quarter, Coles’ group sales revenue came in at A$10.70 billion, which is a 3.1% lift. Supermarket revenue climbed 4.0% to A$9.78 billion. Comparable sales, which adjust for store changes and timing, were up 3.6%.
Coles CEO Leah Weckert said the company delivered “another strong sales result,” but flagged that value and availability are set to stay in focus for shoppers in coming months. Coles reported eCommerce sales up 24.8%. eCommerce’s share of supermarket sales increased to 13.6%.
Coles flagged higher costs, saying it’s seen more requests from suppliers to raise prices and is paying more for things like fuel, freight and packaging. The company said its supermarket sales growth so far in the fourth quarter is tracking about the same as the third quarter, after adjusting for the timing of Easter and Anzac Day.
Peers show the move in context. Woolworths, which is Coles’ bigger grocery competitor, finished Friday at A$35.69, up 1.2%. Metcash, the supplier to independent supermarkets and liquor stores, settled at A$3.04, a 0.3% gain.
Regulatory risk is still there. Last month, a Federal Court said Coles misled shoppers with certain “Down Down” discount ads, with the ACCC now after a hefty penalty. Vantage Markets analyst Hebe Chen told Reuters that investors are starting to factor in the chance Coles’ “discounting playbook becomes less flexible.” Reuters
RBA update eyed as macro test looms. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s cash rate sits at 4.35%. Next move is due 2:30 p.m. June 16. Higher rates can hit consumer spending, including at defensive retailers selling daily goods.
But the risks are on the table. A bigger penalty, persistent supplier inflation, or higher wages could all put pressure on margins if Coles pushes to keep prices down. The wage-setting body in Australia last week gave a 4.75% pay bump for 2.8 million low-paid workers starting July 1, a move some analysts think could push business costs up.
Coles goes into the new ASX session riding Friday’s momentum. Supermarket sales are still beating liquor. Investors are waiting to see if Coles can keep shopper value and hold on to margins.
